# floor joist attached to side of beam vs. on top



## vtboy51 (Apr 1, 2009)

I have a 24' span, it has been engineered to use a 7" wide x 16" tall lvl. I have 9' ceiling but I hate to lose 16" of head room. I'm told my other option is to use joist hangers and attach the floor joists to the side of the support beam instead of resting on top, and this will only cost me a few inches of space. If the proper joist hangers were used, does anyone see a problem doing it this way?


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

vtboy51 said:


> I have a 24' span, it has been engineered to use a 7" wide x 16" tall lvl. I have 9' ceiling but I hate to lose 16" of head room. I'm told my other option is to use joist hangers and attach the floor joists to the side of the support beam instead of resting on top, and this will only cost me a few inches of space. If the proper joist hangers were used, does anyone see a problem doing it this way?


No...its done every day..


----------



## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

Joe, is there anything that would need to be done to tie the opposite ends of the joists together? Something like a lateral tie. Typically joists overlap on top of a bearing wall and the joists are nailed together. 

Hopefully this question makes as much sense in writing as it does in my head.


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

vtboy51 said:


> I have a 24' span, it has been engineered to use a 7" wide x 16" tall lvl. I have 9' ceiling but I hate to lose 16" of head room. I'm told my other option is to use joist hangers and attach the floor joists to the side of the support beam instead of resting on top, and this will only cost me a few inches of space. If the proper joist hangers were used, does anyone see a problem doing it this way?


How come you can't use 24' i-joists with no beam? Are you matching an existing second floor...and have to use the same size floor joists?


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

Clutchcargo said:


> Joe, is there anything that would need to be done to tie the opposite ends of the joists together? Something like a lateral tie. Typically joists overlap on top of a bearing wall and the joists are nailed together.
> 
> Hopefully this question makes as much sense in writing as it does in my head.


The joist get nailed to the top plates at the other end.


----------



## vtboy51 (Apr 1, 2009)

Joe Carola said:


> How come you can't use 24' i-joists with no beam? Are you matching an existing second floor...and have to use the same size floor joists?


As of now they have speced 11 7/8" i-joist, house is 32' deep, so they will span 16'. was told if I spanned 32' it might have some bounce....


----------



## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

vtboy51 said:


> As of now they have speced 11 7/8" i-joist, house is 32' deep, so they will span 16'. was told if I spanned 32' it might have some bounce....


Yyou would have more than some bounce. How about deeper Ijoists?


----------



## vtboy51 (Apr 1, 2009)

framer52 said:


> Yyou would have more than some bounce. How about deeper Ijoists?


that is an option I would have to ask about, any educated guesses how deep I'd have to go to span 32' in the northeast (snow load), this would be supporting a second floor.


----------



## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

vtboy51 said:


> that is an option I would have to ask about, any educated guesses how deep I'd have to go to span 32' in the northeast (snow load), this would be supporting a second floor.


If you are using trusses for the roof then all it supports is the second floor.

As far as the requirement of size. the manufacturer has pdf's available online if you look.

I would reference them for you but this computer is acting up...

If Joe is online he can find it for you or wait until tomorrow and call the lumber yard where you are buying them and ask.:thumbsup:


----------



## vtboy51 (Apr 1, 2009)

rafters are stick built, it's a cape style with dormers(not sure if that makes a difference) I will talk to my lumber yard guy and see what he can span, if anyone has the spec feel free to send it to me.



framer52 said:


> If you are using trusses for the roof then all it supports is the second floor.
> 
> As far as the requirement of size. the manufacturer has pdf's available online if you look.
> 
> ...


----------



## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

http://www.woodbywy.com/literature/TJ-4000.pdf

If I read the table right and depending on the load there is a 16" I-Joist that will span 31.5', I am guessing your walls are included in the 32' so are not part of the span.
If you can go the 24' way looks like a 11&7/8 will work.

This is for discussion purposes only.


----------



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

is this new construction or a reno.. if its new construction its much easier.. just set the beam and install the hangers then hang the joists.. if its a renovation its much tougher as the existing floor system will have to be temporary supported then a channel cut out of the the joists for the beam to drop down into.. then hang the joists off the beam..

ive done for both renos and new construction several times.. the reno method sucks.. very nerve racking


----------



## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

To the OP....that is pretty much how my garage is built....7x16 PSL 20' long....garage is 20x25....so the PSL beam is in the middle...my floor joists go from the PSL beam to each end sitting on top of the top plate....



















You can see more pics in the link in my signature.


----------



## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Clutchcargo had it in post #3: tension tie, toward the bottom: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cacheghGXrd_ZtgJ:www.apexhomeinspections.biz/articles/framing%2520guidelines.pdf+roof+framing+guidelines&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgq1FlmNMbRKrtrO0p2QA17Hx-vCQ5MWxH_tnethCNeGJjhSa1gfolZvHrLTEoQUzRxVpUMvQhX-XX41JohKIPHnbdld7JETpg-bUfoErW0goKFZAOfCRxiJsn4u2QtaiJPvFTv&sig=AHIEtbTS7d4A8WuCudIWWvZygC-vGi-JoA
Unless the diagonal shear-nail hangers work for the engineer on the plans. 

Gary


----------

