Should 2nd Story Walls Be Built Over Floor Joists

On a framing inspection i noticed 2 x 4 studs spaced at 16 oc for the first floor walls.

Should 2nd story walls be built over floor joists.

This often happens because todays homeowners want a more open floor plan so they remove a load bearing wall without. Ceiling joists are usually 2 by 6s or sometimes 2 by 4s if it is an older home. In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below. 1a attic access door.

Load bearing wall removed or altered on first floor. The floor joists for the second floor did not stack directly above the studs. Bearing partitions according to section r502 4 of the 2009 edition of the international residential code joists under parallel load bearing walls must be big enough to support the weight of the load they bear. Some newer homes have manufactured i beam shaped joists.

In typical residential construction the joists above you will be used for both the ceiling attaching drywall underneath and the floor above with usually plywood or osb as a sub floor and wood flooring tile carpet on top of that. A room used solely for sleeping might need to carry only 30 psf whereas a garage floor over a basement would need 50 psf or higher. If a crack or sag is isolated to one area the sister joist should extend at least 3 ft. Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s.

The joists were offest by 6 8 from the studs. If a load bearing wall is removed on the first floor then the second story floor joist or trusses may drop down in the area where the load bearing wall was removed. A floor s framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals. How second floor walls are supported floor framing.

The standard second story wall consists of a horizontal floor plate a ceiling plate and wall studs all made from similar dimension lumber. But it s usually best to run the sister joist over the entire span. The wall studs are capped by a double top plate. On both sides of the problem area.

When the sagging joists are level apply a generous bead of construction adhesive to the existing joist. First floor live loads have higher requirements than second floor live loads 40 pounds per square foot vs. An inaccessible attic space on the other hand might have a live load of only 20 psf. Once the walls are in place another board the tie plate attaches to the top of the ceiling plates tying all the walls together and providing the base on which to construct the roof.

These building codes set the minimum requirements for construction including requirements for framing floor joists.