This article lists significant Floor Structure defects, definitions, and home inspection education topics.

This article series, beginning at BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS, provides lists of common building defects and basic defect knowledge that also outline recommended curriculum content for home inspector education. The building defects and inspection points listed in these articles also guide homeowners and home buyers to building areas that merit careful attention and often point areas of safety concern or important maintenance and repair tasks.

Home Inspection Education Curriculum - Structure, Floors

Readers should see STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS for our complete list of articles on this topic.

Building Floor Structures: List of Typical Defects

BEAMS, Typical Defects

• Concentrated loads
• Inadequate lateral support
• Missing beams or sections of beams
• Notches or holes too big or in wrong location - see CUTTING HOLES in WOOD I-JOIST WEBS, JOISTS, RAFTERS, STUDS
• Poor bearing, crushed or loose shims
• Poor connections of built-up components
• Prior repairs
• Rot, insect or fire damage
• Rotated or twisted beams
• Rust (steel beams, exfoliating rust)
• Sag
• Weak or missing connections to joists
• Weak or missing connections to columns

JOISTS, Typical Defects

• Concentrated loads
• Inappropriate notching or holes
• Ineffective blocking, bracing or bridging
• Missing connections
• No blocking, bracing or bridging
• Notches or holes too big or in wrong location - see CUTTING HOLES in WOOD I-JOIST WEBS, JOISTS, RAFTERS, STUDS
• Poor end bearing, joist hanger
• Prior repairs
• Rot, insect or fire damage
• Sag or springy
• Split or damaged
• Weak mortise and tenon joints
• Weak openings (stairs, chimneys, etc.)

COLUMNS OR PIERS, Typical Defects               

• Buckling                                     
• Crushed                                      
• Heaved                                       
• Leaning                                      
• Mechanical damage                            
• Missing Connections
• Missing footing?                              
• Mortar deterioration                  

• Over-Spanned (JDG & DF)       
• Poorly secured at top or bottom               
• Prior repairs                                
• Rot, insect or fire damage
• Settled
• Spalling concrete or brick

SILLS, Typical Defects

• Anchor nuts missing                    
• Anchor washers missing                  
• Anchor bolts too short                 
• Anchor bolts not secure in foundation  
• Anchor bolts missing                   
• Anchor nuts not tightened              
• Anchors not centered in sill            
• At or below grade level                 
• Crushed                                
• Gaps under sills                        
• Missing                                
• Rot, insect or fire damage             
• Sill split at anchor bolts

CONCRETE SLABS, Typical Defects

• Cracked
• Heaved
• Hollow below slab
• Rusted re-bar
• Settled
• Shaling

• Spalling

SUBFLOORING, Typical Defects                

• Concentrated loads
• Cracking ceramic tiles                              
• Damaged or cut                                     
• Plywood in wrong orientation                        
• Poor fastening (nailing, screwing, gluing)          
• Poor end support or cantilevered                   
• Prior repairs     
• Rot, insect or fire damage
• Sag or springy
• Squeaks
• Swollen waferboard
• Inappropriate material utilization JDG

Use the Search Box at the top or bottom of these pages to find in-depth information about building, energy savings, and indoor environment inspection, diagnosis and repair at this website.

Watch out: these inspection lists do not list all possible defects for the systems discussed, and not all home or building inspectors will examine all of the items listed here.

CONTACT us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website.

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Continue reading at ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING DAMAGE, DISASTER, REPAIR or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS
• BRICK STRUCTURAL WALL Loose Bulged
• BRICK VENEER WALL LOOSE, BULGED
• BUILDING DAMAGE ASSESSMENT & REPAIR
• BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS - home
• FRAMING BLOCKING & BRACING
• FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
• FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
• FRAMING AGE, SIZE, SPACING, TYPES
• FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
• FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
• FRAMING AGE, SIZE, SPACING, TYPES
• HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS
• STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS - home
• STRUCTURE, FLOOR DEFECTS LIST
• STRUCTURE, ROOF DEFECTS LIST
• STRUCTURE, WALL DEFECTS LIST
• WOOD STRUCTURE ASSESSMENT

Suggested citation for this web page

STRUCTURE, FLOOR DEFECTS LIST at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING & HOME INSPECTION

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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