I would have C-Clamped them together rather than using screws to pull together. This assure a better bond for the adhesive. So First apply the adhesive, then C-clamp together, then finally add screws to finish. Hear in Texas we call that a Sandwiched Beam or Rafter if 2 sided. Sistering if 1 sided. Other wise.....Very Clear Detail and Running Explanation and Video.!! Scott Briggs, 82. Luxury Custom Home Builder 38 years.
I had to look into the term "sistering". There were a few but the one I liked best was, when one is having trouble carrying the load, the other comes along to help bear the burden = sistering. As always, I love these videos! 👍🏼
I love these videos. You tackle real world problems that the average homeowner, myself included, face. You also are realistic and practical with solutions. Not everything needs to be a 12 month project. Sometimes you just need to get it done
Thank you for noticing and pointing that out. I always have you guys in mind, otherwise I just wouldn’t make videos. I sincerely want to help you to be able to do these repairs yourself.
Ol Mike Holmes always says "Glue It And Screw It!" lol As a railroader, when replacing wood cross ties, I called the ties on either side of the replaced tie "it's sisters". So you put in a new tie to "Help It's Sisters".
Came back here to say - THANK YOU. You saved me a bunch of missteps. And you're the only one I saw that advised to screw the jack to the old joist, that trick saved my TV several times for sure. I was repairing a 16' span and the jack kept getting lifted and became useless, so I quit using it and used a 2lb sledge to whack the joist into place. Floor is rock solid now! Thanks a ton, man.
I've sistered every second joist in my century home and boy it was a fun experience. I used bessy clamps to suck the 2 boards together which helped a lot. Great video bro!👍
Where I’m from we call that ‘marrying two boards’. Also, I’ve used a couple of C-clamps to bring 2 boards together. I only know that because about 4 years ago I had to strengthen some floor joists in my 1972 mobile home under what had been the bathroom. The original floor joists were rotten on top in places and so there wasn’t much area to nail down the plywood. The solution, I felt, was to marry (in one instance sandwich) new boards to the old ones. I used large C-clamps to force the boards together while I ran screws into them.
Definitely learned something. My kid and I are restoring an old house and found floor joists for the second floor bad I think we’ll use this method. Looks better than patching in a piece
I had to do the same in my house (built in 1929) the only thing I did different was C-clamped it before adding screws to ensure adhesive contact along the length. It looks like it will be fine!
The only thing I would do differently is nail it as well. Screws have alot of clamping force, but can shear vs nails which can pull out, but have better shear resistance.
Yeah I will probably add a bunch of nails. I wasn’t satisfied with what I had there after an hour or so and I have a bunch of spikes so probably gonna go nuts with the nail gun. 😁😁👍
Depends on the screw or situation. We don't know what is above or the load but all he did was make a double. Some screws are structural, but he did say construction screws. I'm thinking home Depot there cheap construction screws looks like the expensive grx sold at Lowes. Spax at home Depot are said to be structural screws
You can use GRK screws that have the shear strength of a nail, with the clamp of a screw. Expensive though. And I always clamp the boards together as well before fastening.
Timber locks or head locks are way way stronger than any nail. They make the red ones specifically to attach lvl’s together, but people are in a hurry and want to cut corners and use Nails
Most useful content I’ve seen so far pertaining to old houses and the surprises we can find. I’ve got all the similar issues with my house. I enjoy watching your videos.
I learnt it the hard way, attaching the support with a couple of screws so that it doesn’t fall and create damages. I was working with my son to replace a porch 4x4 post. Didn’t screw the temporary support sitting on a jack. When we made a small adjustment the support fell down and hit a garden shovel in the vicinity. The broken metal spade portion was thrown off about 10’ and the remaining broken handle swung and made a hash on my son’s shin. Fortunately he has forgiven his father for his stupidity
You are definitely a Disaster Avoidance person, as opposed to disaster recovery. I will be doing something similar using 1/4” lag screws. Thanks for sharing this insightful video. Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas season. Cheers
Love how you explain I am learning more as I watch as a home owner when I hire a handyman for small jobs they are surprised as how well I explained what I wanted to be done thanks for sharing 💙
Those floor joists look familiar and I have a few above our kitchen that need repair too due to bath remodel plumbing. I did one of the over notched joists a foot of two from the corner of the house under the second story floor. It was not fun. The other is under the tub and the joist is already sistered, and both are notched so much the floor sags while in the shower and the plumbing leaks almost even time, unless we stand back far enough from the tub drain to keep the floor from bowing. If it were the only problem I would have tackled it long ago like some of the other plumbing I've adjusted to reduce other code issues. but I'm still left with 3 that I know I need to address. It's nice to see a youtube about a house that was built with similar materials as mine and I look forward to searching your channel for more ideas on how to address my future attempts to repair our houses bath remodel issues. :) And possibly some other ideas besides.
Yup I have two in my basement, I am please two see my plan for repairing them is correct. Thank you again, I also wanted to let you know that instead of repairing the basement access door, I built a enclosed porch over the steps and I love it. I have to install a door at the foundation and a storm door at the entrance and it will be finished.
Had the same issue in my 1975 house... right in the middle of the dinning room floor. One 2x10" joist had a huge knot that weakened and cracked all the way through, top to bottom. The builder never should have used it in the first place. I added a 3/4" plywood "sister" on *both* sides after carefully jacking it back up in place about 3/4"... construction glued and screwed, 48x10". Did the trick and solid as new.
@@mikemiller9891 no it doesn't have to be AS ALONG AS the joist you are supporting. it just has to overlap the cracked section by 2-3 feet on either side of the weak spot. In this video he makes a replacement joist and acts like its a sister joist when really its just a replacement joist just as strong as the original and same size as original making the original redundant and he could have just cut out the original at that point since he's not relying on it at all. Whereas just putting a sister joist in the damaged part of the original still utilizes the original and relies on it.
I did this exact same thing pretty much except in my crawl space. Instead of using screws to bring the boards closer together I used half inch wide 8 inch bolts with washers on each side and impacted them together
Always interesting projects .... you do a great job with the vids Mr Fixer! I'm doing this on a 1911 building that has longer spans and split joists ... hope your week is perfect!
i got a guy comming to fix 15 joist the seal plate and ledger beam and im here trying to learn so i can help properly .... you should be proud your the first chanel i thought of for my schooling ... i now feel like a pro thank you sir for quality content il be sure to toss out the sistering term lmao... dont worry im only there for the grunt work i got a three foot crawl space and those timbers wont drag them selves under lol hes a bit long in the tooth
Wow. That means a lot. Thank you. Yeah, aren’t crawl spaces fun!? Haha I do wish you the best of luck. Let me know how it goes! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words!
@@TheFixerHomeRepair you do good work man i watch all your how to videos iv have learned a lot im the guy who turns to youtube . i sure will man and no sir my crawl space sucks i have an adition so they just busted a small whole in the block that only a child could fit thrue haha the old part of the house just has a small trench around the stem wall so things will be tight but luckily uncle sam tought me to belly crawl haha so not looking forward to it .. have a good night stay safe my friend
@@TheFixerHomeRepair well good sir .. it went well we sisterd 15 joist replaced the seal plate and ledger turns out i had some wall and floor board rott aswell and who ever put the siding on didnt put up tar paper my gutters suck and the shingles dont over lay enough so iv had water wicking that caused this mess to begin with luckily i need new shingles so that will be adressed they are about 15 years old lol aaannd i had to rip up half my back deck that was freshley painted to replace the ledger and three joist but it only cost me 2000 due to him being family and a real good man plus i did all the back work but he offerd me a job and i took it ... went from min wage to balling hahaha thanks again for the great content you are trully changing lives JESUS BLESS YOU
My nickel on the ground, Sister is a shipwright term when pairing up the frames of wooden boats to strength them as each frame is different form the next they have to be made individually to mate together. By the way i was taught wiring cleats have to be a hammer length apart with the nail underneath to support the wire.🔨⚒🛠
If you really want to add additional strength I would suggest adding a piece of 1/2" OSB sandwiched between the two joists and alternate ledge locker screws installed from opposite sides. The OSB is incredibly strong in the vertical orientation and is found in most new construction for that reason. I did this in my home when replacing a shower stall with a large 2 person jetted tub in a bathroom remodeling project.
It’s amazing how much extra time has to be spent on building because we can’t get straight lumber. I know green wood chances as it dries but I’ve almost had to fight local hardware store managers because I was sorting through lumber that I was using to pour concrete sidewalks with. I needed straight boards.
I really wish that contractors would stop drilling holes in floor joists unless absolutely necessary. Love that wires here are all stapled rather than through holes.
I need to level my house and the contractor that i may hire suggesting i can do it myself to save money instead of having him and his guys doing it. this video gave a great visual of how to do it though the only difference is i have a crawl space and not a basement
@1:09 Mayyyybe sistering comes from the ZZ Top song Tube Snake Boogie: "I got a gal that lives on the hill. She won't do it but her sister will." Think about it. A busted joist won't safely carry a load...."but her sister will."🙊
Nice work!! My house needs this, but I just read that joists should be sistered with large nails or lag bolts! They said screws don’t carry the weight load properly!
Construction screws like Spax screws in a situation like this should be fine especially if the ends of the joist are fully supported. Shim if necessary. Nails will have the least holding power. If you are worried use a couple of lags or even carriage bolts.
@@thomassciurba5323 ..nails are what the the structural engineer for my house states is building code in Arkansas… In fact, many sites specifically say to NOT use screws or lag bolts..and to only use FRAMING NAILS…
Having had to do a similar job I used G clamps as well as glue,in this case I would put some gap filling glue to the top and nailed and pilot drilled for screws to avoid overstressing.Maybe treated the old joists for termites as well.👍
I am so inspired! You have access at both ends for the new sistered joist to sit on. Would your be comfortable if you only had access on one end? Also what’s the difference between the screws you used here vs the Timberlok you used in a different video?
Hey! If I only had access to one end it would depend on the situation. In this case, for example, if the end I had access to was on the side that the joist was broken then I would be ok with just attaching it to the old joist. If it was the opposite I would be less comfortable. As far as the screws, these ones are smaller and do not have as much shear strength as the timberloks. I would have used timberloks on this but didn't have them on hand. That is ok though because there was not much weight on this joist. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!!
yep i agree with TheNixonotification ...screws do NOT have the shearing strength that nails do. In fact screws shear off really easy. Adding nails will increase the strength of that sistered beam immensely.
I really enjoy your videos. I don't know why but I hope you finish the stairs to the basement from bulkhead video. You did such a good job on everything else :-) I guess I just want to see the finished product.
i always thought you were suppose to use specialized structural screws or bolts when sistering. structural screws are made to resist sheering unlike regular screws.
Just putting the sister in with glue will hold the sister in place, the sister will hold the load without the screws or the glue, that being true, adding the screws will make everyone feel better, always put back the x bracing.
If the ends of the sister are supported it is a compression situation not a sheer situation. The screws just hold the sister from racking away from the original joist. The screws should not see any vertical force and little lateral force.
My attic floor has a peak right in the middle down the center following the main beam. To level that out would I sister all of the joists connected to this beam that hold that floor up?
It is a relationship thing. Much like you have motherboards and daughter boards, this describes the main use item and the secondary item such as video cards, PCI cards, etc, you also have sister items, they are the same but different. In this case, they are the same board, doing the same job, side by side, but not the same item. So they are sisters. In order to be a sister, there must be at least 2 of them.
There's a joist that has some rot on the bottom of it. I fear that in the future, if we were to sell the house an inspector would want this repaired. Do you think this method of repairing would pass inspection? Thanks
Hey Jay! In my case the floor doesn’t bother me. I think it looks worse than it is but it also has a long story that I discovered doing the living room remodel. Long story short, the house was built in 1946 so even if I leveled all the joists, I really wouldn’t be leveling them as they are all different sizes and the floor has sunk differently everywhere. I would say you really don’t HAVE to ever level it unless you want to. If the joists are also grossly undersized and continue to sink to the point that it is dangerous is a good case for attempting to raise everything. Hope this answers your question. Thanks for watching!
I like what you did, I used bolt to sister my joist. I also use outdoor paint on the joist because why not help prevent the damage from happening again.
Yes; you’ll need to do what my brother did - he had the same problem you have with his nearly 100 year old house. He worked with a structural engineer and worked out a nailing schedule to sister lvl’s to the existing floor joists (they were structurally sound but tilted to one end of the house - the foundation had settled unevenly). He had to remove parts of the floor and subfloor, and he sistered the lvl’s level to where he needed the rebuilt floor to be. (So when you go into his basement and look up you’ll see the original sloping joists and the new, level, lvl sistered joists. He had originally planned on jacking up the low side of the floor and building up the mud sill where the floor joists rested, but his engineer talked him out of that “solution”. He said the lvl solution was better (lvl = Laminated veneer lumber - LVL- is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. It is typically used for headers, beams, rimboard, and edge-forming material. LVL offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: Made in a factory under controlled specifications, it is stronger, straighter, and more uniform. Due to its composite nature, it is much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink.)
I have discoloration like the ends of these floor joists do. Do you know if it is anything to be concerned about? I was thinking I should just sister every single one of my floor joists.
Not when you are using lumber like this. I only predrill if I am worried about something splitting. Just keep the screws away from the edges and it will be fine. Thanks for the question and for checking out the video!
Professionals generally consider nailing two boards together a double girder, while adding an identical board to an existing joist, a sister. I suppose the boards have to be dimensionally identical for it to be “sistering”.
Any recommendations on what to use for shims on the bearing ends? I have a similar repair I am doing, but the original floor joist is 7 3/4” (mine vary from 7-8” throughout the house) so there is enough room after slipping in the 2x8 that you can move it up/down easily.
Pull the two boards together with a big "C" clamp as you go across. Screws are very hard (brittle) so the will shear. Nails aren't hardened, so they will not. I would have checked the straightness of the original vertically with a taught string. Looks like your floor has a sag in the middle. Best way would have been through bolting with big fender washers with 3/8 bolts.
Sister - another definition, besides the familial, is used when talking about something that is closely related. For example, we can use the term "sister cities" (ciudades hermanadas, cidade irma in other countries), "sister companies", "sister sites". You can also use "sister" to mean connected to another thing that might be otherwise unrelated: Voyager-2 and its sister ship, Voyager-1; The International Monetary Fund and its sister organization The World Bank. In this way, the second joist is called "the sister" or - I have a cracked joist but its sister joist is now doing most of the work. The act of associating the two of them together (verb) is the Gerund form of the word (adding "ing" to a verb) - hence - "I am sistering these two joists"
Hey, David! If you mean the one on the other side I just didn’t feel the need. It isn’t bothering anything by being there. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
I would have C-Clamped them together rather than using screws to pull together. This assure a better bond for the adhesive. So First apply the adhesive, then C-clamp together, then finally add screws to finish. Hear in Texas we call that a Sandwiched Beam or Rafter if 2 sided. Sistering if 1 sided. Other wise.....Very Clear Detail and Running Explanation and Video.!!
Scott Briggs, 82. Luxury Custom Home Builder 38 years.
I’m a professor and mesmerized on how smooth and professional you present a technical solution to a problem.
I'm a plumber and I was also mesmerized.
I forget who said it but "youre not as smart and people arent as dumb as you think"
I had to look into the term "sistering". There were a few but the one I liked best was, when one is having trouble carrying the load, the other comes along to help bear the burden = sistering. As always, I love these videos! 👍🏼
What happens with the expression "twinning" is that it is an old Latin word that is used in the field language🤷♂️
I love these videos. You tackle real world problems that the average homeowner, myself included, face. You also are realistic and practical with solutions. Not everything needs to be a 12 month project. Sometimes you just need to get it done
Thank you for noticing and pointing that out. I always have you guys in mind, otherwise I just wouldn’t make videos. I sincerely want to help you to be able to do these repairs yourself.
This comment is highly under rated
Watched this video a couple years ago to help with my kitchen project 👍
FYI, Sisters hold each other up!
Ol Mike Holmes always says "Glue It And Screw It!" lol As a railroader, when replacing wood cross ties, I called the ties on either side of the replaced tie "it's sisters". So you put in a new tie to "Help It's Sisters".
Came back here to say - THANK YOU. You saved me a bunch of missteps. And you're the only one I saw that advised to screw the jack to the old joist, that trick saved my TV several times for sure.
I was repairing a 16' span and the jack kept getting lifted and became useless, so I quit using it and used a 2lb sledge to whack the joist into place.
Floor is rock solid now! Thanks a ton, man.
Happy to hear you got it done! And happy I could help out! 👍
I've sistered every second joist in my century home and boy it was a fun experience. I used bessy clamps to suck the 2 boards together which helped a lot.
Great video bro!👍
Good clamps especially the padded kitchen cabinet clamps to help align as you secure the cabinet to the wall
Where I’m from we call that ‘marrying two boards’. Also, I’ve used a couple of C-clamps to bring 2 boards together.
I only know that because about 4 years ago I had to strengthen some floor joists in my 1972 mobile home under what had been the bathroom. The original floor joists were rotten on top in places and so there wasn’t much area to nail down the plywood. The solution, I felt, was to marry (in one instance sandwich) new boards to the old ones. I used large C-clamps to force the boards together while I ran screws into them.
Love the dog at 3:53. I work on a lot of old houses and all the little things I see are really cool. There is a lot of history in them.
Definitely learned something. My kid and I are restoring an old house and found floor joists for the second floor bad I think we’ll use this method. Looks better than patching in a piece
Try using end cutting nippers and grabbing one leg at a time to pull the wire staple out without having to put pressure in any part of the wire.
I had to do the same in my house (built in 1929) the only thing I did different was C-clamped it before adding screws to ensure adhesive contact along the length. It looks like it will be fine!
I'll be doing this tomorrow on a 1910 home... but I WILL be raising that joist which has sagged in the process...
The only thing I would do differently is nail it as well. Screws have alot of clamping force, but can shear vs nails which can pull out, but have better shear resistance.
Yeah I will probably add a bunch of nails. I wasn’t satisfied with what I had there after an hour or so and I have a bunch of spikes so probably gonna go nuts with the nail gun. 😁😁👍
Depends on the screw or situation. We don't know what is above or the load but all he did was make a double. Some screws are structural, but he did say construction screws. I'm thinking home Depot there cheap construction screws looks like the expensive grx sold at Lowes. Spax at home Depot are said to be structural screws
Depending on what brand and rating of structural screw you chose, screws will actually handle quite a bit of shear if you array them properly.
You can use GRK screws that have the shear strength of a nail, with the clamp of a screw. Expensive though. And I always clamp the boards together as well before fastening.
Timber locks or head locks are way way stronger than any nail. They make the red ones specifically to attach lvl’s together, but people are in a hurry and want to cut corners and use Nails
Love how down to earth you are and how well you explain things.
Thanks, Larry!!
good man mister fixer
Most useful content I’ve seen so far pertaining to old houses and the surprises we can find. I’ve got all the similar issues with my house. I enjoy watching your videos.
I learnt it the hard way, attaching the support with a couple of screws so that it doesn’t fall and create damages. I was working with my son to replace a porch 4x4 post. Didn’t screw the temporary support sitting on a jack. When we made a small adjustment the support fell down and hit a garden shovel in the vicinity. The broken metal spade portion was thrown off about 10’ and the remaining broken handle swung and made a hash on my son’s shin. Fortunately he has forgiven his father for his stupidity
😢😢😢😂😂😂❤❤❤.
It’s scary as hell in the moment, kinda whimsically funny in hindsight. Glad he’s alright 👍
You are definitely a Disaster Avoidance person, as opposed to disaster recovery. I will be doing something similar using 1/4” lag screws. Thanks for sharing this insightful video. Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas season. Cheers
Awesome explanation . I need to sister about 6 joist due to leaning out foundation
Enjoy watching your videos and knowing people can help educating others. You are a man with character.
Love how you explain I am learning more as I watch as a home owner when I hire a handyman for small jobs they are surprised as how well I explained what I wanted to be done thanks for sharing 💙
I use threaded rod with large thick washers either side at alternating heights. Find it quite pleasing to look at for some reason.
Can you explain that more?
Thank you! I have a cracked/broken joists in my basement; your video has helped me understand what I might encounter.
Pretty much nailed the sistering etymology.
Those floor joists look familiar and I have a few above our kitchen that need repair too due to bath remodel plumbing. I did one of the over notched joists a foot of two from the corner of the house under the second story floor. It was not fun. The other is under the tub and the joist is already sistered, and both are notched so much the floor sags while in the shower and the plumbing leaks almost even time, unless we stand back far enough from the tub drain to keep the floor from bowing. If it were the only problem I would have tackled it long ago like some of the other plumbing I've adjusted to reduce other code issues. but I'm still left with 3 that I know I need to address. It's nice to see a youtube about a house that was built with similar materials as mine and I look forward to searching your channel for more ideas on how to address my future attempts to repair our houses bath remodel issues. :) And possibly some other ideas besides.
Yup I have two in my basement, I am please two see my plan for repairing them is correct. Thank you again, I also wanted to let you know that instead of repairing the basement access door, I built a enclosed porch over the steps and I love it. I have to install a door at the foundation and a storm door at the entrance and it will be finished.
Oh that is great! I bet it feels good to be getting that project out of the way! Thank you for sharing!
Had the same issue in my 1975 house... right in the middle of the dinning room floor. One 2x10" joist had a huge knot that weakened and cracked all the way through, top to bottom. The builder never should have used it in the first place. I added a 3/4" plywood "sister" on *both* sides after carefully jacking it back up in place about 3/4"... construction glued and screwed, 48x10". Did the trick and solid as new.
Yes! Plywood on both sides with glue almost turns the joist into an engineered piece of lumber! Does a great job! Thanks for sharing!!
@@TheFixerHomeRepair How do you come up with a piece of 3/4" OSB that's as long as a joist? Or can multiple pieces be butted together?
@@mikemiller9891 no it doesn't have to be AS ALONG AS the joist you are supporting. it just has to overlap the cracked section by 2-3 feet on either side of the weak spot. In this video he makes a replacement joist and acts like its a sister joist when really its just a replacement joist just as strong as the original and same size as original making the original redundant and he could have just cut out the original at that point since he's not relying on it at all. Whereas just putting a sister joist in the damaged part of the original still utilizes the original and relies on it.
Best explanation of the term I ever heard, so I'm using yours. Sisters stick together and work together, I like it, Thank you sir.
I did this exact same thing pretty much except in my crawl space. Instead of using screws to bring the boards closer together I used half inch wide 8 inch bolts with washers on each side and impacted them together
Love the care you are putting into this little house. You must be so attached to it now! Thanks for sharing 👍🏼❤️🙏
That construction adhesive helps a lot good job bud..God Bless
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
Always interesting projects .... you do a great job with the vids Mr Fixer! I'm doing this on a 1911 building that has longer spans and split joists ... hope your week is perfect!
Great job. Really appreciate your method and safety. Outstanding job!! Kudos to you🙂🙂🙂.
i got a guy comming to fix 15 joist the seal plate and ledger beam and im here trying to learn so i can help properly .... you should be proud your the first chanel i thought of for my schooling ... i now feel like a pro thank you sir for quality content il be sure to toss out the sistering term lmao... dont worry im only there for the grunt work i got a three foot crawl space and those timbers wont drag them selves under lol hes a bit long in the tooth
Wow. That means a lot. Thank you. Yeah, aren’t crawl spaces fun!? Haha I do wish you the best of luck. Let me know how it goes! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words!
@@TheFixerHomeRepair you do good work man i watch all your how to videos iv have learned a lot im the guy who turns to youtube . i sure will man and no sir my crawl space sucks i have an adition so they just busted a small whole in the block that only a child could fit thrue haha the old part of the house just has a small trench around the stem wall so things will be tight but luckily uncle sam tought me to belly crawl haha so not looking forward to it .. have a good night stay safe my friend
@@TheFixerHomeRepair well good sir .. it went well we sisterd 15 joist replaced the seal plate and ledger turns out i had some wall and floor board rott aswell and who ever put the siding on didnt put up tar paper my gutters suck and the shingles dont over lay enough so iv had water wicking that caused this mess to begin with luckily i need new shingles so that will be adressed they are about 15 years old lol aaannd i had to rip up half my back deck that was freshley painted to replace the ledger and three joist but it only cost me 2000 due to him being family and a real good man plus i did all the back work but he offerd me a job and i took it ... went from min wage to balling hahaha thanks again for the great content you are trully changing lives JESUS BLESS YOU
Hi The Fixer, Happy Holidays To You And Family.🌲🧑🎄💚
Hey, Phyllis! Same to you and yours! 😀🎅
@@TheFixerHomeRepair Thank you!💙
Great video. Lots of small details and tips that clearly came from real experience. This is going to help with a repair I need to make.
Great to hear! Good luck with the project! Let me know how it goes!
My nickel on the ground, Sister is a shipwright term when pairing up the frames of wooden boats to strength them as each frame is different form the next they have to be made individually to mate together. By the way i was taught wiring cleats have to be a hammer length apart with the nail underneath to support the wire.🔨⚒🛠
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
If you really want to add additional strength I would suggest adding a piece of 1/2" OSB sandwiched between the two joists and alternate ledge locker screws installed from opposite sides. The OSB is incredibly strong in the vertical orientation and is found in most new construction for that reason. I did this in my home when replacing a shower stall with a large 2 person jetted tub in a bathroom remodeling project.
That's the way I do it as well, but I typically sandwich with ply.
It’s amazing how much extra time has to be spent on building because we can’t get straight lumber. I know green wood chances as it dries but I’ve almost had to fight local hardware store managers because I was sorting through lumber that I was using to pour concrete sidewalks with. I needed straight boards.
Thanks for explaining this so clearly! I have this problem in my basement - one of the rafters is splintered and I need to fix it. Thanks!
Merry Christmas Mr Fixer
Merry Christmas to you, Shannon!!
Thank you
Awesome video with a clear explanation. The video was very clear. Thank you.
Basement shop is looking good!
Thanks, Gregory!
if you pre-drilled the holes in the new sister board it might have pulled in to the old board better?
Very good, cool calm approach,- well presented video, thank you.
Nice. I like to use lag screws, but everyone is different on that.
I really wish that contractors would stop drilling holes in floor joists unless absolutely necessary. Love that wires here are all stapled rather than through holes.
I need to level my house and the contractor that i may hire suggesting i can do it myself to save money instead of having him and his guys doing it. this video gave a great visual of how to do it though the only difference is i have a crawl space and not a basement
@1:09 Mayyyybe sistering comes from the ZZ Top song Tube Snake Boogie:
"I got a gal that lives on the hill. She won't do it but her sister will."
Think about it. A busted joist won't safely carry a load...."but her sister will."🙊
Nice work!! My house needs this, but I just read that joists should be sistered with large nails or lag bolts! They said screws don’t carry the weight load properly!
Construction screws like Spax screws in a situation like this should be fine especially if the ends of the joist are fully supported. Shim if necessary. Nails will have the least holding power. If you are worried use a couple of lags or even carriage bolts.
@@thomassciurba5323 ..nails are what the the structural engineer for my house states is building code in Arkansas… In fact, many sites specifically say to NOT use screws or lag bolts..and to only use FRAMING NAILS…
Having had to do a similar job I used G clamps as well as glue,in this case I would put some gap filling glue to the top and nailed and pilot drilled for screws to avoid overstressing.Maybe treated the old joists for termites as well.👍
Or if you don't have clamps you can use some short 2x4 aprox 14.5" to wedge over from the naiboring joist
I am so inspired! You have access at both ends for the new sistered joist to sit on. Would your be comfortable if you only had access on one end? Also what’s the difference between the screws you used here vs the Timberlok you used in a different video?
Hey! If I only had access to one end it would depend on the situation. In this case, for example, if the end I had access to was on the side that the joist was broken then I would be ok with just attaching it to the old joist. If it was the opposite I would be less comfortable. As far as the screws, these ones are smaller and do not have as much shear strength as the timberloks. I would have used timberloks on this but didn't have them on hand. That is ok though because there was not much weight on this joist. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!!
yep i agree with TheNixonotification ...screws do NOT have the shearing strength that nails do. In fact screws shear off really easy.
Adding nails will increase the strength of that sistered beam immensely.
Shear still wouldn't matter it's a double. New beam is carrying half the load from above.
Contracter installing 4×6 support by 6×6 for water tanks
Definitely shut power off when moving boards
Good job! Thanks for taking the time to share,so important and helpful.
I really enjoy your videos. I don't know why but I hope you finish the stairs to the basement from bulkhead video. You did such a good job on everything else :-) I guess I just want to see the finished product.
A lot of people have said this actually. No worries, It will happen! Working my way over to it as I reorganize the basement. Stay tuned!
What is the threaded device that connects the floor joist to the rim joist at 1:28 ?
i always thought you were suppose to use specialized structural screws or bolts when sistering. structural screws are made to resist sheering unlike regular screws.
I did this once. I used Head Lok 2 7/8 structural screws. Those things are a beast!
Just putting the sister in with glue will hold the sister in place, the sister will hold the load without the screws or the glue, that being true, adding the screws will make everyone feel better, always put back the x bracing.
If the ends of the sister are supported it is a compression situation not a sheer situation. The screws just hold the sister from racking away from the original joist. The screws should not see any vertical force and little lateral force.
My attic floor has a peak right in the middle down the center following the main beam. To level that out would I sister all of the joists connected to this beam that hold that floor up?
It is a relationship thing.
Much like you have motherboards and daughter boards, this describes the main use item and the secondary item such as video cards, PCI cards, etc, you also have sister items, they are the same but different.
In this case, they are the same board, doing the same job, side by side, but not the same item. So they are sisters. In order to be a sister, there must be at least 2 of them.
There's a joist that has some rot on the bottom of it. I fear that in the future, if we were to sell the house an inspector would want this repaired. Do you think this method of repairing would pass inspection? Thanks
I definitely enjoyed this video. Still always learning things. And I gave it a thumbs up, but then again, I always do. 😊
😁😁 thanks so much, Sharon!
Close by as in touching, contiguous. = sistering. Leaner that back in early mid 80s when I started framing n construction
Great video. Just curious why you didn't want to fix the dip and also in what case you should fix it?
Hey Jay! In my case the floor doesn’t bother me. I think it looks worse than it is but it also has a long story that I discovered doing the living room remodel. Long story short, the house was built in 1946 so even if I leveled all the joists, I really wouldn’t be leveling them as they are all different sizes and the floor has sunk differently everywhere. I would say you really don’t HAVE to ever level it unless you want to. If the joists are also grossly undersized and continue to sink to the point that it is dangerous is a good case for attempting to raise everything. Hope this answers your question. Thanks for watching!
@@TheFixerHomeRepair That helped. Thanks for the response! Happy holidays.
I like what you did, I used bolt to sister my joist. I also use outdoor paint on the joist because why not help prevent the damage from happening again.
i googled "sistering" and your videos showed up
C- Clamp would have pulled them tight before screwing together, but job well done sir
Love the wisdom I glean from you! Thanks!
Hi 👋🏼 Do you have any suggestions for a floor that isn’t level? One that slopes.
Yes; you’ll need to do what my brother did - he had the same problem you have with his nearly 100 year old house.
He worked with a structural engineer and worked out a nailing schedule to sister lvl’s to the existing floor joists (they were structurally sound but tilted to one end of the house - the foundation had settled unevenly).
He had to remove parts of the floor and subfloor, and he sistered the lvl’s level to where he needed the rebuilt floor to be. (So when you go into his basement and look up you’ll see the original sloping joists and the new, level, lvl sistered joists.
He had originally planned on jacking up the low side of the floor and building up the mud sill where the floor joists rested, but his engineer talked him out of that “solution”. He said the lvl solution was better (lvl = Laminated veneer lumber - LVL- is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. It is typically used for headers, beams, rimboard, and edge-forming material. LVL offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: Made in a factory under controlled specifications, it is stronger, straighter, and more uniform. Due to its composite nature, it is much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink.)
@DanielinLaTuna Thank you
I have discoloration like the ends of these floor joists do. Do you know if it is anything to be concerned about? I was thinking I should just sister every single one of my floor joists.
Awesome video! This helped me a lot. Thank you.
Glad it helped!
It’s a boat building term for doing the same thing on a boat member
Only problem I ever had was floor squeak between the joists and subfloor, adhesive is needed there also. Sister or marry can be used interchangeably.
I bolt the joists together
Good technique! Thanks!
I see you're using a 2x8; does it matter what size board you use?
Awesome video! clean understandable instruction with options thru experience. Thanks.
My basement doesnt have a sill and all the joists are slotted to the beams, how would I secure the joist on either side in this situation?
Is predrilling necessary before drilling in those 3inch construction screws in?
Not when you are using lumber like this. I only predrill if I am worried about something splitting. Just keep the screws away from the edges and it will be fine. Thanks for the question and for checking out the video!
Lol 1 minute in, liked and subscribed. Great video!
Why do you put construction adhesive?
Great work , Matt. 👍
Thanks, Jennifer!
Professionals generally consider nailing two boards together a double girder, while adding an identical board to an existing joist, a sister.
I suppose the boards have to be dimensionally identical for it to be “sistering”.
Any recommendations on what to use for shims on the bearing ends? I have a similar repair I am doing, but the original floor joist is 7 3/4” (mine vary from 7-8” throughout the house) so there is enough room after slipping in the 2x8 that you can move it up/down easily.
Pull the two boards together with a big "C" clamp as you go across. Screws are very hard (brittle) so the will shear. Nails aren't hardened, so they will not. I would have checked the straightness of the original vertically with a taught string. Looks like your floor has a sag in the middle. Best way would have been through bolting with big fender washers with 3/8 bolts.
Is there a video that you know of that shows this?
a couple of c clamps and lag bolts might of made that a bit easier. job well done!!!!
Love it, full Sister Bearing to Bearing. Lol.
Yeah I did learn something new thanks man.
Awesome to hear! And I love the name by the way! Master Blaster is a decent NES game. 😁👍👍
Let me see what you got in your garage?!
Well there is a lot of meaning to sistering. But when it comes to building it the mirror image of what's there.
Use 5 pair of large bolts over the length.
thanks for your video help me to reinforce my house,,,'
nice video . My one hundred plus year old house. Sister are close
Really good video! Enjoyed that
Great to hear! Thank you!
I would use some clamps to tighten up the gaps before screwing.
Sister - another definition, besides the familial, is used when talking about something that is closely related. For example, we can use the term "sister cities" (ciudades hermanadas, cidade irma in other countries), "sister companies", "sister sites". You can also use "sister" to mean connected to another thing that might be otherwise unrelated: Voyager-2 and its sister ship, Voyager-1; The International Monetary Fund and its sister organization The World Bank. In this way, the second joist is called "the sister" or - I have a cracked joist but its sister joist is now doing most of the work. The act of associating the two of them together (verb) is the Gerund form of the word (adding "ing" to a verb) - hence - "I am sistering these two joists"
It’s actually called laminating boards. Makes it stronger together.
Just curious why you did not take the 1x4 off the joist you were sistering?
Hey, David! If you mean the one on the other side I just didn’t feel the need. It isn’t bothering anything by being there. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
why gap in between where you put glue . ?
sistering means to come alongside and help carry the load... check out "If my sister's in trouble" by Lady Soul (on the Sister Act soundtrack)
Sistering comes from Old English Systar of the Latin Cisar to mean 'to the side'
Wow! Very cool! Thanks!
This is the best one yet.