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upside down joist hangers

| Posted in Construction Techniques on May 19, 2004 06:36am

Okay, maybe I have too much time on my hands, but here is the question.  In situations on a deck where the joists are cantilevered over a beam and the rim joist is therefore hanging in mid-air, does it not seem logical that joist hangers (if used at all) should be installed upside down?  I realize that the right angle part of the hanger is really all that is important in this situation, but doesn’t it seem funny to see the bottom part of the hanger below the joist when actually the rim joist is hanging from the joists in this situation and not the other way around?

Has anyone actually installed them this way?

 

J Painter

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  1. User avater
    BossHog | May 19, 2004 08:23pm | #1

    The rim board typically has so little weight on it, I don't see any point in using hangers at all.

    Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey(1992)

    1. jpainter | May 19, 2004 10:19pm | #2

      You are right, of course, the hangers are not necessary.  I like to use them so that the right angle part of the hanger strengthens the joist to rim connection and my town inspector seems to want to see them there. Even so, it always seemed weird that the forces of gravity are working in the opposite direction of the intended use.

      1. User avater
        BossHog | May 19, 2004 10:47pm | #3

        The loads are small enough, it probably doesn't make any difference which way they hangers are installed.

        For instance - A Simpson LUS210 has an uplift value of 930#. You aren't likely to exceed that, even if your MIL stands there. (-:

        Guess you could put them on upside down if it makes you happy. Just tell the inspector you did it so they don't hold water.The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help. [Ronald Reagan]

  2. FastEddie1 | May 20, 2004 01:31am | #4

    Yes I have, and for exactly the reason you state.

    Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

  3. JohnSprung | May 20, 2004 03:28am | #5

    Maybe use two smaller ones, both top and bottom.  Depending where you stand, there could be forces in either direction.  Or how about A-35's?

    -- J.S.

  4. Clay | May 20, 2004 06:02am | #6

    Around here we don't use hangers on the rim joists but the inspectors do want them bolted through the newel posts.

    1. FastEddie1 | May 20, 2004 06:36am | #7

      Are the bolts to support the newel posts, or the rim joist?Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

      1. Clay | May 20, 2004 07:34am | #8

        Well they work both ways but the inspectors seem mostly concerned about the rim joists.  I try to get most of my stability for the newels by my attachment to the structural joists ... but every little bit helps.  So I usually end up with two bolts through the structural joists and one or two through the rim joist and also cross nail.  I have had them make me bolt the back corner of the rim joist to the chimney wall (an impossibility of course ... and ridiculously unneccessary ... but I glued some bolt heads into holes there to make em happy).

  5. Gulak | Sep 08, 2020 11:34pm | #9

    so basically an inverted hanger is used to carry the load on the joists or rafters on either end that would make the overhang. its called a fascia beam, all rafter or joist tails that cantilever over beam or wall get inverter hangers (upside down) the two end sides of which are basically fascia that make up the overhang or eves sit in the hanger like normal. Cause they have no beam or wall support, hence fascia beam terminology. you want to use and interior face mount hanger so you can flush the corners. Conventional framing you can use ladder framing and outlooks for support on end eves, but on open beam rafters or i joist framing ive always done the inverted hanger

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