Attic Joist Reinforcement

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.

Attic joist reinforcement.

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. Measure the old joists measure the length of the old joists and note how much they overhang any supporting walls or. 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. Installing flooring material over the attic doesn t quite leave room for the recommended insulation space needed to provide efficient home energy.

Now it is time to use some wood and screw it into place on the original joist as well as the cross beam. 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. 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. 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.

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. This is a fairly basic project that can help protect your roof but consult a structural. Positioning the new joist adjacent to the existing preserves precious ceiling but it does come with some potential complications. If the existing joist system is very close to being sufficient to support a new attic flooring.

But 2x8s should work fine and will save labor and materials. Often existing joist bays are filled with electrical and heating ducts that will need to be relocated. A steel plate can be used the same way. Toenail the blocks or end nail through the joists to tie everything together.