Anchor Wood To Steel Ibeams

Floor joists are connected to steel I-beams with joist hangers.

A steel I-beam is installed down the center line or load-bearing lines in a building's basement for homes which are constructed with below-grade basements. These beams are designed to carry the weight of the home, and transfer that load to the concrete foundation. After the beams are laid, the next step is building the wood flooring system which supports the first floor. Because wood joists cannot be nailed or anchored to the steel beam directly, the floor joists need to be connected to the steel beams via top-mount joist hangers.

Instructions

1. Lay a heavy bead of construction adhesive along the top edge of the home's steel I-beam, and then lay the 2-by-6 dimension lumber on the top surface of the I-beam as a plate. Clamp the board in place with the C-clamps so that it does not move during the next step.

2. Drill a 5/16-inch hole through the wood plate and through the steel I-beam beneath it. Using the 1/4-inch carriage bolts, bolt the steel beam and the plate together. Tap the heads of the bolts into the wood so that they are flush, or recessed into the plate's surface. Bolts should be alternately placed on each side of the I-beam, and can be 4 to 6 feet apart.

3. Lay out the floor joists along the wood plate, and around the perimeter of the home's foundation. The floor hoists should be 16 inches on-center apart from one another, and square to the frame of the home.

4. Attach the top-mount joist hangers to the top plate so they are centered on the marks for the floor joists. The top-mount hangers nail into the top of the wood plate to support their weight, and the weight of the joists laid in the next step.

5. Measure and cut the floor joists individually. In a perfect world, the floor joists would all be the same length, but due to construction inconsistencies, they may vary by a half-inch.

6. Set the floor joists onto the plate on the exterior wall, then drop the other end of the joist into the joist hanger. Fasten the joist into the hanger with truss nails along the sides of the joist. After squaring the joist to the foundation walls, nail the joist into the foundation wall top plate.

Tags: floor joists, joist hangers, joist into, next step, steel I-beam, wood plate, connected steel