Supporting Bouncy Floors

The floor may be structurally sound and built within code limits.

Supporting bouncy floors. There are a variety of ways to stiffen a floor. Of course new homes also can have bouncy floors if the joists are approaching the maximum spanning distance for the weight they are supporting. Many homes on raised foundations may have a post and beam construction supporting the floors. The catch of course is that the bouncy floor joists must be accessible from below.

Then measure the span of the joists the distance between walls or beams that support the joists. Start by making sure the original bridging is tightly fastened. Add nails or screws if necessary. Even structurally sound code compliant new floors can deflect or flex more than feels comfortable.

How can we evaluate whether the floors need reinforcement and if so what is the best way to do this. The method or methods tom chooses depend as much on practicality as on effectiveness. This changes the level of support for the home and often results in some floors being bouncy or spongy and if the soil is an expansive type of soil. Working in the unfinished basement below the bouncy floor we had to remove the plumbing and electrical lines running through the joists and then rerun the lines.

If the sagging floor is in the middle of the room it can be repaired using the following steps. Some deflection in floors is good a well designed wood floor feels stiff as you walk on it but still gives. Floors that bounce up and down when you walk across them are annoying. It can also pose a roadblock to new floor installations such as laminate hardwood or tile.

Long span joists may meet design criteria and the build ing code yet still feel uncomfortable. Floor deflection is common in older homes because the floor joists often are smaller or are spaced farther apart than the joists in modern homes. There are a variety of ways to stiffen a floor. Of course new homes also can have bouncy floors if the joists are approaching the maximum spanning distance for the weight they are supporting.

In almost all cases the floor can be fixed so that it is solid and does not bounce. A sagging or bouncy floor is can be the source of much aggravation for homeowners. The method or methods tom chooses depend as much on practicality as on effectiveness. It was a complex expensive job.

It is not uncommon for this type of construction to have post piers that will settle or shift over time. Even structurally sound code compliant new floors can deflect or flex more than feels comfortable. The first and second floors in our house seem overly bouncy and sag toward the middle. Tom s house was built in 1765 but bouncy floors aren t just an old house problem.

Divide the span by three and add rows of bridging at both of the. If the problem is a support issue from.