Baloon Framing Second Floor Joists

Balloon framing is sometimes used with two story buildings.

Baloon framing second floor joists.

One of our recent whole house balloon frame remodeling projects had a floor so out of level that anyone sitting on the toilet in the future bathroom risked sliding off. By tim biebel the floor system is comprised of weyerhaeuser s tji joists microllam lvls for ledgers timberstrand lsl rim board and huber s advantech flooring. Balloon framed walls are different than platform framed walls. Floor joists on the second and third floors are supported by let in ledger boards and the joists are usually nailed to the.

Framing for floor openings a staircase is essential for commuting between floors but it creates an opening in the second floor so you can t run the joists from one side of the house to the other without interruption. Hanging a floor system off balloon framed walls isn t too different from platform framing. Balloon framing was replaced by platform framing today s building method of choice when the trees that produced the long studs became scarce. The second story floor joists are supported by a ribbon board set into the studs.

The floor joists for the second floor were usually supported on a ledger or ribbon that was let into the studs. In balloon framing the studs extend as one from the sill to the top plate of the second story. Second floor joists are nailed to the bearing walls and supported by a piece of stock called a ribbon board in this case 1 6 stock let into the studs see drawing right.