Floor Joist Pier And Beam Foundation Spacing

Joist span and spacing is set by your local building code.

Floor joist pier and beam foundation spacing.

A the location and spacing of piers depends upon the dimensions of the home the live and dead loads the type of construction single or multi section i beam size soil bearing capacity footing size and such other factors as the location of doors or other openings. While most residential construction uses 2x8 joists with 16 inch spacing there are many other factors you need to consider when determining the proper joist span length. Floor joist sizes range from 6 to 12 in pier and beam foundations. Also a pier and beam foundation preempts the need for heavy machinery to dig a large foundation.

It forms a crawlspace under the home that provides easy access to many of the utilities in case repairs are needed. A pier and beam foundation offers some great advantages that a full basement does not afford. All the posts must be on the same level it will be the floor level of the house usually at a height of 1 1 5 feet above the ground. Pier and beam foundations offer a high level of versatility specific not only to the dead live seismic and wind loads to be supported and or restrained but also to the girders or sill beams and floor joists and their respective span capabilities.

The internal piers are constructed for supporting the floor joists and so can be referred to as joist piers. In the table above the widest floor beam span for 12 of supported floor joists is 14 7 if using a 5 ply 2 x 12. Ideally the spacing between two floor joists shouldn t be more than 2 ft. B mate line and column pier supports must be in accordance with this subpart and consistent with figures a through c to.

Our floor joist beam can span a maximum of 13. So we now have adequately sized floor joists and an adequately sized floor joist beam for our 24 x 13 house. The standard is an 8 joist but in some houses a 12 is used. While easier to build and less costly than the more common perimeter concrete foundation it is best used for smaller buildings on building sites with a low likelihood.

When building a house or even a deck it is important to confirm you have the correct joist sizes spans and spacing before you get started. The larger the joist the longer the span it may reach without causing a sag or causing the above floor to shake. This gap between the floor of the house and the ground is needed to prevent moisture the wooden structures of the lower house quickly rot because of it.