broken floor joists


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Old 10-27-12, 08:13 PM
K
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broken floor joists

I have a house that had some previous termite damage and over the years four of the floor joists that were damaged have cracked and sagged from the weight of furniture and some of the people that have lived in it who were pretty large. What is the best way to fix that? If I replace the entire length how do I get the floor jacked up enought to get the new joist in beside the old one on the ends? The exterior is brick. Do they make special jacks for that? I have called a couple of local contractors but they have failed to show up to even look at it. I can do it. Just looking for a little advice. My specialties are mostly interior repairs.
There is also a beam that runs the length of the house under the floor joists that is rotted and broken right next to one of the piers. It seems to be an odd size like 4X6 or maybe 3X6. I'm not sure . I haven't measured it.
 
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Old 10-27-12, 10:03 PM
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Don't feel bad about contractors not being interested in bidding your job--too small for them to make serious money on.

Unless the damaged joists are actually sagging, you shouldn't need to do much lifting to get new ones into position. I've sistered in supplemental joists (or partial-length joists) just by trimming off the "outstanding" corners at the bearing ends, and rotating them into position by means of bracing and leverage against adjacent joists (multiple-braced to keep them from being displaced). If any lifting is required, buying a few screw-type jack posts at a big box is the way to go--just don't go overboard on the lifting, or you will pay for it with all of the cracked drywall repairs needed upstairs, afterward.

If you could post a few pix of what you've got (including the damaged support beam), we could possibly give you some effective suggestions for dealing with the situation.
 
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Old 10-28-12, 04:46 AM
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Welcome to the forums Kevin!

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

It's always bothered me when a contractor lies to a potential customer. Whenever I've gotten a call for a job that was either too small or I didn't have time for - I told them up front. With all the times I had to do this, only once did the person on the other end of the phone get mad............. OK, I'm done with my little rant
 
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Old 10-28-12, 05:11 AM
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Pest control companies perform these types of repairs all the time and as a regular suppliment to their income.

If the sag is as big as you say, moderate jacking will be necessary or you will not be able to get the new lumber to rotate up into the sistered position. If the floor sags and you install sistered lumber "crown up" they will bind in the center of the span. Bottle jacks (the bigger the better) are great for temporary jacking up to assist with the repair. Easier to operate if you are in a crawl space on your back or belly.

Remove any cross bracing, cut a 5 to 10 degree bevel along the top length of the new lumber to help it rotate up with minimal binding. You'll most likely need a small maul or large hammer as persuasion. It can be done by one person, but is much easier with an assistant. Even better is one person outside cutting and 2 under the house. Feed the lumber through the foundation vent nearest the repair area.
 
 

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