Can I Notch A Floor Joist

In some cases a plumber or another mechanical contractor might.

Can i notch a floor joist.

No end notches where the joist is supported greater than 1 4 the joist depth. If your home is more than 20 years old your floor joists are most likely solid wood 2x8s 2x10s or 2x12s. The length of a notch should not exceed 1 3 the joist depth. There is a top and bottom section with a vertical member in between.

You can notch and bore joists without sacrificing critical strength but you must follow the rules. Notching and boring of joists and rafters section 91 2308 8 2 joists 91 2308 10 4 2 rafters b notches at the ends of joists or rafters shall not exceed one fourth the depth. However doing this does not fix the slant that the floor has taken since the old joists got damaged. They utilize a lot of glue which is why the fire department does not like them if they get too hot.

In situations when sistering damaged floor joists with lumber of similar dimensions it can be easy to notch and slide the sister board into place. No notches deeper than 1 6 the joist depth. Notches should be no closer to the structure supporting them than 0 07 times the span of the joist the notches should be no further away than 0 25 times the span. This is to avoid the area of maximum shear force and the area of maximum bending in the joist the rules for positioning notches in floor joists image courtesy of niceic.

Some things to consider are the length and depth of the notch you plan to remove the condition of the existing joists an examination to determine whether they are underspanned to begin with and the possibility of sistering full width and full length members to the trimmed joists. Holes bored in the joists or rafters shall not be within 2 inches of the. No holes closer than 2 inches to any other hole or notch. But there are strict guidelines for notching or cutting holes in engineered floor joists.

No notches in the middle 1 3 of the joist but holes are permitted here. The notching and boring rules of thumb for solid lumber are shown in fig.