How To Reinforce Attic Joists

Beefing up attic joists for living space.

How to reinforce attic joists.

Precise measurement is the most difficult as you need to consider all underlying obstructions carefully before proceeding with your plans. Pull out all insulation and any debris from all of the joist spaces so you can see the full length of each joist including where it meets the exterior walls. I went to get a permit from the city to finish the attic and they said i needed to reinforce the floor since for a live load it was not strong enough for our span below about 12. My driveway is cement so i buy new wheelsets every 5 years or so.

Currently the joists are 2 4ã â â s real 2 4ã â â s not 1 ã x 3ã â â s. How to reinforce an attic floor with sister joists. The attic has 2 by 8 s also but it has a plywood floor hatch and a plasterboard ceiling. 2x4 s actual size spaced 16 on center running the width of the building uninterrupted with the ends resting on top of the wall top plate.

In my 80 year old house the attic had 2x6 floor joists about 16 oc. Sistering installing new larger joists next to the existing ones is one way to bring your attic floor up to code. Clear the joist spaces. How to reinforce 2 6 ceiling joists to handle heavy loads.

Often existing joist bays are filled with electrical and heating ducts that will need to be relocated. 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. The existing ceiling joists are 2x6s clear spanning about 11 feet 3 inches. Just installed an attic ladder in 90 year old house.

Plan is to use attic for storage not for living. Positioning the new joist adjacent to the existing preserves precious ceiling but it does come with some potential complications. Covering the ceiling joists in the attic using plywood is a cheap way to make better use of the wasted space in your house. I need to convert an attic to livable space with minimal disruption to first floor habitation.

Also remove any blocking or bridging between the joists as applicable. I d like to double my ceiling joists to make my attic space easier to work in for electrical plumbing and for lightweight storage. Use of joists in attic flooring. This is a great answer.

The subfloor installation is easy.