Floor Beams And Joists

Another way to say that beams and joists hold up weight pushing down along the long straight side.

Floor beams and joists.

The function of a beam is to provide to straight level surface even with the top of the mudsill which will support the floor joist system between the foundation walls. This beam supports the floor joists of the house s ground floor. The extra two inches of vertical distance when a floor is framed with 2 x 10 joists rather than 2 x 12s can be quite important for example. The most common example can be seen in a basement or crawlspace where a large main beam runs down the center of the space and is supported every 8 feet or so with a column or concrete pier.

But larger is not always better when builders are constructing a home or adding a room addition. Like other framing components beam and joist floor frames are often pre constructed transported to the site and attached to stumps or. Common sense tells you that large floor joists can carry more load and spacing joists closer together also increases the load bearing capacity of a floor. Walls and columns often sit on floors so they may rest indirectly on beams.

Joists are typically shorter and lay across the beams to give them horizontal support. Beams are thicker and longer and are laid vertically. Technically joists are a type of beam. Joists also may get support from beams located at or near the middle of the joist span.

Beam and joist arrangements can form a supporting frame for a floor. Floor joists rest directly on beams. The load carried by joists and beams is applied at a right angle to the length of the span. That is beams and joists are building parts that lay flat rather than stand up.