Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - floor load question

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chains63
03-15-08, 07:16 AM
question..my floor joists measure 2 x 7...(so 1 1/2 thick by 7 inches deep spaced on 16 inch centers. The subfloor is about 3/4 thick...one sheet is 1/2 ply with another 1/4 sheet over that. Ill be adding a 1/4 inch sheet of hardibacker board over a thin coat of thinset before tiling with 12 inch ceramic tiles.. I guess my question is...can a 2 x 7 joist system support this kind of weight. I have laid many many tile floors but it was always over concrete or a wetbed. So not much installation over upper floor systems. Can anyone advise..it would be much obliged. My only other option due to inswinging french steel doors is to use some of the new 16 x 16 Aluminum oxide vinyl tiles , but the expense is ridiculous compared to installing Ceramic.

Thx all
Chains63


connie
03-15-08, 07:26 AM
Hi,

Your joists are all right, but your subfloor is insufficient for tile. Perhaps you could have an entry, 6x3 with laminate, and a border, to remain low enough for the doors to swing. (I assume you cannot raise the doors)
Then beef of the rest of your subfloor, and use a transition strip to ease the main floor to the entry area.


(That's my 2 cents...I'm sure when the rest of the world awakens, there will be alternatives to consider.)

Have a great day, Connie

mikeTN
03-15-08, 07:36 AM
question..my floor joists measure 2 x 7...(so 1 1/2 thick by 7 inches deep spaced on 16 inch centers. The subfloor is about 3/4 thick...one sheet is 1/2 ply with another 1/4 sheet over that. Ill be adding a 1/4 inch sheet of hardibacker board over a thin coat of thinset before tiling with 12 inch ceramic tiles.. I guess my question is...can a 2 x 7 joist system support this kind of weight. I have laid many many tile floors but it was always over concrete or a wetbed. So not much installation over upper floor systems. Can anyone advise..it would be much obliged. My only other option due to inswinging french steel doors is to use some of the new 16 x 16 Aluminum oxide vinyl tiles , but the expense is ridiculous compared to installing Ceramic.

Thx all
Chains63

can't speak for yours but i had 3/4 in. 1x6 underlayment in my bath and places 1/2 duroc over that(after i made sure the sub-floor was really tight) and tiled over. worked great and still looks great. have fun!!!


chains63
03-15-08, 07:37 AM
yes I figured the subfloor wasnt up to par..right now like i said it measures a total of 3/4 inch plus the 1/4 inch ill add as hardibacker. I know it should be a minimum of about 1 1/8 thick.., not 1 inch...you agree??

thezster
03-15-08, 07:39 AM
I guess I disagree somewhat. The subfloor of 3/4 should be adaquate - along with the thinset/hardibacker judiciously screwed down to keep the grout from cracking in the future. Your 2X8 joists are marginal - but adaquate - IMHO....

chains63
03-15-08, 07:41 AM
ive never seen 2 x 7's before...and i mean to the 7 exactly. All the 2 x 8's ive seen were at least...7 1/2 maybe even 7 5/8.

thezster
03-15-08, 11:23 AM
Depending on the age of your home... older wood could be sawn to very different dimensions than newer wood..... (Why call a 2 X 8 a 2 X 8 when it's actually 1 1/2 X 7 1/2??)

HeresJohnny
03-15-08, 01:30 PM
Unless I missed it, you dont say how long the unsupported span of your floor joists are. So maybe they are good, maybe not.

1/2" subfloor is not gonna do it, and no 1/4" underlayment should be used anywhere in a tile installation, so the 1/4" plywood has to go. Are you sure the subfloor is 1/2" plywood, and not 5/8"? It makes a difference. You will need to put a minimum of 5/8" plywood over the 1/2" subfloor. Then cement board or an isolation membrane.

But first tell us what the unsupported span of the joists are?:)

mikeTN
03-16-08, 06:31 PM
Depending on the age of your home... older wood could be sawn to very different dimensions than newer wood..... (Why call a 2 X 8 a 2 X 8 when it's actually 1 1/2 X 7 1/2??)

they WERE originally 2 inches by 8 inches. however as time and greed affected the lumber industry, they get smaller and smaller. i am surprised that they are still 1 1/2 x 7 1/2. save a 1//16 multiplied by millions/billions and figure the money involved. i THINK it is called PROGRESS???