Supporting A Floor With 2x4ds

Some newer homes have manufactured i beam shaped joists.

Supporting a floor with 2x4ds. Joists that are only 2x4s may not be hardy enough to bear too much weight. Remember that being slow and methodical with your measurements measure twice cut once and cuts is better than trying to get it thrown together quickly. You need to be patient with the process. The overall strength of the flooring joists depends not only on the size of the span but also on the distance between the support.

Divide the width by half to determine the location of the center point of the width of the room. Ceiling joists are usually 2 by 6s or sometimes 2 by 4s if it is an older home. A day until they re level. My current place is to double up on the 2x4s by sistering them before putting a 23 32 plywood subfloor topped with a light laminate or vinyl floor.

Set a hydraulic jack and post under the beam and jack up the joists about 1 8 in. Tack a beam under the sagging joists. Jacking them up too fast may cause cracks in the walls and floors overhead. Run a chalk line between the two points then pull it away from the floor.

For 2x6s joists you can get away with some relatively light stuff. The width is the line of the floor that runs perpendicular to the run of the floor joists. Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s. Place a chalk mark on both ends of the floor at the center point.

A floor s framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals. Nailing two 2x4s together will work to span about three joists unless the sag is under a weight bearing wall. The room is 25 x 8 and currently has 2x4s that are 16 apart. We are trying to finish an above garage attic space as a playroom since the ceiling will be slanted 7 to 4 headroom.