Crawl Space Floor Joist Question

designwebs · 06-10-2012, 10:54 PM

The floor joists in my crawl space have the metal brackets that go from one to the other and they look as they form and X. Some of them have not been attached and are just hanging down. I was wondering should I use nails or wood screws to attach these. If I should use nails what kind should I use and the same question for screws.

Thanks

jklingel · 06-10-2012, 11:27 PM

Those that I have used or seen are meant to be hammered right in. Don't yours have "claws" on the ends? If not, a couple of 12d nails on each end ought to hold them in place, as it seems to me the nails would be basically in shear.

designwebs · 06-10-2012, 11:31 PM

I'll have to check one the claw thingy on the ends of each. The house was build in 1974 so I'm not sure as I did not pay any attention to them.

Not sure what you mean by nails should be in shear.

Thanks for the fast reply though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jklingel

Those that I have used or seen are meant to be hammered right in. Don't yours have "claws" on the ends? If not, a couple of 12d nails on each end ought to hold them in place, as it seems to me the nails would be basically in shear.

jklingel · 06-10-2012, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by designwebs

Not sure what you mean by nails should be in shear.

The nails won't be "pulling out" as much as they will be getting "cut off" (sheared) by the braces. When a glacier slides over the ground, it shears off whatever is in its way.

**Gary in WA** · 06-11-2012, 12:51 AM

I used to nail them with a 10d teco (1-1/2") nail after bending the tab into the wood with a hammer. Be sure to leave a small space between then where they cross or they will squeak from contact with joist flexing.

Gary