Attic Joist Reinforcement

If the existing joist system is very close to being sufficient to support a new attic flooring.

Attic joist reinforcement.

Sistering installing new larger joists next to the existing ones is one way to bring your attic floor up to code. In massachusetts attic floors must support at least 30 lbs ft live load the same as bedroom floors if the attic is accessed by means of a fixed stairway 780 cmr 5502 3 1 use a span table to determine the necessary joist dimensions given their span length spacing wood species and grade. The type of modifications selected for reinforcing the joists will depend on the recommendations of the engineer but the following methods are commonly used to beef up undersized attic joists. But 2x8s should work fine and will save labor and materials.

Step 4 reinforce the floors you will have to use a very sturdy piece of wood or some steel plating to reinforce the floor joists. You can strengthen the roof to prevent damage by adding braces to the roof rafters inside your attic. Positioning the new joist adjacent to the existing preserves precious ceiling but it does come with some potential complications. Screw the metal joist to the existing wood ceiling joist and to each plate and you have very effectively reduced the load deflection of any stored attic loads for little cost.

Installing flooring material over the attic doesn t quite leave room for the recommended insulation space needed to provide efficient home energy. Measure the old joists measure the length of the old joists and note how much they overhang any supporting walls or. A raised platform of lumber in dimensions of 2 4 or 2 6 with insulation placed between joists and covered up with a 12 inch plywood helps build the right flooring. Often existing joist bays are filled with electrical and heating ducts that will need to be relocated.

The solution is simple sister on an 18 gauge 1 5 8 x6 steel stud material to act as a joist running plate to plate. Now it is time to use some wood and screw it into place on the original joist as well as the cross beam. For slightly better bracing across the entire depth of the assembly you could instead use 2x12 blocking or double 2x6 blocks one layer for the top joists and one for the bottom. How to reinforce an attic floor with sister joists clear the joist spaces pull out all insulation and any debris from all of the joist spaces so you can see the full.