Replies

1. 
   Sasquatch | Jul 25, 2008 12:14am | #1

   Around here, they pass inspection without the blocking that the manufacturer requires.  Everything I have built has the recommended blocking, but the BI didn't care.  I won't build any other way, especially when there is a 2' cantilever as is found on most of the split levels here.

    

2. 
   jonblakemore | Jul 25, 2008 12:49am | #2

   It all depends on what the manufacturer calls for in their literature, or what the floor designer specified. Some require blocking, some don't.

    

   Jon Blakemore

   RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA

1. 
   sledgehammer | Jul 25, 2008 01:40am | #3

   This is of great interest to me as I have a customer with many door and window issues and the basement lacks any bracing or squash blocks on the I joists.

   There are I joists, center span over a steel beam, that are leaning at least 1 1/2" in a 12" height.

1. 
   Jim_Allen | Jul 25, 2008 05:30am | #8

   If they are leaning the full 1 1/2, the house is in danger of collapsing. I'd be very concerned. I joists are a very unstable component if not installed properly. You're looking at a disaster waiting to happen. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

1. 
   fingersandtoes | Jul 25, 2008 07:07am | #9

   Even without blocking, there must be rim joists around the perimeter. Where did that 1 1/2" come from? I agree, it's troubling.

2. FHB Editor
   JFink | Jul 25, 2008 05:29pm | #14

   I joists leaning 1 1/2"?? This I have to see...can you post a picture please??Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

1. 
   sledgehammer | Jul 25, 2008 05:39pm | #15

    There are few leaning where they cross a steel I beam. Might be from when they were originally set. Sorry no pics, I have no plans on returning to the jobsite.

2. 
   frammer52 | Jul 26, 2008 06:36pm | #16

   I was tyhinking the same thing, it looks like we will never see now, unless the collapse makes the news!

1. 
   sledgehammer | Jul 26, 2008 06:45pm | #17

   Supplier is visiting job for free  inspection in 2 weeks. Then if needed structural eng.

   If I quote any needed repairs, I'll take some pics then. 

2. 
   frammer52 | Jul 26, 2008 07:01pm | #18

   Would like to see them, thanks.

3. 
   Framer | Jul 25, 2008 01:53am | #4

   Use the link below, or why not just get the installation guide form your lumberyard?

    

   http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ccmc/registry/06/171/12768_e.pdf

   Joe Carola
1. 
   sledgehammer | Jul 25, 2008 03:22am | #5

   If you read the original post.... I'm going to contact International beam....

    

   But they just happen to be closed right now, hence the post.

1. 
   john7g | Jul 25, 2008 03:37am | #6

   why are they so secretive about with their paperwork?  Seems kind of cumbersome to have to make a special request and then have someone reply to each and every request for inst guides.

   Toute notre littérature est disponible en format imprimé, cliquer ici pour en faire la demande.

   Edited 7/24/2008 8:38 pm ET by john7g

1. 
   jonblakemore | Jul 25, 2008 05:04am | #7

   You can get the installation instructions here, anytime:
   http://www.internationalbeams.com/Literature1.htm 

   Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA

1. 
   john7g | Jul 25, 2008 01:47pm | #11

   don't know why I didn't recognize the picture as the link to the manual... mebbe the OP had the same problem?

2. 
   Framer | Jul 25, 2008 08:31am | #10

   If you read the original post.... I'm going to contact International beam....

    

   I did read your first post and even though you didn't mention they were closed still doesn't explain why you need to talk to them or why you can't get the installation guide from your lumberyard or just go to the website to get your answer.

    Joe Carola

4. 
   BossHog | Jul 25, 2008 01:59pm | #12

   I've never seen web stiffeners required over an interior bearing.

   But - Squash blocks or blocking panels are ALWAYS required if there's a bearing wall above the interior bearing.

   How does a shelf salesman keep his store from looking empty?

5. 
   Marson | Jul 25, 2008 02:04pm | #13

   If bearing on a sill means an exterior wall, then I have never seen squash blocks or web stiffeners required. The weight is born by the rimboard.

6. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 27, 2008 04:53am | #19

   Per mfg but typically from what i have experienced, you need squash blocks when there  is a load being carried from above.  if it is an open floor and the beam is mid span support of a long I joist with no walls above, no squash blocks required.  (typically)

   again see mfg specs

1. 
   sledgehammer | Jul 27, 2008 05:05am | #20

   This is one big azzed house.  Took 2 mid span steel I beams to get the I joists from 1 side to the other. Basement easily 2000 sq/ft. Counted maybe 6 squash blocks total. Hard to believe there are that few point loads considering they had 5- 8' exterior french doors in just the exterior walls.

1. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 27, 2008 07:53pm | #25

   So much for the downsizing trend.

   Heck, my inspector caught 2 squash blocks on a house I am building last week.

   Difference is that I had 95% of them in.

   (my framer missed them and I missed on my frame check)

   I like building inspectors.  Ultimately they usually save me on  service calls.

   I have seen whole communities with inadequate squash blocks and have done several renovations where I found squash blocks missing.

   Plywood typically sinks about 1/2" or so in my experience over about 15 years.

1. 
   frammer52 | Jul 27, 2008 08:54pm | #26

   Squash blocks seem to be required less and less.  Now it seems they want blocking across every beam.  By doing this it eliminates the squash block requirement.  Man, you have to follow the floor plan carefully!

1. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 27, 2008 09:04pm | #27

   I dont get too stressed out about it.

   I stick with  common sense on the loads and make sure we adhere to the I joist manufacturers details.

   We dont have any cantilevers except for fireplaces which are minimal load and most houses are square box 2 story colonials so some of the wilder details dont get applied round our parts.

2. 
   frammer52 | Jul 27, 2008 09:14pm | #28

   Are you neer Lancastor?

3. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 27, 2008 09:35pm | #29

   I'm about 45 minutes East of Lancaster.  My framers are all Amish and come from the Lancaster Area.  (Truss company as well)

   I'm lucky because the options for framers are immigrants who have a unique method of framing, a couple of local crews (expensive and slow but good) or good Amish companies who I get along well with.

   I am smack between Lancaster and Philadelphia.

   Travel north on 81 pretty regularly just to the west of you headed to the 1000 Islands.

   Spend as many 3 day weekends as I can up there in the summer and fall.

   The immigrant companies frame like this:

   1 crew frames structural sticks up, 1 crew sheathes walls and roof after 1st crew is done, 3 rd crew backs out the inside and punches out.    Some big companies can make it work but I walk the houses and figure it would take about 4 hours to do a thorough frame check with 2 pages of items,  but my guys I might find 10-15 items, half of which are boxing in hvac or adjusting something for a trade and I don't have to re-walk the list because if they don't understand the item on the list they ask me so that they get it done right.

4. 
   frammer52 | Jul 27, 2008 10:20pm | #30

   I framed for years in Syracuse.

   My brother lives in Lancastor, that's why I asked.

   It's funny, you come up to 1000 islands, I go east to cape cod. 

   1000 islands are nice.  Go up about 2x's a year, for a day.  I have to go up in sept, I want to see all that has been done to Bolt Castle.

5. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 28, 2008 03:29am | #31

   A buddy of mine grew up there and worked for a couple of years on the Castle.

   We have a house about 20 minutes down river in the chippewa bay.

   Your brother in the industry?

   Lancaster area is nice.

   I like the cool weather up north and dont want to fight for my 3 square feet of sand at the jersey shore.

6. 
   frammer52 | Jul 28, 2008 04:07am | #32

   My old boss has a place just north of alex bay.

   My brother is an umemployeed electrical engeneer, he looking.

   I know about that 3 sq ft of sand, that's why I prefer Cape Cod in late sept early oct..

2. 
   ANDYSZ2 | Jul 27, 2008 05:14am | #21

   This topic is amazingly timed.

   I just put a 23' steal beam up yesterday and then layed  in 30' i joists.

   I glued a 2x on top of the beam and nailed my joists to the plate at the midspan point.

   My 2 walls upstairs i built a 15' 2x12 header to carry the load underneath or sandwiched a I joist with 2x12's for another.

   I just down loaded Boise installation guide and it is very detailed.

   Questions:

   1 I have 5 2x6's under each side of the steel beam and I am having 2 4x4 thickwall tubes as posts welded to the beam is the extra steel overkill and are you allowed to use wood uner a steel beam as supports?

   ANDYSZ2

    WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?

   REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST

    

1. 
   JeffinPA | Jul 27, 2008 07:03pm | #23

   I have set a lot of steel beams on Wood over the years but every single one was engineered.  (They were always the garage steel beams (For room over garage, it used to be cheaper to put in steel than to run a big LSL beam but with the price of steel that might have changed)

   Anyway, Inspectors always questioned it and I was often getting the engineering reports for them.  (we built the same house hundreds-thousands of times so it made sense to engineer all the beams for minimum sizing etc.

   I think if i were putting in a steel beam now, I would use a steel column unless I had it engineered. 

   The nice thing about the steel columns is that you dont get the shrinkage that you do with wood jacks so you tend to get less cracking of finish materials etc.

    

   Hope that gives you a little insite

7. 
   Waters | Jul 27, 2008 06:38am | #22

   Package of Trus Joist 210's I got last week had the 'manifesto' slapped right on 'em for us.

    

8. 
   reinvent | Jul 27, 2008 07:27pm | #24

   Read this:

   http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/488c9fdf09ecf3de27170a32100a0696/UserTemplate/82?s=488c9fdf09ecf3de27170a32100a0696&c=743f1f711d12d041a4c872739940299b&p=1&q=1

   And this:

   http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/488c9fdf09ecf3de27170a32100a0696/UserTemplate/82?s=488c9fdf09ecf3de27170a32100a0696&c=a0a2431fc581711a47f845ffd29c492c&p=1