BaronVonMunchington
New Member
Hey all,
Location: Sweden
House: Log cabin / timber frame, approx 150 years old. 1.5 storey
Joist dimensions: 6" x 2"
Joist centres: 24"
Joist span: 16'
Renovating our log cabin here in sunny Sweden. 1st thing, I have tried to get a structural engineer to do calcs for a few things but no one seems interested here unless I employ an architect and the engineer works as part of the package, so unfortunately structural calcs are not possible.
I work in metric but I'm gonna write in imperial so please bear with me.
I want to enlarge the stairwell opening as part of a larger renovation project. I want to take it across into the next joist bay. This would make the overall opening approx 6' x 6' (across 3 joist bays). I understand I should sister the joists on both sides, and I should double the headers. There are no load bearing walls on the ground floor, its completely open plan below.




Location: Sweden
House: Log cabin / timber frame, approx 150 years old. 1.5 storey
Joist dimensions: 6" x 2"
Joist centres: 24"
Joist span: 16'
Renovating our log cabin here in sunny Sweden. 1st thing, I have tried to get a structural engineer to do calcs for a few things but no one seems interested here unless I employ an architect and the engineer works as part of the package, so unfortunately structural calcs are not possible.
I work in metric but I'm gonna write in imperial so please bear with me.
I want to enlarge the stairwell opening as part of a larger renovation project. I want to take it across into the next joist bay. This would make the overall opening approx 6' x 6' (across 3 joist bays). I understand I should sister the joists on both sides, and I should double the headers. There are no load bearing walls on the ground floor, its completely open plan below.
- Given I can't get calculations, would the image / plan below pass 'code'? or at least be safe? (to be honest half the house isn't up to regs but I just want to make this as structurally sound as possible)
- Do the sistered joists need to go in double hangers? Or can I just glue and screw the new joists onto the old?
- I'm not taking up the ceiling (v. old t&g boards), I want to join as many of the joists together as possible with hangers, but are there alternatives? E.G angle brackets?
- on the left hand side of the image below is the log gable wall. Rather than a 6 x 2 joists there are 2no 2 x 2s nailed into the logs. Can I sister a 6 x 2 onto this setup? Or should I just replace it entirely?
- Anything else I should be aware of?



