Common causes of cracked joists

Structure · Joists · printed page 54 (PDF page 55)

Original page Sign in to save

Book index entries

Cracked Joists – Causes Crack – Causes Furnace – Joists Joists

Text in the illustration

joist
improper joist notch
beam
foundation
poor beam/joist connections
knot or similar weakness in the wood

Generated explanation

Four details illustrate causes of cracking in wood floor joists, with downward arrows indicating loading or movement. The upper-left joist spans between a foundation and a beam and has a crack extending from an improper notch in its lower edge. The lower-left detail shows a crack originating at a knot or similar weakness in the wood. The two right-hand details show cracked joist ends at poor connections to a wood member and a steel I-beam.