Photo: Eric Hammett

How far can joists span without support?

Depending on the size of the deck itself, whether your joists are spaced either 12 inches or 16 inches from the center, and the framing materials and size of deck boards used, deck joist spans may vary. With this in mind, the joist span can range between 6 ft, 10 inches, to 18 ft.

decks.com - Deck Joist Span & Spacing Calculator

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As a critical part to a deck that will last you for years to come, it’s important to find out just how many joists you’ll need to safely support your decking — and that depends on the size of your deck and approved building permit plans If you just asked yourself “do I need a permit to build a deck?” remember that the answer is almost always yes. As a rule, the larger the deck, the larger the joists. For example, joists spaced 16 inches from the center of the joist next to it can span 1.5 times in feet the depth of their inches. To learn more about deck joist sizing, spacing, and allowable span, reference this chart.

Choosing Wood for Your Joists

The location where you live plays an important role in choosing wood for your joists. Not every species of wood is widely available in every region. For instance, California Redwood, Hemlock, or Douglas Fir are less common in the Southeast. Similarly, Southern Yellow Pine is less common on the West coast. There are also strength differences between Redwood, Fir, Pine, and other types of wood. Check your local building codes for find out which species of wood are available in your market and -- most importantly -- check into the strength and spanning capabilities of a species. Even if you like the look of Redwood, it may not be the strongest material available to you. Treated Hemlock or Pine may be a better solution. You can always stain a particular type of wood to match your aesthetic. It’s the strength and span that counts!

What is the Standard Deck Joist Span?

The standard deck joist span can vary due to the size of your deck and the type of material used to construct it. Depending on the size of the deck itself, whether your joists are spaced either 12 inches or 16 inches from the center, and the framing materials and size of deck boards used, deck joist spans may vary. With this in mind, the joist span can range between 6 ft, 10 inches, to 18 ft. Use our calculator above to determine the proper joist span for your deck based on the type of wood or materials used, joist size, and spacing.

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Can I use 2x4 as floor joists?

2x4s aren't appropriate as joists for anything larger than a stairway landing, and even then I'd use 2x6.

diy.stackexchange.com - What is the max span that can be supported by 2x4 floor joists?

We had old 2x4 floor joists sitting in our bathroom that we ripped out as they were rotten and falling apart. 2x4 is ideally our limit of thickness, and I was thinking of having 4 or 5 2x4 joists going from one end of the wall to another (147cm / 58") bolted to a 2x4or 2x6 (not sure which one) bearer against all 4 walls. The bearers will be thunderbolted to the brick walls and joist hangers will be used for the 2 by 4s. I have a very poorly drawn picture from myself to illustrate the 2 by 4 joists. We're thinking about putting the joists 30cm (12") OC.