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 Post subject: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:02 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:31 am
Posts: 30
Does anybody know if it's possible to determine the direction the joists will be going between the first and second floors before they start framing?

I ask because I'm in the design centre process now, and trying to plan the rough in of pot lights to install myself after closing… but it's a lot easier to run wires with the joists than against them…

I will ask at the design centre, but I really don't think they're going to know. I'm wondering if it's standard? I'm in a 2-storey town.

Front to back or side to side? Anyone?

Even if there is someone around who has a townhouse and can share which direction their joists go would be helpful (maybe…)


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:35 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:15 am
Posts: 885
Location: HVE
Not easy unless you have the engineering plans. If you can figure out which walls are load-bearing, the joists above will be perpendicular to them. Having said that, I don't really know anything about townhouses but I would imagine that the joists would run side to side because the width is relatively small (shorter run if going side-to-side means more strength)...

But why do you need to know this now? Why not just look at what they do during the framing stage? Take photos too. I can't stress this enough, having detailed photos saved me numerous times in many projects. If you monitor this during the building process you'll still have your answer well ahead of closing.


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:00 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:40 am
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Location: HVE
My town was front to back, hillsview


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:39 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:31 am
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Thanks for the insights.

I want to know now because I plan to have a few strategically-placed capped electrical boxes put in, where I'll be putting in future pot lights. I have to specify those at my design appointment. I want a couple rows of pot lights in my living room... But I plan to only have 2 or 3 capped boxes installed, depending on the direction of the joists, and then I can run wires along from from those boxes and put in additional pots wherever I want.

Just trying to find the most cost-effective route for easy installation later... Since Mattamy's pot light prices are highway robbery...


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:31 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:15 am
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Location: HVE
I had Mattamy install capped boxes for me as well but also paid to have them run a switch so they ran all the wiring automatically. All I had to do was pull out the boxes and install the pot lights.


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:16 am 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:31 am
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Yeah, I've thought about that... but I'm looking at how it's $78 per capped box... and I can buy halogen pot lights for $20 each... If I need around 10 lights on my main floor, I'd rather have mattamy put in 2 or 3 capped boxes (already on switches), and run the wires from those along the joists to put in the rest myself... spending maybe $300 or $400 total vs. close to $1000 for them putting in all the boxes and then buying the lights.


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:19 am 
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Location: HVE
That makes sense. I see what you're after now - you want to strategically place the Mattamy capped boxes so you have one per joist "tunnel" and that avoids having to drill through them. :lol:

I suggest you take what input you've got and make a best guess for the joist direction. You've got a 50/50 chance of getting it right. If you turn out to be wrong, you can always invest $50 in one of those 4ft drill bits designed specifically for this sort of thing...


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:34 am 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:31 am
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Exactly.

I'm going to have to take my best guess and figure it out when I get in there.

Thanks for the help!


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:25 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:32 am
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A cheap stud finder from CTC or HD will tell you the location in no time. But I am sure you already thought about that. Otherwise the popped nails are a sure indicator.


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:23 am 
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Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:31 am
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lol yeah -- I can obviously find out when I'm in there… it's PRE-construction I was looking for. So I could plan some things out ahead of time as per above.


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 Post subject: Re: Joist Direction
PostPosted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:11 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:45 pm
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Location: Milton
Go into your basement and locate where the main posts and supports are, then see if you have any walls built over them. If so these will be your Bearing walls which will support the upper levels. Once you know which are bearing walls, you will be able to see which way the floor joists run. From that wall to the exterior wall!

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