Ceiling Joist Support Beam Span

Use the span tables below to determine allowable lengths of joists and rafters based on size and standard design loads.

Ceiling joist support beam span. Joist span tables use these tables to determine lengths sizes and spacing of ceiling joists. Span calculator for wood joists and rafters also available for the android os. Although 2 inch by 6 inch lumber is used most often in ceiling construction to support 5 foot by 8 foot sheetrock the material commonly used for ceilings other sizes of lumber may be used such as 2 inch by 4 inch and 2 inch by 8 inch lumber. Although 2 x 4 s are included in the official table they are not listed because it is never advised to use them.

See the picture below for a plan view of how this will look. Other materials such as metal and concrete may also be involved in making a ceiling. If this is the case with your structure use the floor joist table to determine maximum joist length load. Holes drilled at the neutral axis centre line are not to exceed 0 25 of the depth of a joist and are not to be less than three diameters centre to centre apart and are to be located between 0 25 and 0 4 of the span from the support.

Ceiling joists of the first floor of a two story structure often serve as floor joists for the second floor. In regular light frame construction and conventional roof framing the ceiling is constructed using an arrangement of timber joists and beams that run across the length and width of the ceiling. So we will have to place wood floor beams or likewise wood ceiling beams across the width of the house to support the floor joists. It covers 2 common lumber species and sizes at 20 pounds per square foot load.

Joist spans up to 2 5m no strutting required. The floor joists are still 12 long but now you can see a floor beam running horizontally across the middle of the house supported by the lower. The size of the ceiling joist also is accounted for in joist spacing. 2 x 12 s are not listed because you can span pretty much whatever you want.

Also available for the android os. Versa lam laminated veneer lumber lvl beams and headers eliminate twisting shrinking and splitting and deliver flatter quieter floors and structures. This ceiling joist span table is based on the 2012 irc for uninhabitable attics with limited storage. Our versa lam lvl is manufactured in either alexandria lena louisiana in eastern united states or in white city oregon for the western united states.

You can also use the wood beam calculator from the american wood council website to determine maximum rafter and joist lengths.