Advice from Trus Joist MacMillan... on floor performance!

Floor performance is a very subjective issue that is influenced by many factors.

Listed here are several suggestions that may help in the design of a floor system:

• Deeper joists will reduce deflection.
• Thicker floor sheathing and or reducing the on-center spacing of the joists will improve load sharing.
• Adhesives that permanently bond the sheathing to the joists will improve the stiffness of the floor system, and will also prevent squeaks.
• Directly applied ceilings, bridging, bottom chord stripping, or full depth blocking, will improve floor performance.
• Framed partition walls, ceiling and other inherent random dead loads will dampen vibrations.
• Workmanship in the field in critical. Proper onsite storage of construction material, full joist bearing, adequate and level supports, proper installation of the floor sheathing, and care in the fastening (nailing, adhesives, etc.) are most essential.

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