Moving Floor Joists

[superdairyboy]

Ok this my be too confusing to try to write about. if I need to make a video or submit pictures I will.

Here is what we are doing.
on the 2nd floor remodeling the bath room. Removing a hallway to make the bathroom bigger.
on the 1st floor below the bath is the dinning room.
There is also a Stairwell (small and compact) we are removing this stairwell. on the 1st floor we will be adding a 6ft counter with sink and cabinets where the stairs were.
The bathroom is 7ft x 14ft. the floor is unlevel by 1 and 3/4 inches on the 7 foot direction.
The floor joists run the 14ft length.

What we are considering doing is actually removing the old floor joists in the bathroom and running them the 7ft across.
None of these joists are weight bearing.
One end of the “NEW” 7ft joists will be attaching to the exterior wall using joist hangers. not a problem.
Here in lies the Question the other End of the “NEW” 7th joists will be attaching Like a “T” to an Existing floor joist that runs approx 17ft. Doing this seems like we will be adding extra weight to the interior joist. can that joist support the extra weight. This joist is a true 3×8

The other reason for doing this will make it so we do not have to extend the existing floor joists to the other side of the stairwell. Let me try to explain this also.

The stair well is a closed stair well and the side wall is in the dinning room we would be removing this wall to allow for the cabinets. The floor joist however terminate on the top of this wall. we would have to extend these floor joists approx 3ft to the other side of the stair well to a load bearing wall.

If we were to create the “NEW” 7ft joists we would not have to be extending these floor joists.

Does any of these make sense? can you follow this? do you all want pictures?

[tomh]

The 17′ 3×8 joist that you want to ‘T’ into needs to be reinforced to essentially make it a beam. This can be done by sistering additional dimensional lumber to the existing joist, or placing a laminated beam adjacent and parallel to it, and ensuring the load bearing connections at the ends of that 17 foot span (wall) are adequate to conduct the load to the foundation, and ultimately the ground.

The problem is not a difficult one, but you should have an engineer determine the necessary support, and evaluate how that load transfers to the ground. In addition to reinforcing the existing joist (beam), you may need additional vertical members (studs) to transfer the weight to the foundation, and its possible the footer may be reinforced in that area. I doubt that foundation reinforcement will be necessary from your description, but that is why structural changes should be engineered, and are usually subject to building permits.

[Author]

Posts