*
I’ve read the archived discussions on cross-bracing and agree with the concensus that they are often unnecessary. Here’s the question: What do you think about removing existing ones in this situation? Balloon framed, no rim joist, but studs are tied to joists. Joist ends do not overlap at main beam, but are butted. 2 x 10, approx. 11′ span, 130 years old, possibly hemlock. No sub-floor, 1″+ maple T&G flooring right on joists.
The reason I want to remove them is to install foil faced Celotex under staple-up radiant tubing. Figure I’ll get a better seal if I don’t have to notch around all those braces. Cut out several already, and nothing fell down, but a few were in tension when the sawzall went through. I was thinking of tying the butted ends together with a piece of 2X. Is that worth doing? Or maybe solid blocking where the braces were? Thanks, bear
Replies
*
A: never remove cross bracing(or bridging as we call it in the merrimac valley)from a floor that is not sheathed with t & g plywood.
b: bridging does help to stiffen up any floor. One personal experience comes to mind from a job about 8 years ago. A customer of mine complained that her family room addition floor was to bouncy. Well the contractor that built tha addition neglected to intall the bridging. This joist system was also a little longer than they should have been. After the cross bracing was retrofitted the floor was stiffer & the customer was thrilled.
*bear-you can take out the bridging one bay at a time and then put solid blocking back in. Alex is right- at least in my experience-bridging helps the floor function as a unit- instead of individual components.not a bad idea to tie those joist ends together
*How about putting the insulation in, then shortening the X bracing up a bit and re-installing it ?
*Bearmon,Re-installing the X bracing will be a pain without access from the top. I'd replace it with solid blocking made from 2 by 8. Nice and tight, even with a thin smear of PL adhesive for the helluvit. Set the bottom of the blocking flush with the bottom of the joists. Should give you about a 2" gap up top. A half-inch for the foil-faced RFBI and a 1.5" airspace for the tubing and staples. I'd recommend adding another layer of R-19 FG batts friction-fit between the joists as well. That'll ensure that the heat goes up.Hope it works out for you. RFH is pretty darn bueno.
*Thanks for the replies. Although I don't think it is always needed, I do agree that in this situation something should go back in, especially with the joists butted at the beam.Mongo, I also agree that the blocking would be easier to put in than re-installing shortened bridging, so I guess I'll do that. I remember reading your posts on your staple-up system, and coudn't agree more. I love the heat! I am getting some noise on start-up, but then it gets real quiet. Didn't you suggest some FG insulation where the tubing penetrates the joist?
*Much of it (noise) depends on how much "slack" was left in the runs of PEX. Usually it just makes noise for the first few heating cycles of each winter.Good memory re: the FG, bearmon...if you line the hole in the joist with FG or something similar (Some use cardboard sleeves, old TP or paper towel tubes, etc) to act as a "lubricant" for the PEX, it does minimize the system's moaning and groaning.Take care, Mongo
*
I've read the archived discussions on cross-bracing and agree with the concensus that they are often unnecessary. Here's the question: What do you think about removing existing ones in this situation? Balloon framed, no rim joist, but studs are tied to joists. Joist ends do not overlap at main beam, but are butted. 2 x 10, approx. 11' span, 130 years old, possibly hemlock. No sub-floor, 1"+ maple T&G flooring right on joists.
The reason I want to remove them is to install foil faced Celotex under staple-up radiant tubing. Figure I'll get a better seal if I don't have to notch around all those braces. Cut out several already, and nothing fell down, but a few were in tension when the sawzall went through. I was thinking of tying the butted ends together with a piece of 2X. Is that worth doing? Or maybe solid blocking where the braces were? Thanks, bear