Levelling floors

[patrocks]

I have a house that has suffered settlement to the side elevation. The upstairs rooms along this elevation have uneven floors, the side elevation is about 2" lower than than the other wall.

I want to level the floors. Had originally planned to remove floorboards and bolt level 2x4 alongside the leaning joists and then refit floorboards but now have another idea but not sure it if is feasilble.

Could we chisel out the pockets above the joists, prop and then pack them and so raise the dropped end?

The rooms have no skirts or plaster at present and the floor below has no ceiling.

I am also having the floor joists strapped to the side elevation as per a structural report, this is happening next week.

 

[loply]

May be easier to cut the joists flush with the wall then use a joist hanger instead?

Makes it easier to adjust them in future when it settles some more

 

[patrocks]

May be easier to cut the joists flush with the wall then use a joist hanger instead?

Makes it easier to adjust them in future when it settles some more

If it sinks any further we will be in Australia.

 

[loply]

Well if you strip the floorboards and ceilings then remove some or most of noggins I don't see why you couldn't cut the joists flush with the wall using a handsaw (one by one!), jack it up from underneath with a car jack and a 2x3, and then re-hang it using a joist hanger.

Are the joists still straight though? I would make sure you're positive about where everything lies first.

If I were you I'd use a water level or laser to mark a level floor all around the building, and then check the level of the joists at various points along their length, so you know for sure what you're dealing with.

 

[patrocks]

Thanks loply, I am picking a laser level up on hire tomorrow and will check if the joists are straight this weekend. I am fairly hopeful the joists are not bent but i can see why it would be a problem if they were.

I had hoped to complete the jacking without removing all of the floorboards, just the ones by the wall. Can you see a reason this would be a problem?

The joist span is 3m.

 

[loply]

If you leave the boards in place then when you go to jack it up you'll be effectively jacking up more than one joist at a time, as the boards will link them together.

You'd have to cut several joists in order for them to have the freedom to move them, I'd imagine, so you'd be getting to the stage it may be dangerous to walk up there.

I think it would be cleaner and more controllable to do one joist at a time.

Floor board removal / replacement is fairly quick and easy once you've got the nack and it gives you a chance to replace squeeky old nails with decent screws whilst you're at it.

 

[patrocks]

We were planning to not cut the joist ends until we had proven it worked. We thought we would chisel out above the pockets, use three props and large timber to prop multiple joists and walk the room up together. If that proved successful then we would pack under the joists whilst getting ready to cut and use hangers.


Again thanks for your input.