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STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS

ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID

BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS
BRICK STRUCTURAL WALL Loose Bulged
Brick Thermal Expansion Cracking
BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged
BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES
BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE
BUILDING SETTLEMENT

CHIMNEY CHASE Construction & Defects
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
COLUMNS & POSTS, DEFECTS
CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS, PRE-CAST
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
CRAWL SPACES

DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DECKS, ROOFTOP CONSTRUCTION

DEBRIS STAINING on ROOFS
DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc
  MDO Plywood
  HDO Plywood
  I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor
  LVL Laminated Veneer Lumber, Beams
  OSB - Oriented Strand Board
  PLYWOOD Roof, Wall, Floor Decks & Sheathing
  PSL Lumber
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring
ENGINEERED WOOD Products

FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE

FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FLOOR, ENGINEERED WOOD & LAMINATES
FLOOR FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE
FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS
FLOOR TILE ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION
FLOOR TILE HISTORY & INGREDIENTS

FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS
FOOTINGS EXPOSED, Repair Methods

FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FOUNDATION CONTRACTORS, ENGINEERS
FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
FOUNDATION FAILURES by TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION FAILURES by MOVEMENT TYPE
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
FOUNDATION INSULATION OPTIONS
FOUNDATION MATERIALS, Age, Types
FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING

FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE
FRAMING MATERIALS, Age, Types
  Dimensional Lumber
  ENGINEERED WOOD Products
  Hewn beams & planks
  Log construction
  SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD
  Sheathing, Gypsum board
  Sheathing Homasote & Other Board
  SHEATHING, OSB
  SHEATHING, Plywood
  SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
  STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION
  TRUSSES, Floor & Roof
FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE
FRAMING METHODS, Age, Types
FRAMING SIZE & Spacing, Age, Types
FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS

FRENCH DRAINS
FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB
FRT PLYWOOD

GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION
GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION
GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR
GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS
HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS

ICE DAM PREVENTION
I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor
INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT

LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE
LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION
LOG HOME GUIDE
LVL Laminated Veneer Lumber, Beams

MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

OSB - Oriented Strand Board

PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION
PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS
PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS
PLYWOOD Roof, Wall, Floor Decks & Sheathing
PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING
PRE-CUT & KIT HOMES
Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber

RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH
RAILINGS, STAIRWAY
RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE
RETAINING WALL GUARD RAILINGS
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
ROT, TIMBER FRAME

SEARS KIT HOUSES
SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD
SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide
SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
SINKING BUILDINGS

SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
SLAB CRACK REPAIR

Splits in Structural Wood Beams
STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG
STAINS on BUILDINGS - QUICK GUIDE
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
STONE CLEANING METHODS
STONE FOUNDATIONS
STONE VENEER WALLS
STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION
STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS
STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER
STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION
STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION
STUCCO PAINT FAILURES
SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS

TERMITES, ROT
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
TRIM, EXTERIOR CHOICES, INSTALLATION
TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF
TRUSSES, Floor & Roof

VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VENTILATION in buildings
VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings
VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO

WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING
WIND WASHING INSULATION At EAVES
WINDOWS & DOORS, Age, Types

WINTERIZE A BUILDING
WOOD FOUNDATIONS

More Information

Wood I-Joist floor framing © Daniel Friedman Wood I-Joist Photos, Product Definitions & Descriptions
InspectAPedia®  -      

  • Definitions & photos of wood I-Joists used in roof and floor framing
  • Examples of I-Joist framing mistakes and defects
  • Examples of avoiding cutting the I-joist center web to pass plumbing or HVAC components
  • Photos of I-Joist hangers

This article defines and illustrates wood I-Joists used in residential building floor and roof construction.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.

This article series describes wood products used in construction including engineered lumber, OSB, and Plywood products.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

Wood I-Joists Used in Floor & Roof Construction

Our photo (below left) illustrates wood I-joists used in construction of building floors and roofs. You will observe that the center web of the I-joist is consructed of OSB sheathing material that we illustrated just above. Our second photo (below right) shows common lumber markins found on the solid wood top and bottom chords of wood I-joists.

Wood I Joist in preparation for use in floor or roofing (C) Daniel Friedman Wood I Joist in preparation for use in floor or roofing (C) Daniel Friedman

Engineered wood floor trusses (photos above and below) such as I-Joists originally were constructed using a plywood web beginning in 1977, and modified by by Trus-Joist in 1969 to use laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and OSB-like laminated wood fiber web (shown in photos above left and below in combination with a steel beam).

I_Joist floor support (C) Daniel Friedman


Watch out
: common construction defects involving wood I-Joists include improper size or placement of holes cut in the I-joist web to permit installation of wiring, plumbing, or ductwork.

Improper location or size of holes, notches, or even removal of the center web can cause substantial weakening of the structure and are violations of both the manufacturer's instructions and building codes.

See STRUCTURE, ROOF DEFECTS LIST for details.

Below our photos of I-joists used to support a building floor illustrate how the builder avoided most cuts in the i-joist webs: flex duct and plumbing were laid out to move between I-joists rather than through them, and where an HVAC duct trunk line had to run at right angles to the I-joists the builder suspended it below the I-joists.

This was a much better solution than we found at a different job where the builder removed entire sections of I-joist web to run large rectangular HVAC ducts!

Wood I Joist in floor or roofing (C) Daniel Friedman Wood I Joist in preparation for use in floor or roofing (C) Daniel Friedman

Our wood I-joist photo at above right illustrates the use of doubled or paired wood I-joists and special steel connectors (I-Joist hangers) designed to support doubled I-joists where they abut a girder or beam.

Wood and steel roof and floor trusses are discussed separately at TRUSSES, Floor & Roof and at at TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF.

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Technical Reviewers & References

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
  • InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also list books on the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
  • Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc
  MDO Plywood
  HDO Plywood
  I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor
  LVL Laminated Veneer Lumber, Beams
  OSB - Oriented Strand Board
  PLYWOOD Roof, Wall, Floor Decks & Sheathing
  PSL Lumber

  • Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
  • Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspect ion services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • APA - The Engineered Wood Association, 7011 So. 19th St., PO Box 11700, Tacoma WA 98411-0700, Tel: 253-565-7265. APA provides an HDO/MDO Plywood Product Guide that offers details about these products., provides an HDO/MDO Plywood Product Guide that offers details about these products. Product support help desk: 253-620-7400. Email the APA at help@apawood.org. Web search 09/13/2010, original source: http://www.pacificwoodlaminates.com/img/PDFs/PlywoodGuide.pdf
  • Paul Galow - technical consultant on networking, LAN design, applications support. Galow Consulting Services, 914-204-1749, email: paulgalow@galowconsulting.com
  • John Rudy, Advantage Home Inspections, Flemington N.J. 08822 home inspector, 908-806- 6364, Home, Radon & Termite Inspections, Central & Parts of North New Jersey, email: jonadvantage1@yahoo.com
  • Laminated Veneer Lumber, Overview of the Product, Manufacturing, Market, Department of Forest Products Marketing, wood-Based Panels Technology, Finland [PDF] web search 09/14/2010, original source: http://www.hochstrate.de/micha/finnland/reports/replvl.html
  • Malco® Products siding tools are available from that company, including the SideSwiper II SRT2 discussed at Malco's website. Websearch 09/07/2010 http://malcoproducts.com/product/roofing-siding-gutter/siding-vinyl/siding-tools-vinyl/sideswiper-ii. Malco also produces other vinyl siding repair tools such as aprons, awls, hole punches, saw blades, and tools for for fiber cement products including power-assisted cutters
  • Parmetol, a wood preservativerecommended by the manufacturer was used as a fungicidal additive to paint on the Blue Poplar wood sculpture in Amsterdam, by artist Mari Shields [ - art conservation consult DJF-artist MS 2010]
  • "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
  • "Flashing: the plain solution to leaky walls", Thomas E. Remmele, Manager, Technical Services, Sto Corporation, Building Standards, November/December 1999 p. 21-25.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Home Reference Book - Carson Dunlop The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
  • Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
  • The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for this article. All rights and contents are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
  • Building Failures, Diagnosis & Avoidance, 2d Ed., W.H. Ransom, E.& F. Spon, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-419-14270-3
  • Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
  • Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
  • Design of Wood Structures - ASD, Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth Fridley, Kelly Cobeen, David Pollock, McGraw Hill, 2003, ISBN-10: 0071379320, ISBN-13: 978-0071379328
    This book is an update of a long-established text dating from at least 1988 (DJF); Quoting:
    This book is gives a good grasp of seismic design for wood structures. Many of the examples especially near the end are good practice for the California PE Special Seismic Exam design questions. It gives a good grasp of how seismic forces move through a building and how to calculate those forces at various locations. THE CLASSIC TEXT ON WOOD DESIGN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST CODES AND DATA. Reflects the most recent provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Continuing the sterling standard set by earlier editions, this indispensable reference clearly explains the best wood design techniques for the safe handling of gravity and lateral loads. Carefully revised and updated to include the new 2003 International Building Code, ASCE 7-02 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, the 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and the most recent Allowable Stress Design.
  • Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
  • Domestic Building Surveys, Andrew R. Williams, Kindle book, Amazon.com
  • Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting:
    A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome. Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
  • Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
  • "Avoiding Foundation Failures," Robert Marshall, Journal of Light Construction, July, 1996 (Highly recommend this article-DF)
  • "A Foundation for Unstable Soils," Harris Hyman, P.E., Journal of Light Construction, May 1995
  • Log Homes: Minimizing Air Leakage in Log Homes, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies, by Cheryl Anderson, Frank Woeste (Forest Products Society), & Joseph Loferski, October 2003, ISBN-13: 978-1892529343, $39.00 at Amazon.com or at the InspectAPediaBookstore
  • R-Value of Wood, U.S. Department of Energy
  • ...

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