A ceiling joist supports the weight of the ceiling and also helps to keep the roof rafters from expanding. When a ceiling joist gets broken, it has an impact on the strength of the whole roof. Joists may break while being transported, in the process of construction or as a result of excessive wind or snow loads on the roof. The process of scabbing involves securing new pieces of wood to both sides of a broken joist to reinforce it.
Instructions
1. Cut two 2-by-4s to use as scabs on the . The longer the scabbed-on 2-by-4s are, the stronger the repair will be.
2. Put construction adhesive onto one face of each of the 2-by-4s.
3. Place one of the 2-by-4s onto the side of the damaged ceiling joist, positioned so the damage is in the middle of the 2-by-4, with the side of the 2-by-4 that has construction adhesive on it facing the joist.
4. Drive a 4-inch-long screw through each end the 2-by-4 and into the joist. Put the screws in far enough to hold the 2-by-4 to the joist but not far enough to go through the other side.
5. Place the second 2-by-4 on the other side of the joist so the joist is sandwiched in the middle of the two 2-by-4s. Drive 4-inch-long screws through the second 2-by-4, through the joist and into the 2-by-4 that you screwed on in Step 4.
6. Go back to the first two screws that you put in in Step 4, and drive them in all the way so that they go through the joist and into the opposite 2-by-4.
7. Drive in more 4-inch-long screws down the length of both of the 2-by-4s. The scab will be stronger with more screws holding it together.
Tags: ceiling joist, 2-by-4 that, 4-inch-long screws, construction adhesive, Drive 4-inch-long