Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 16, 1999 07:05am | #1

   *
   Michael, if I envision this properly, I would be worried about your method of attack here.

   The jack should be under the 6x6 post to prevent the combination from kicking back as you lift.

   I would hope that you have a new footing pad ready under the right and left side of the header.

   Then I would hope that you have 2 adjustable jack posts already placed under the header that you have reinforced.

   Then as you jack the temp. beam under the cut joist, you are taking up the slack with the screw jacks in case something lets go.

   If this makes you nervous, don't risk damage and hire one of your local contractors, one that you feel comfortable with, to do this job properly.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 16, 1999 07:39am | #2

   *I have a few suggestions:1 - do not use a bottle jack, use a screw jack. Screw jacks will not coast back down like the hydraulic jacks will2 - put the jack on cribbing or blocking. This way you have a much more stable base for the jack, and much less unsupported length.3 - Are there any walls above this? It is not uncommon in old houses for regular old partitions to turn into load bearing partitions due to differential settlement - or extreme settlement like with green lumber.4 - Jack slowly - 1/4" per day or so. Especially if there are walls, etc above this area. Take your time and you won't crack any walls.5 - I like to get both ends flushed out with the header and then go back and shim the middle ones. In your case these would be the ones between the jack and the sill. This allows for making the floor flat again without bowing. Many old houses will have bowed beams in the basements, jacking a series of joists evenly will usually result in a box. Get them close with shims on your 6 x 6, then go back and fine tune them (could use a bottle jack) and get the ends into hangers.-Rob

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 16, 1999 08:29pm | #3

   *R.M.Your span of 4 cut joists would be about 5'6" wide so I would support the 6x6 (actually a 4x4 might do) withb twojacking arrangements at about the 1/4 point in from either end. I would use two jack posts,(it's too easy to 'over-jack' with a hydralic) each standing on 2'+/- pieces of 2x8 or 2x10. If you plan to leave the beam permanently in place, set up directly under the joist tails. . . if you plan to replace that cobbled together header(" the header is single and comprised of three studs butted together @ the ends."), then shift your jacking arrangement back enough to allow the removal and replacement of this header(?)(which needs to be sized according to the structural load it is taking!!!) once the jacking process is finished. . . you could then install twoi permanentjack posts under the ends of this new header and remove the jacking arrangement!!! The 2 outside floor joists should also be doubled up.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 16, 1999 08:50pm | #4

   *Jack Attack....we've all had em.Jacks....Happen to be a specialty of Jacks.....Lots of good advice above...some of it doubley good but...Jack's jack advice, "Hold onto your jack while jacking your jack....or if jacking with jack at base, then leave a hand on your jack post....What this does is keep you separated from the flying objects should your jack attack....Jack's jacks kickback, but Jack takes no flack,J

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 16, 1999 09:25pm | #5

   *Teflon Jack. . . kinda reminds one of Ronnie Raygun. . . you got the alzheimers too(o)?-P

2. 
   Guest_ | Mar 17, 1999 06:47am | #6

   *Patrick,I'm still a young pup....less than half Ron's age...Just missing a few braincells...have you seen them?J

2. 
   j._callahan | Mar 18, 1999 01:09am | #7

   *
   Good advice in earlier messages .... would use cribbing ..... less chance of the jack kicking out, have your new posts and pads ready to go, and one other thing .... watch out for your plumbing and electrical, especially where it passes through the floor, depending on how much you are going to raise the floor, it could be a problem (don't ask me how I know) ...... above all, be safe. Good Luck!

1. 
   fiyo | Mar 20, 1999 11:57am | #8

   *Speaking of jacking... I had planned to put some screw jacks under my 100-year-old frame house, where the old ones were, 15 years ago, and do the usual jacking in quarter-turns, but now I'm told it's a waste of time and money and that the way to go is hydraulic jacks, in order to do it in a day or so (though some cos. still believe a slow levelling with screw jacks is better), then dig a hole, as deep as you can go, under each (new) pier and fill it with rebar/concrete, so that the leveling will be "permanent." Of course, this process starts at $5-6,000. My house needs four jacks along a 30-ft. span of outside wall and 2 inside jacks along a 10-ft. span of a perpendicular connecting inside wall (did that make sense?). Most of the houses in uptown New Orleans sink - happens when you live in a swamp - so there are lots of levelling/shoring companies, none of which seem to agree completely on anything, especially this relatively new procedure. The choices are confusing, not to mention that the money is a big chunk of change for me right now... any ideas/suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated!

3. 
   R.Michael_Humiston | Mar 20, 1999 12:18pm | #9

   *
   four joices in my kitchen were cut along
   time ago to allow for a stairwell. the
   header is single and comprised of three
   studs butted together @ the ends. The floor sags about 2 1/4" in the 8' run.
   From the basement I have a 6x6 with
   a bottle jack on top. The bottle jack
   is supporting another 6x6 (horiz) which
   spans from the sill to the first complete joice. As the joices are of
   different sizes I am blocking to even
   out. Does this sound appropriate?
   Up we go?!