re:Unsupported floor and stairwell

[Groovejet]

A chimney breast has been removed, leaving the timbers unstable.
As the joists sat on the brickork, now that chimney is removed they are flush to the wall.

A stairwell has been cut out and a trimmer joist put in but the job is a bit shady!!

The trimmer has been butted upto the existing joists and been bolted thru with coach bolts(2 in each joist end)
NO other means of support has been added, so the timber has dropped 3/8'' to 1/2'' on one end of the timber.

The whole weight of the upper floor etc is supported on these bolts!!

The original joists that were supported on the chimney breast have been doubled up and made good in the wall, giving abit of support, but if you look at my photos they've also got angle iron supporting a few of the existing joists that fell short.

Anyway i,ve took plenty of photos which can be viewed in MY ALBUM in my profile.

Heres one to give you a idea?
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[denso13]

The bolts are no good. Should be a fairly simple job of fitting joist hangers where the joists meet the trimmers and at the end of the trimmer. I would prefer to have seen the trimmer doubled up though.

Where the joists are flush with the wall you should also fit joists hangers but these will need a slot cut in the wall for fitting, depending on the type.

http://www.nhbc.co.uk/NHBCpublications/LiteratureLibrary/Technical/filedownload,21418,en.pdf

 

[ladylola]

The bolted on piece shown in this photo and your album is fine, assumming the shorter lenght is built into the wall. It's fairly standard practice to extend a joist if it's short or has rotted away and replacing the whole joist is impractical or not cost effective.This extension piece can be either wood or metal, I've done both and you appear to have both , belt and braces so to speak. Think of metal bridges, nothing goes all the way over the gap, they are made from smaller pieces bolted together but don't fall down.
If you are really worried put an additional bolt in or banding around the whole thing.
The other joints for example the one that is a simple butt with two coach screws I would fit with joist hangers. I tend to screw hangers but nailing is fine.

 

[Groovejet]

Thanks for the info

The end of the trimmer? What is standard practice, when jointing the ends to the existing joists?

I'll do like you both said ''use joist hangers''

BUT?

Apart from joist hangers what can i do thats 'Old School' , with regards to the two ends of the trimmer joist?

I'll probally just use J.Hangers on the ends! But it's just good 2 know how you guys would tackle it?

Thanks again, ladylola & denso13


ps- Whats the idea of doubling up?

 

[denso13]

Joist hangers are easy and the best way to do it. I can't think of anything 'old school' that is better than easier than that

 

[ladylola]

The end of the trimmer? What is standard practice, when jointing the ends to the existing joists?

BUT?

Apart from joist hangers what can i do thats 'Old School' , with regards to the two ends of the trimmer joist?

I'll probally just use J.Hangers

ps- Whats the idea of doubling up?

Standard practice in the majority of cases nowadays is joist hangers when jointing the end of one timber to the side of another i.e. trimming. The old school method is to use a joint known as a tusk tenon -
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...tools.com/ref/handwork-wood/images/267-40.png
However, it's rather fallen out of fashion mainly because of the time involved ,an hour for the joint or a minute for the hanger, I'll let you do the maths. If you are doing the work yourself it's your choice, personally if it's my own home I'd tenon although both methods are fine.
Any exsisting joints such as the one shown with the two coach screws I'd put a hanger on just as a matter of course.
I mentioned standard practice with regard to the bolted timber in your posted photo' and that is indeed correct and you need have no worries on this one. I've lost count of the number of this type of repair I've done over the years most of them on EH , National Trust and church properities.
As to doubling up , it simply makes it stronger any applied force has to bend two timbers rather than one.

 

[steve61]

If you use hangers then watch out for hammered fingers - ouch!!

The twist nails are short and fiddley and the holes in the hangers never seem to be big enough to take them.

Best to hold each nail with plyers rather than fingers when fixing the hangers - saves a lot of pain and cursing.

Steve

 

[Groovejet]

If you use hangers then watch out for hammered fingers - ouch

Best to hold each nail with plyers rather than fingers when fixing the hangers - saves a lot of pain and cursing.

Steve

I'll try 'ur way Steve!

Thanks ladylola, you certainly know your stuff!
appreciate ur help on this one, very good advice