Crossbracing on Floor Joists

armyguns · 10-28-2007, 08:35 PM

I am considering installing underfloor radiant heating in my kitchen and master bath to eliminate COLD tile floors. Access under the floor locations is via the currently unfinished basement. One of the products I am considering, HeatWeave WarmWire from wattsradiant.com, requires the heat wires be installed 2 inches BELOW the subfloor. There are 2x4 crossbraces between the engineered joists that are in the way. Can these crossbraces be removed to make the heat wire installation easier and then re-installed BELOW the heat wire without compromising the floor? This means that the crossbracing will no longer go from the top of one joist to the bottom of the adjacent joist but from about 2 1/2 inches below the top of the joist to the bottom of the adjacent one.

jproffer · 10-28-2007, 11:40 PM

If it was solid lumber framing, my OPINION would be go for it. Since you have engineered joists, you'd have to ask an engineer, preferably the one that stamped the plans in the first place...if not, then resubmit plans with changes (loss of cross-bracing) to the new engineer for another stamp. If you do end up taking them out and can't put them back in from the top of one joist to the bottom of the next, there's no reason to put them back at all.

RemodelMan · 10-29-2007, 02:07 AM

Remove the old cross bracing. Then cut 14 1/2" - 2" x 8" for 10" joists or 2" X 10" for 12" joists and install these as close in a row sideways, flush with the bottom of the joists.
Space them at the same(approximate) intervals/staggered as the cross bracing had been, to accomodate nailing(16 penny's) or toe nail them using 10 penny's with an air nailer.

10-28-2007, 08:35 PM	#1
armyguns Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3	Crossbracing on Floor Joists I am considering installing underfloor radiant heating in my kitchen and master bath to eliminate COLD tile floors. Access under the floor locations is via the currently unfinished basement. One of the products I am considering, HeatWeave WarmWire from wattsradiant.com, requires the heat wires be installed 2 inches BELOW the subfloor. There are 2x4 crossbraces between the engineered joists that are in the way. Can these crossbraces be removed to make the heat wire installation easier and then re-installed BELOW the heat wire without compromising the floor? This means that the crossbracing will no longer go from the top of one joist to the bottom of the adjacent joist but from about 2 1/2 inches below the top of the joist to the bottom of the adjacent one.

10-28-2007, 11:40 PM	#2
jproffer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chester, IL Posts: 1,140	Crossbracing on Floor Joists If it was solid lumber framing, my OPINION would be go for it. Since you have engineered joists, you'd have to ask an engineer, preferably the one that stamped the plans in the first place...if not, then resubmit plans with changes (loss of cross-bracing) to the new engineer for another stamp. If you do end up taking them out and can't put them back in from the top of one joist to the bottom of the next, there's no reason to put them back at all.

10-29-2007, 02:07 AM	#3
RemodelMan Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 96	Crossbracing on Floor Joists Remove the old cross bracing. Then cut 14 1/2" - 2" x 8" for 10" joists or 2" X 10" for 12" joists and install these as close in a row sideways, flush with the bottom of the joists. Space them at the same(approximate) intervals/staggered as the cross bracing had been, to accomodate nailing(16 penny's) or toe nail them using 10 penny's with an air nailer.

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Crossbracing on Floor Joists