My house was built 2 years ago with I-beam floor joists. The span is 16' and it's a little bouncy. I installed 2 rows of X bridging spaced evenly after watching your video and notice a huge difference. Thanks.
Added cross strut to floor joist today, to replace one I took out, to add recess spot light underneath the original strut - now I fully understand what they do, and super glad I did not skip doing it
Excellent video, Tim! I have weak points in my flooring due to over-spanned joists and will be installing bridging to secure the floors. Thank you very much!
It should, if the duct work is in the way you could add blocking under the duct. If it is new construction you could ask the building inspector, codes vary by location.
so if you have floor 20ft x 8ft, and joist are running along the longer side how you bridge them? you cross the underneath horizontally in contrast to what you draw @1:46 - vertically?
If the joists are 20 feet long you would need 2 sets of bridging no more than 8 feet apart. You can use cross or solid bridging. If subfloor is already in use solid bridging.
Hey Tim, during the installation of our HVAC system, they knocked out a bunch of cross bridges to get the round air duct in. There is no room now for a 2x10 or a new cross bridge to go in its place. Is there anything you can do? You might be able to fit a 2x4 under the air duct, but that's about it.
We found mice had gotten into the Crawlspace due to previous owners not paying attention. We removed all the insulation when the crawlspace was encapsulated. This exposed the fact that the bozo's installing the batt insulation between my floor joists had disconnected the metal floor braces instead of cutting the batts to fit between them. What's the best way to return the structural integrity to the floor joists? Attempt to re-install the metal braces or install blocks?
It is usually recommended that you nail or screw through the board you are attaching into what you are attaching it to. If that is not accessible, attach as best you can.
I had foam insulation installed in my crawlspace, so almost impossible to install any bridging. Should I follow the 2x4 method and brace underneath the joists?
Did you use open or closed cell foam? The closed cell has some rigidity to it, open cell does not. Adding any bracing would help with bouncing or bowing floor.
@@timpalmer-logstolumber1999 It is closed cell foam, but does not completely fill the joist -- I never checked after they were done. So, do you think if the joists are completely filled there might not be any bounce?
The crossed bridging will be stiffer, because you are basically making a truss structure, where the force is inline with the grain direction. The solid blocking carries a shear force, but you can still consider it equivalent to the x shaped path for tension and compression, but misaligned to the grain direction.
(True below, speak up.) BUT, do not, not do this. Install the bridging like he said, nail on top and do not nail the bottom yet. install your sublfoor and any walls during the build. Once the Dead load is established and before the Live load begins, THEN nail the bottoms of the Bridging. therefore a load on a single joist is spread out two joists on BOTH sides of the load. Think piano leg. So in effect, five joists are carrying the piano leg. Forget solid bridging unless it is over a carrying beam or girder. And use construction glue under the subfloor on the joist. Pay attention to his spacing regarding the run. F--k the Draftsman that forgets these important details. If you are a heavy person and hear squeaks coming from the floor years later, well, now you know...
You are correct about the load being applied before nailing the bottom. As far as using solid bridging it comes to two things, codes and preference. Always check local building codes. And yes always use liquid nail when laying subfloor.
My house was built 2 years ago with I-beam floor joists. The span is 16' and it's a little bouncy. I installed 2 rows of X bridging spaced evenly after watching your video and notice a huge difference. Thanks.
Glad I could help
I think you forgot an e, or you're giving your floor a big hug. ;)
@@nbco55 Yup. Thanks. I think I fixed it now.
Added cross strut to floor joist today, to replace one I took out, to add recess spot light underneath the original strut - now I fully understand what they do, and super glad I did not skip doing it
Here for the exact same reason. Great video, thank you!
Thank you so much for the information!! I appreciate it 😊
Excellent video, Tim! I have weak points in my flooring due to over-spanned joists and will be installing bridging to secure the floors. Thank you very much!
Glad it helped you
Gracias amigo.
Does cross briding need to run the full length?... I have joist spans filled with ducts where the briding is interrupted.. not enough room for a brace
It should, if the duct work is in the way you could add blocking under the duct. If it is new construction you could ask the building inspector, codes vary by location.
so if you have floor 20ft x 8ft, and joist are running along the longer side how you bridge them? you cross the underneath horizontally in contrast to what you draw @1:46 - vertically?
If the joists are 20 feet long you would need 2 sets of bridging no more than 8 feet apart. You can use cross or solid bridging. If subfloor is already in use solid bridging.
I have a really bouncy floor in my kitchen and want to do cross bridging will I have to just do it under my kitchen or all across the house
The code says anything over 8 ft should have it but if your kitchen floor is the only bouncy one I would only do it
There we go. I'll be bridging the joists.
If my room is 11ft wide would one row of bridging down the middle help make the floor stiff
Yes, that would help
Im building a 24'x24' cabin with a lvl at 12'. Im using 2"x10"x12'' for my floor jiost, 24"oc. Where would I put the bridging at? 6'?
Yes, that would be the best place
Hey Tim, during the installation of our HVAC system, they knocked out a bunch of cross bridges to get the round air duct in. There is no room now for a 2x10 or a new cross bridge to go in its place. Is there anything you can do? You might be able to fit a 2x4 under the air duct, but that's about it.
That is what your going to have to do. Put the 2 x 4 across the bottom.
@@timpalmer-logstolumber1999 Awesome! I can work on that. It is good knowing that I can use a 2x4, it is hard to find stuff online.
Check out the RUclips video title: How To Remove Bounce From Floor - by Shell Busey (Its old but shows the HVAC ducts issue and loss of bracing )
We found mice had gotten into the Crawlspace due to previous owners not paying attention. We removed all the insulation when the crawlspace was encapsulated. This exposed the fact that the bozo's installing the batt insulation between my floor joists had disconnected the metal floor braces instead of cutting the batts to fit between them. What's the best way to return the structural integrity to the floor joists? Attempt to re-install the metal braces or install blocks?
Check to see if floor is level, if level or real close just reinstall metal bracing. If sagging you could try to jack it up then reinstalling bracing.
@@timpalmer-logstolumber1999 Thank you!
I have the metal x shape but can still feel bounce in the floor. And squeak.
You can install more bridging, solid bridging would probably work best
What options are there if no bridging installed. Can you add later?
You can always add bridging later either cross or solid if you have access
When installing cross bridging instead of using nails can you screw the pieces from either side of the floor joist?
It is usually recommended that you nail or screw through the board you are attaching into what you are attaching it to. If that is not accessible, attach as best you can.
Nails can bend but screws are hardened and will snap. Use nails.
What if the subfloor is already installed? Can i use cross bridging? I'm a new homeowner and my kitchen floor feels like a trampoline.
If you have access you can install it after the flooring has been installed
I had foam insulation installed in my crawlspace, so almost impossible to install any bridging. Should I follow the 2x4 method and brace underneath the joists?
Did you use open or closed cell foam? The closed cell has some rigidity to it, open cell does not. Adding any bracing would help with bouncing or bowing floor.
@@timpalmer-logstolumber1999 It is closed cell foam, but does not completely fill the joist -- I never checked after they were done. So, do you think if the joists are completely filled there might not be any bounce?
@@dlatt-kx5ir I think most of the bounce would go away if they were full
So which is best
I prefer solid, no deflexion in it, easier to install
The crossed bridging will be stiffer, because you are basically making a truss structure, where the force is inline with the grain direction.
The solid blocking carries a shear force, but you can still consider it equivalent to the x shaped path for tension and compression, but misaligned to the grain direction.
(True below, speak up.) BUT, do not, not do this. Install the bridging like he said, nail on top and do not nail the bottom yet. install your sublfoor and any walls during the build. Once the Dead load is established and before the Live load begins, THEN nail the bottoms of the Bridging. therefore a load on a single joist is spread out two joists on BOTH sides of the load. Think piano leg. So in effect, five joists are carrying the piano leg. Forget solid bridging unless it is over a carrying beam or girder. And use construction glue under the subfloor on the joist. Pay attention to his spacing regarding the run. F--k the Draftsman that forgets these important details. If you are a heavy person and hear squeaks coming from the floor years later, well, now you know...
You are correct about the load being applied before nailing the bottom. As far as using solid bridging it comes to two things, codes and preference. Always check local building codes. And yes always use liquid nail when laying subfloor.
Speak up