Floor Joist Size In Residential Construction. For instance the stronger the wood the more weight it will be able to support over a longer span. Floor joists span between walls andor support beams and are installed parallel with one another at regular intervals such as 16 or 24 inches.
In general terms joists spaced 16 inches on center can span 15 times in feet their depth in inches. Tracks shall be not less than 33 mils 084 mm thick except when used as part of a floor header or trimmer in accordance with Section R50538. Given that 2x8s are actually 1-¾ inches wide it works out to be 14-¼ inches between each joist.
Live Load 30 lbsft2 1436 Nm2 Maximum Span ft - in Nominal Size.
Normally floor joists are spaced 16 inches apart on center. Floor joist size in residential construction What size should floor joists be. The larger the deck the larger the joists. Joist sizing and spacing are determined by building codes which are based on engineering requirements.