How To Fix Bouncy Floor Joists

How to fix springy and spongy floors.

How to fix bouncy floor joists.

Bouncy floors are one of the most vexing problems faced in houses both new and old. It was a complex expensive job. Got bounce part 2. Years ago while working as a carpenter i helped stiffen a bouncy floor by nailing a new 2 10 to each of the 2 10 joists that supported the floor.

A springy or spongy feeling could indicate a minor issue a major problem or. How to fix a floor deflection in an existing floor. For sistering cut inch plywood into long strips the same width as the joist s web. Contributing editor mike guertin teams up with structural engineer david grandpré to detail six common and not so common ways to stiffen up the joists and keep the china cabinet from wobbling.

My floor joists are 2x10s 16 inch on center. No one likes the feel of a supposedly solid floor bouncing or sagging underfoot. As a rule the same kinds of methods that take the bounce out of solid lumber floors work for i joists. Floor joists running the width of the room are 9 by 2 at an estimated length of 10f 8 inch with a centre to centre gap of 23 inch.

Where sagging is not the main problem bouncy joists can be stiffened by sistering a new wood or engineered wood joist alongside the existing ones. Short flitch plates of steel or lvl can also be bolted on both sides of a joist to repair a cracked or damaged section. How far apart should i put the new pieces of 2 10. I am trying to find the balance between having it work and overkill.

Before i drywall the basement ceiling i would like to stiffen the floor joists to eliminate bounce by installing new pieces of 2 10 perpendicular to the existing joists. But when tom sisters or stiffens the underside of i joists he uses plywood. Still if asked to span too great a distance i joists will bounce. While there are no interior walls bearing on the floor system and no excessive notching in the i joist flanges and the joists fall well within the apa s allowable span guidelines my clients say their floor is excessively bouncy.

There is only 1 noggin in the centre of each joist there is a vapour barrier stapled to the under side of the joists with insulation laid on top.