The first step to finding floor joists under hardwood is using a stud finder to locate the joists, even roughly, which is the key in determining floor joist direction. The next step would be to remove the molding located on the edges of the room and then use a drill to create a small hole at the edge.
How can I locate floor joists?
- Electric drill
- Measure
- Hammer
What is the best wood for floor joists?
- southern yellow pine.
- Red oak.
- Douglus fir.
- White ceder.
- Pine – white.
- Spruce sitka.
- Hard maple.
How to find joists for laying hardwood floor?
These are the common steps to take when prepping for hardwood:
- Start by removing the baseboards in the room where your install will take place.
- Make sure your subfloor is level and smooth. ...
- Mark the walls to show the location of the floor joists.
- Cover the floor with underlayment or a moisture inhibitor such as 15 to 30 lb asphalt-saturated felt or silicone vapor shield. ...
How to find joists in a ceiling quickly?
The tables provide the following information:
- Ceiling Joist Spacing in inches (12, 16, 19.2, 24)
- Species and Grade of Lumber
- Various Lumber Size Options (2×4, 2×6, 2×8, 2×10)
- The maximum ceiling joist span based on the lumber size, species/grade, and spacing used.
Where are my floor joists?
Floor joists – Floor joists are large wood framing members that are positioned on their narrow ends. They are evenly spaced and are connected to the sill plate. A subfloor is attached to these joists, which carry the weight of the loads to the walls.
Will a stud finder locate floor joists?
Use a stud finder to locate the joists. A stud finder is an electronic gizmo used to determine the location of wall studs or floor joists. They're available at hardware stores and home centers. Move the stud finder along the floor to determine the possible location of a floor joist at the center point of the squeak.
Can you use a stud finder on wood floors?
In order to locate the floor joists under hardwood floors, you can use a specified tool called a stud finder.
How can I tell which way my floor joists run?
In most homes, floor joists will run the shortest length across a room. For instance, if you have a room that is 12 feet by 24 feet, the joists are going to run across the 12-foot dimension. Besides taking up the flooring, one way to tell is to determine where squeaks are on the floor.
How can I find a joist without a stud finder?
3:344:44Super Easy Wall Stud & Ceiling Joist Finding Trick - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what you do is just go real slow. Until. You find one you'll fill it pull. And then you'll beMoreSo what you do is just go real slow. Until. You find one you'll fill it pull. And then you'll be able to go and it's holding on okay. So you can take a little piece of painters tape stick.
How do I find above floor joists?
0:002:16How do I find joists below my floor to screw down squeaky boards?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAs people look at stud finders. And say you know it's it's for going onto sheetrock. You're lookingMoreAs people look at stud finders. And say you know it's it's for going onto sheetrock. You're looking for the stud.
How far apart are floor joists in old houses?
Building codes specify the minimum joist depth and spacing (typically 12 or 16 inches on center) for spans up to 20 feet, but those requirements are intended to prevent plaster ceilings from cracking, not to eliminate springy floors.
Can stud finder find floor joists through carpet?
Some stud finders have a deep penetrating settings that might find a joist through carpet. And you can also try finding the joists in the ceiling below and measuring the distance from a common wall.
Is there a stud finder app?
Stud finder app for iOS and Android brings the simplicity and effectiveness of a real stud detector tool to your iPhone or Android device. The app uses your device's compass (magnetometer sensor) to pinpoint metal studs, nails, and screws embedded in all wood wall studs.
How do I find joists?
Joists can be located by either tapping across the ceiling with a knuckle or with an electronic stud finder. With a knuckle you tap across until a more solid sound is heard – this is a joist or beam. A hollow sound is the space between the joists.
Do joists run front to back?
In many houses the joists can be found running front to back. If they are securely built into the external wall, they provide a measure of restraint and prevent buckling and bulging in the wall. They are, however, at risk from damp penetration.
Do floorboards run parallel to joists?
Floorboards are almost always laid at 90 degrees to the joists. The wall below must be running parallel with the joists meaning they cannot be sitting on it.
How to tell if a floor joist is a joist?
A hollow sound will indicate space, but a "thud" sound will indicate the presence of a floor joist. Once you locate the first two joists, measure the distance between them to determine how wide they are separated. Continue this measurement across the floor and mark them as you go.
How to find joists on one side of a room?
Find the joists on one side of the room and then move to the opposite side of the room. Once you find the two ends of the joists, drive small nails in each end and snap a chalk line between the nails. This will give you a visual reference of where each joist is. Writer Bio.
How to measure joists in a basement?
Drill a small hole up through the subfloor next to a joist if you have basement or crawl space access. You can measure joist placement in inches, whether it is 16 inches or 24 inches, from here. Once a hole is drilled from below, measure out the correct amount of inches from that point, continuously, and find the rest of the floor joists from above.
What is floor joist?
Floor joists are the mainstay of any flooring that is in your home. They are put in specifically to hold up a subfloor that is then used as the attachment point for hardwood flooring, carpeting and even vinyl or ceramic tiles. In the case of hardwood flooring, it is directly mounted to the subfloor. When attaching the hardwood floor, the nails are ...
How many inches should floor joists be?
Floor joists are usually positioned every 16 inches, but in some cases they will span 24 inches. Once you locate the first one, measure 16 inches over and drill another hole. In most cases you will find another joist. If you don't, continue moving the bit over every few inches until you hit a second joist.
How to find a joist in drywall?
Most people use a stud finder to locate studs through drywall, but the same principle applies when looking for a joist in the floor. Turn the stud finder on, place it on the floor and move it slowly in one direction. When it locates a joist, it will beep or flash.
Can you attach hardwood flooring to a subfloor?
When attaching the hardwood floor, the nails are long enough to pierce through the subfloor and enter the floor joists. This positively joins both the subfloor and the hardwood flooring together, making a strong and sturdy base that will be maintenance free for years to come.
How do I drill a hole in the floor of a house?
1. Use a long small (1/8" or smaller) drill bit and go under the house, drill up through the floor as close as you can get to the floor beam. Go in the house and locate the drill bit, now you know where the floor beam is and the very small hole is negligible. I also use this method in my sheet rock ceiling to locate the ceiling walls in the attic. ...
Why do my floors creak?
Floors like this creak because they aren't sufficiently structured, and over time the nails loosen and let the joists rub against the subfloor as it bounces. Use a long small (1/8" or smaller) drill bit and go under the house, drill up through the floor as close as you can get to the floor beam.
Step 1: Tools and Materials
I tried our electronic stud finder, but it provided no differentiation in readings through the carpet and fairly thick subfloor. I tried pounding on the floor with a hammer and tried to detect any change in the vibrations from the hammer blows or their sound. I even went to the trap door shown in the first photo and pounded on the floor.
Step 2: Drilling to Locate Joists
I wanted to drive some long finish nails to locate the joists, but my longest finish nails are too short to pull out of the carpet again. I decided to drill, but not with a twist drill. Twist drills often pull fibers and leave damaged spots in the carpet. I had an idea for making a better bit.
Step 3: A Custom Bit
I decided to use some 1/8 inch rod I have to make my own bit. The first photo shows the profile of the bit. It does not cut fast, but it also does not usually grab carpet fibers and twist them around the bit. The second photo shows how I held the steel rod on a grinding wheel to make the profile. It was very simple.
Step 4: Drilling
I drilled test holes through the carpet and subfloor. I was looking for the bit not to break through the subfloor, but to continue cutting after it normally should have broken through. I did some preliminary measuring to determine where a joist might be, knowing that the joists are supposed to be 16 inches on center.
Step 5: Which Way Do the Joists Run?
My theory was that all joists under the subfloor run in the same direction in all parts of the house. But, such assumptions can be dangerous and false. My test holes had all been parallel to the yellow tape measure. When I located the center of a joist, I made another test hole at a right angle to the measure tape.
What are the wooden beams that support a subfloor called?
The wooden beams that support a subfloor are called joists. Just the way you need to find a wall stud before you can attach anything to a wall, you need to locate the floor joists before you can do any structural work on the floor, such as fixing a squeak or dip.
How to measure the distance between two rows of nails?
Measure the distance between the two rows of nails with a measuring tape. Joists are spaced evenly across the room, so the distance between the two rows of nails is the distance from the center of each joist to the center of its neighbor.
