Good morning all,
I've had remarkable help here in the past.
I'm working on a bedroom on the 2nd floor in a balloon framed 100 y/o house.
Under this bedroom on the first floor there is also a bedroom.
I worked on this bedroom in the past, stopped in order to do a more urgent project in the back of the house, now back to this.
After having completely stripped this room and an adjacent small room, I learned that there are 2x7 (actual) x 20' pieces that make up the 2nd floor support, leaning on a ledger board at +20" on a center.
There's a load bearing wall below this floor at the ~14' mark, but the floor has sagged around that load bearing wall. I'm not that surprised.
The ledger board started curling inwards a little, especially under the window in the picture. Below the window on the first floor there is also a window with the same dimensions, so there's not really a stud that the ledger board is resting on under the window.
After consulting with various people, I've come up with the idea to get 4x4 posts, cut them so that they are 3.5x2.75 (actual) to fit comfortably behind the ledger board, and place a bunch of 2x8x20 (cut to fit) to the span of the house, so that I have floor support that does not lean on the ledger board but on these new posts.
I've drilled at the bottom of the bays in the basement in order to clean the bays, so that the posts can sit directly on the beam that rests on the foundation.
I intend to cut the posts to reach from the foundation up to 1" below the ledger board.
To anchor the post at the top, I'm going to use a 2x4 that will lay on top of the post and connect the studs to its right and left. That will both hold the post in place from the top, and also create a surface for the joists that will rest on the post. (I only intend to put joists directly above the post, for load transfer). Hope that made sense - please ask me if this is not clear, I'm not that eloquent with construction vocabulary.
I was thinking that in order to anchor the posts at the bottom I should cut big enough a hole at the bottom of the bay, to insert 2x4 (again cut to size) pieces to prevent the post from ever moving, and nail however I can if I can.
I was thinking that in case of an earthquake or something I better tie the posts at the bottom as well.
Also, I was thinking that when I'm done with posts and joists around the window (shown in the picture), I'll cut the existing joist that's under the window (properly tying/supporting it first), put some metal brackets on the new or reinforced adjacent joists and put a double 2x8 along the wall. Then put a bracket on that double 2x8 and let the existing joist rest on it instead, maybe even add more brackets on it and add more joists.
I'm looking for your advice:
1. Your thoughts on this solution in general - is there a better way? Are there downsides to this solution? I don't mind the labor, I'm doing this myself and don't mind a good, creative overkill.
2. Your suggestions on anchoring the posts at the bottom.
3. Your thoughts/suggestions on my plan for support around the window.
The attached pictures show:
1. Bay with a post (not nailed or height adjusted yet)
2. Bays under window where the ledger board is slightly coming out of the stud. It's not a closeup or anything, nevertheless it's there.
3. Drilling at the bottom of the bay (might not be that interesting)
Would appreciate your thoughts and advice.
Thanks and have a good day.
Lev
I've had remarkable help here in the past.
I'm working on a bedroom on the 2nd floor in a balloon framed 100 y/o house.
Under this bedroom on the first floor there is also a bedroom.
I worked on this bedroom in the past, stopped in order to do a more urgent project in the back of the house, now back to this.
After having completely stripped this room and an adjacent small room, I learned that there are 2x7 (actual) x 20' pieces that make up the 2nd floor support, leaning on a ledger board at +20" on a center.
There's a load bearing wall below this floor at the ~14' mark, but the floor has sagged around that load bearing wall. I'm not that surprised.
The ledger board started curling inwards a little, especially under the window in the picture. Below the window on the first floor there is also a window with the same dimensions, so there's not really a stud that the ledger board is resting on under the window.
After consulting with various people, I've come up with the idea to get 4x4 posts, cut them so that they are 3.5x2.75 (actual) to fit comfortably behind the ledger board, and place a bunch of 2x8x20 (cut to fit) to the span of the house, so that I have floor support that does not lean on the ledger board but on these new posts.
I've drilled at the bottom of the bays in the basement in order to clean the bays, so that the posts can sit directly on the beam that rests on the foundation.
I intend to cut the posts to reach from the foundation up to 1" below the ledger board.
To anchor the post at the top, I'm going to use a 2x4 that will lay on top of the post and connect the studs to its right and left. That will both hold the post in place from the top, and also create a surface for the joists that will rest on the post. (I only intend to put joists directly above the post, for load transfer). Hope that made sense - please ask me if this is not clear, I'm not that eloquent with construction vocabulary.
I was thinking that in order to anchor the posts at the bottom I should cut big enough a hole at the bottom of the bay, to insert 2x4 (again cut to size) pieces to prevent the post from ever moving, and nail however I can if I can.
I was thinking that in case of an earthquake or something I better tie the posts at the bottom as well.
Also, I was thinking that when I'm done with posts and joists around the window (shown in the picture), I'll cut the existing joist that's under the window (properly tying/supporting it first), put some metal brackets on the new or reinforced adjacent joists and put a double 2x8 along the wall. Then put a bracket on that double 2x8 and let the existing joist rest on it instead, maybe even add more brackets on it and add more joists.
I'm looking for your advice:
1. Your thoughts on this solution in general - is there a better way? Are there downsides to this solution? I don't mind the labor, I'm doing this myself and don't mind a good, creative overkill.
2. Your suggestions on anchoring the posts at the bottom.
3. Your thoughts/suggestions on my plan for support around the window.
The attached pictures show:
1. Bay with a post (not nailed or height adjusted yet)
2. Bays under window where the ledger board is slightly coming out of the stud. It's not a closeup or anything, nevertheless it's there.
3. Drilling at the bottom of the bay (might not be that interesting)
Would appreciate your thoughts and advice.
Thanks and have a good day.
Lev