I took up the existing floor at our first floor bedroom and laid the new boards bot not nailed them down yet. In one side of the room the last 3 joists are 2.5 cm higher than the near side where the door is. Packing the low joists will raise the floor which will end up higher than the rest of the floor in the landing, other bedroom etc. Alternatively, we could reduce the height of the high joist to level the floor. what is the best way of doing that? Would you recommend using an electric hand planer?
Joists aren't level
- Thread starter Yukster
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D
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It's not normally a good idea to reduce the depth of joist - after all they are structural and you'd be reducing their strength. It is normal, however, when installing joists to install any "bellied" joists belly up (or crowned) as the weight of the flooring when applied, together with the weight of carpets, furniture and often walls will flatten out the joists and leave yo with an almost flat floor
25mm a very large difference , have you checked for level?
I was surprised by the large vedifferemce. I checked for level. Most of the joists are level, other than the last 6 joists; 3 joists which are a bit low and the ajescent last 3 joist which which are high.
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That makes perfect sense, hence why I posted here before going ahead. The lift at the end of the room where the 3 hight joists are is quite noticeable especially because the 3 adjacent joist are low. Is there a remedy that won't have a detrimental effect on the strength of the joist?
Did you measure them? Is the ceiling below therefor affected ?
The joists are just under 7" with the exception of the highest joist which is double width and is just over 7". The floor downstairs isn't affected.
Should be fine to plane down the high one then .
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If the problem is how noticeable it is due to the low ones before, you could pack out the lower ones to make a steady slope from the door.
When i was just building our ensuite with floor to ceiling stud wall, i found both the floor and ceiling are all over the place, but you wouldn't notice that in daily life as they are steady slope from the edges of the room.
When i was just building our ensuite with floor to ceiling stud wall, i found both the floor and ceiling are all over the place, but you wouldn't notice that in daily life as they are steady slope from the edges of the room.
Are there any noggins? If not then you might put some in whilst you have access.
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D
Deleted member 174758
Unless the floor is bouncy would there really be any need to install solid strutting ("noggins")?
Noggins help prevent the joists from bowing up or down as they adjust to the relative humidity of the room? It's only lateral restraint but it makes all the difference.
My little place had none and I had to lift the 1st floor chipboard and plane down or pack up, depending on the bow. The noise that the chipboard used to make as I walked about made me check the joist levels all over the 'kin place: one joist bowed up, the next down.
Noggins in, joists levelled, t&g on top.
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