What's worse than a plumber with a Sawzall? A carpenter who causes it.
When the mudsills are down and level, it is time to frame the floor system. Layout typically begins at the long end and joists are spaced to accommodate sheets of the subfloor.
But don’t forget what's going on top of that subfloor when placing the joists.
Just because framers come before plumbers does not mean that framers dictate the layout. If you don’t want plumbers to cut up your floor joists, don’t put floor joists under their toilets.
To place the joists in the safe one, do the math.
- From the edge of the deck, mark the wall thickness.
- Next, mark the center of the toilet, usually 12 inches from the finished wall.
- Now, measure back half the thickness of the waste line, and then give an extra inch, so the plumbers have a little room to work.
- For a 2x4 exterior wall, about 13 inches is a good place to drop that first joist.
- The rest of the joists are placed on 16, 24, or whatever your layout is going to be.
Now, you can sheathe the floor and finish the house without flushing your hard work away
—This tip was captured live on Professional Remodeler's 2017 Model Remodel.
