Floor Joist Repair

13 years ago

My inspector found a cracked joist along one of the joists during my last permit request. I am trying to figure out the best way to repair this. Sistering will require a ton of electrical work. Removing all the wires (15-30) is dependent on how long I wish to run the sistered boards. I have gotten quotes for repair-rerouting or reinstalling after the repair will cost around $2500. I was looking for a repair that would limit rerouting wires and be durable. The joist is not sagging...yet.

Any ideas are welcomed.

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Comments (6)

brickeyee
13 years ago
Any fix besides sistering or using already listed repair parts is going to require engineering and a stamp.

Steel angle can be used to bridge the split, but the AHJ is supposed to require a PE stamp on the fix.

A mending plate might also be adequate, but even the nailing schedule starts to become an issue.
jey_l
13 years ago
Wow! What a mess.

I'd want to take it all out and start from scratch but for a quick/cheap fix I'd just move the junction boxes, cut 3" out on either side of the split and run a header from the other joists and rehang the joist on hangers.
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keanuhea
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the replies.

The reason why it looks like pasta down there is right behind the picture is the cb-boxes for the 4 apartments.

I am getting quotes back from electrical to 'do it right' vs what is acceptable right now. Cost of electrical alone is $2300. The guys want to run everything to junction boxes on the last good joist. I want them to run the wires under the joist in a wire bundle 'hanger' or conduit so that all that crap would be out of the joists in that area.

I like the header idea, but will probably end up doing it right.
sdello
13 years ago
pulling all the wires out of the holes won't make the holes go away. Brick's idea is probably the best. Call a structural guy and have him size some steel/design a fix to bridge the cracked area.
macv
13 years ago
I can't see the crack very well. Is it horizontal? How far from the bottom? Is it the diagonal line? If so, it doesn't appear to be related to the holes but to a defect in the joist. What is the dimension of the holes from the bottom of the joist?

There are many ways to repair a single joist if the others are in good shape but there is not enough information provided to make realistic suggestions.

If the joists are strong enough, you could probably get away with cutting a 2" vertical slot out of the damaged joist and installing a header between the adjacent joists then adding joist hangers at all connections. The worst result would be a more bouncy floor but probably no worse than it is now.
macv
13 years ago
Typically building codes restrict the diameter of holes in floor joists to 1/3 the depth of the joist and located not closer than 2" from the top or bottom of the joist or to any other hole. It doesn't appear that any of he holes are in violation of that rule but some are close.

A steel strap along the bottom of the joist can help a lot but there would need to be a lot of fasteners which might weaken the joist near the crack.