I have a question regarding leveling a sagging ceiling and I need some advice on how to proceed. My house was built in 1940 and I have been gutting it a room at a time and redoing everything. I have discovered that the ceiling joists were framed using 2×4 lumber spanning approximately 12′. In a previous room, I shot a level laser line around the room, identified the low spot and used furring strips and shims to bring the ceiling down to that level.
I am about to tear the ceiling out in my dining room and am thinking I might need to level it out also. My questions are the following:
1.) Would sistering steel studs to the 2×4 framing be sufficient? Would the weight of the additional studs be a problem?
2.) Would a better option be to reframe the ceiling with 2×6’s?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Replies
Sister the existing joists with the lightest gauge 12' metal studs, that just kiss your string all around. They've got very little weight, and all you need are tin snips and some Tek Screws and and a screw gun.
Forrest - done that
Got the materials this afternoon and hopefully can tackle it this weekend. Hope it goes quicker than the shims and furring strips method!
Metal studs aren't going to add much weight at all, so I wouldn't worry about that. But, if the existing joists are undersized and sagging, they may continue to do so once you put the ceiling back up.Is it feasible to run a strongback above the joists from one bearing point to another and use some twist straps to hang the joists off of it? Like, is the space above an exposed attic?k
I think there is a strongback there already. I'll have to see what I have to work with once I get the drywall down.
What is above it? If it is just an attic you should be fine with your fix. Strongbacks are highly recommended.
At the risk of explaining the obvious:by "strongback" we mean a beam of some sort (like an LVL or something, size depending on span) that runs on top of the joists crossing them at more or less a 90 deg. angle more or less in the center of the joist span. The joists are hung from this beam with hardware (like simpson H2.5 rights and lefts), usually after being brought somewhat into line with clamps. This beam should be supported at its ends, usually by resting on bearing walls or posts. I have seen unsupported strongbacks help sagging ceilings, simply by straightening things out and tying all the joists together, but that is obviously not recommended.(In case any readers don't know the term)k
From your description it sounds like the two bedrooms that I already gutted had strongbacks. We're planning on getting it opened up tomorrow evening. We want to get it closed up quick because it's getting cold at night and the room will be exposed to the attic. You guys have been very helpful. I hope one day I can reciprocate.-Brian
Onsite lingo tossed around these days makes for a chore in diciphering. The only thing we refer as a strong back is a detail mostly used on truss gables and occasionally on the rat run. They typically build the gable with flat 2x4 'studs' on 16'' centers (instead of webbing) which drives me nuts as they can easily warp ugly even after sheeting.
At 4 or 5' centers off the top plates we nail on a ''california corner'' (lack of better term, 2 2x's nailed together, flat side of one to the edg of another) horizontally which then are braced to blocking in the ridge (used to be to rat run on bottom cords) and a-35s at each end of brace. Kind of a pain in the a$$.
Ironically I've use this on ceiling runs in the same way you are describing the beam just to level every thing off and give extra support as its easy to nail through the flat piece and the on edge pice gives it the rigidity. Doesn't suport as much weight but seems to work well with celings and such, sometimes a mechanical fastener every four feet depending on length.
In this case of 2x4s spanning such a great distance more beef is called for, but maybe a 2x8 on edge nailed cali style into a flat 2x and mechanical connections every joist would be easier to get up into ceiling space...oh, it's an attic above, toss a beam in and be done!
You could sister 2x6 to remove the sag. You could use e.g. 3/4" plywood to do the same. Metal studs IMO wouldn't work. Weight isn't an issue, but they don't have rigidity, so they aren't really going to increase the stiffness at all ... which IMO you should be doing ... that is ... removing the sag in the ceiling joist and stiffening up the ceiling, not just leaving the joist as is. Allowing the sag to remain w/out stiffening will not solve a problem ... just sweep it under the carpet to show up later.
Edited 11/21/2009 10:16 am ET by Clewless1