Easy Procedure Of Fixing A Sagging Ceiling Joist
The existence or appearance of unsightly ceiling joist sags are very common when it comes to old ceilings. They usually occur due to the reason of warps from the weather as well as temperature. Sometimes they occur when different materials are used betwixt the frame and the joists. You can fix or repair a sagging ceiling by covering the surface of a two-piece strongback on the joists with a coating. The strongback is a plank of wood, stood on its side in order to provide strength, which remains on the ceiling frame and intersects with each joist at the point of the sag.
Step 1: Preparing The Site
- Determine The Location Of The Sag: First of all, ascertain or establish the location of the sag. Run your level through the joist in order to find the point at which the level strongly suggests the beam is level with the ground, which will be the bottom-most point of the u-shaped sag. Make a visible impression or stain on these points on the joists, and mark the same portions on the ceiling frame.
- Jack Up The Ceiling Using Bottle Jack: Raise or lift up the ceiling with the help of a bottle jack. If needed, enlarge or stretch the jack's range by maintaining a straight plank on top of it in an upright position. Put down a solid wood block below the jack in order to keep away from damaging the floor. Raise the ceiling slowly, nearly a quarter of an inch per day.
- Measure The Distance Between The Joists: Calculate & evaluate the distance between the joists, which in turn will ascertain or establish the length of the strongback needed.
Step 2: Constructing The Strongback
- Wood Planks Should Be Parallel To Each Other: Put down the two-by-four flat on the ground and also position the two-by-eight stiffener on its side right next to it. The wood planks will be parallel to each other, however, viewed from the side they will appear in order to form an "L" shape. With the help of two nails per 2 feet of plank, fasten the stiffener to the 2 x 4.
- Prepare The Platform For The Strongback: Now, it is time to prepare the platform on which the strongback will remain. Put, lay, or stand the two-by-six blocks onto the ceiling frame in an upright position on the marks on the frame you made earlier. Put them down so that the 6-inch sides are parallel to the joists. The length of the blocks should stick straight up, which in turn should form the platform that the strongback will sit on.
- Toenail The Block Onto The Frame: Toenail the block onto the frame with the help of 4 6d nails. To do so, make little or minute marks in the block using a pencil 3/4 of an inch from the bottom of the frame, two on each side. Position your foot behind the block and align a nail with one of the marks. Nail the wood nearly a quarter-inch of the way straight into the block from the other side. Pull out the nail and angle it 50 degrees downward. Hammer the nail in entirely. Continue with this step for the earlier marks. Toenail the other blocks onto the frame by continuing this step.
- Lay The Strongback Over The Ceiling: Finally, put down the strongback on top of the ceiling joists as well as toenailed blocks. With the help of two 12d nails per joist or block, fasten the two-by-four of the strongback to the joists.