How to trim joist before sheetrock
PeteBradley
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m finishing a “bonus room” space over my garage. I’ve been checking over the framing with a straightedge and one of the ceiling joists (2×8, about 8′ span between rafters, 16″ OC) is a solid 3/8″ lower than the others. What’s the best way to trim it flush?
I was thinking of nailing a straight board to it and trimming it with a router and pattern bit, then trimming the ends with a big chisel. Is there a better way?
How flat is flat enough to not be noticeable when it’s rocked? Are there any other framing details that I should watch out for? (Not planning to do the rock myself).
Pete
Replies
Why is it lower? And is it lower along its full length?
8' between rafters?!?!?!? what are you using for roof sheathing? 4 bys?
|:>)
SamT
That's a good one!
I guess I didn't make it clear. This is a room under the peak of a 12/12 roof. The rafters are 16" OC. The ceiling joists span between the rafters at 8' off the floor. Hope that makes it clearer.
Pete
Strike a line with a chalk line. Cut with a good saber saw -- the kind with support behind the blade just above the work surface. It'll get within a couple inches of the wall. Finish with a hand saw.
Sounds like this joist may have been installed upside down - that is, almost all lumber has a 'crown' or bow to it, and when installing floor/ceiling joists or rafters, we always place the 'crown' up. If you have a power planer, you could plane the difference off or place new joist alongside the old one, cut through the offender and nail the two together with a mess of 16d's.
8' is not much of a span anyway.
To clarify, it's not crowned. It's not sitting on a plate, it's just nailed between the rafters (do I dare use the term "collar tie" on this forum? ;-) ). Looks like it was just nailed up a little low.
Thanks for the suggestions,
Pete
It should be flat to about a sixteenth over the 9 feet.
It should be plumb.
When I install Hardibacker, I am often called to straighten up framing, and do thusly: First, take a long straight edge, like a 6 or 8 foot level and "read" the wall. Find out its highs and lows. Take a KILN DRIED stud and sister it next to the offending stud and set it straight and plumb (this is harder than it sounds, and you may need a helper) shoot some No. 15's into it to sister it to the offending stud. I do this around the room until I get the area flat and plumb.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Why not just pull the nails, remove the joist, and re-install it in the proper position??? Sometimes we overlook the obvious...lol.
Bob
Sheesh! I feel dumb.
Pete
I'll one-up-ya! Why not pull most of the nails, beat it into submision, and then renail!Matt
Depends on whether the total force expended by pulling some of the nails + beating it into submission exceeds the force required to pull all of the nails. It's really an energy conservation thing...lol.
Tell who ever put it in to fix it.
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
he's long gone...this is original framing.
Pete
I don't remove the offending stud, because there is usually something connected to the other side. Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934