Floor Joist Blocking Vs Bridging

From both ends of the span.

Floor joist blocking vs bridging.

The weight of the piano is centered over a single joist but the bridging transfers some of the weight to the adjacent joists. I ve always used a lift for upper floors though. Proper bridging distributes the load on the floor to other joists and over time prevents floors from sagging and squeaking do to floor joists twisting and warping. Various types of metal bridging are available at home centers and lumberyards.

There are many different opinions on why to block floor joists the process behind doing it and how it helps the floor structure. Floor joist bridging vs blocking i like laying 1 1 8 super flat easy to pound t g together dropping a 2x6 from a floor above doesn t put a hole in it. Probably the most commonly used technique is to install small pieces of material in a zig zag pattern between the perimeter joists to create a rigid rim joist that prevents bounce and increases the strength of the rail attachment. Floor joist bridging is critical to the structural strength of a floor as shown in figure 1.

The blocking or bridging between joists or rafters also contributes to this phenomenon. Adding two rows of bridging costs a few dollars per joist. The joists shown here for example span 12 ft so we added rows of bridging 4 ft. Blocking or bridging can be used for a variety of purposes in deck building.

Blocking also needs to be provided at the supporting end of a joist. For example with bridging installed between joists a piano leg sitting over one 2 10 is actually supported by several. In addition to providing lateral support blocking helps transfer weight to adjacent joists so that the floor acts as a unified system. Yet it is not uncommon to find bridging not properly installed or missing all together.