Tiger Brand Jack Joists


  #1  
Old 10-22-09, 08:31 AM
B
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Tiger Brand Jack Joists to support floor

I was just reading about jack joists so registered as a new user and now the search isn't working to get back to them so I'm going to post my scenario.

This is one of those "you get what you pay for trying to be cheap" stories.

A little history..... I have "inherited" from my mother (still alive) a two story 20'x48' pier and beam house on 50 acres which she had built some 13-14 years ago. It was one of those shell homes where the company builds the frame and exterior and you finish it out. Only the upstairs was ever built out and is the equivalent of a one bedroom apartment. Except for the enclosed entry hall in the center, the downstairs is just an empty shell. It has two full length upper and lower veranda's on the west facing downhill side of the house with a killer view.

I like the whole setup and would like to keep it as a possible retirement home (especially since it's all paid for).

Due to poor drainage (which I will address by installing a french drain to redirect), over the years the foundation started to sag. Whether I keep it or sell it, the foundation would have to be fixed so I had a foundation company come out and have a look.

Because the interior crawl space support posts were "in the ground" (as opposed to being on blocks) and thus could not be validated as to how they were installed, the foundation company would only level the exterior perimeter. Since there was almost no weight on the interior floor, I had them go ahead and level the perimeter.

As expected, the house lifted sufficient to lift the structure off of most of the interior posts, in some cases as much as 2-3". I've since determined the interior posts were not installed on proper footings (did I say you get what you pay for....?). Most of the two rows of center posts sank into the ground as the exterior foundation sank. I'm looking at ways to fix this problem myself (and yes, inexpensively).

My plan is to place 16 (have to verify the count) 4X14" square blocks on the ground, leveled, and then install Tiger Brand adjustable floor jacks along the support beams. Each jack is rated at 14,000-18,000 each depending on the degree of extension. The crawl spaces is about 3' high so the jacks would not be extended very far.

At each support post location, I will stretch tight a string from side wall to side wall to check for joist sagging and jack the floor up accordingly with a couple of 20ton bottle jacks working my way from one end of the house to the other. Given the number of them (16-ish) I'm thinking that is more than enough to support the floor even if rooms are eventually added to the lower level.

I know the diehard foundation guys may balk at my logic but I'd still appreciate your feedback on the pros and cons of doing it this way.

Thanks.

-Bill
Rural Waco, TX (where apparently there's no code requirements)
 

Last edited by bldfw; 10-22-09 at 09:11 AM.
  #2  
Old 10-23-09, 05:47 PM
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Bill, welcome to the forums! Without poured footings, your cap blocks will crack with the first twist of the Tiger post with weight on it. Of course, as you suspected, we will probably all advocate the use of poured footings and block foundations with oak shims.
If you are intent on the Tiger posts, at least pour sufficient footings so they won't sink again.
 
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Old 10-24-09, 03:38 PM
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Not sure about surrent codes, but adjustable jacks have not been allowed as permanent posts(OK as tmeporary jacks) for a long time, along with any hollow post. They must be concrete filled, and as suggested above, you need solid support under them.
 
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Old 10-26-09, 11:12 PM
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I think if I were you I would just shim between the interior sunken posts and the structure and see what happens. You could still string a line and check for for joist sagging or more settling of those interior posts over the next couple years after you shim them. If the interior posts don't carry much of a load as you suspect then maybe leaving them in place now that the exterior is leveled and supported will be fine.
 
 

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