Wood Construction Framing Table FAQs
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about allowable spans for deck, floor, or porch framing.
FAQs about using framing tables for wood construction: joist & beam spans & sizes.
This article series gives recommended or allowable joist & beam spans and explains typical spans for joists, beams, and roofs, floors, giving both standard span tables and a quick "rule of thumb" that works pretty well.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Joist & Beam Sizing Tables & Rule of Thumb Joist Sizing FAQs
These questions & answers v were posted originally
at FRAMING TABLES, SPANS - be sure to consult the tables and rules of thumb given there.
On 2018-06-23 by (mod) - rule of thumb for using 2x6's
Thanks for the thank you Red. We work hard to provide authoritative data so we're grateful when a reader finds it useful.
In Steve Bliss’ tables above Table 4-7 gives beam sizes (click to enlarge) and Table 4-8 gives joist spans.
A typical 2x6 SYP (the most common you’ll find at a Home Depot store or Lowes)
according to the table in DECK FRAMING TABLES, SPANS when spaced 16” o.c. can span 9’9”
Our “rule of thumb” discussed earlier on this page and applied to a 2x6 would have given
(6-2)x2 = 8 ft. allowable span,
which would have been within the actual joist span table and would have been “safe”.
Questions, content criticism, content contributions, photos (of your deck) are entirely welcome.
- Editor
On 2017-06-28 by Petrosorr
I have a situation I'm looking for advice on. I own a 1928 house in Seattle that was constructed 20' wide with a 6x6 beam spanning the joists in the center of the basement.
The beam sits on 6' tall 6x6 posts (it's a low ceiling), staggered 8' OC.
A chimney at one end of the house interrupts the beam, with the final section spanning 8' beneath the living room.
I would like to replace this final 8' span with two 6x6 beams on either side of the chimney. Since the chimney is two feet back from where the current post supports the beam, the two new beams would be spanning 10'-6" instead of 8'.
I can't very well use a larger beam as the head height is already quite low. I've read around that 6x6 Doug Fir isn't advisable as a beam, but the current beam has been in place for 90 years and I would imagine two of them would split the weight.
Can anyone advise for or against two 6x6 beams spanning 10'-6"?
On 2016-12-03 by Max McKnight
Using 2x6 joist, do they need to be supported on 8'3". Maybe I didn't,read correctly the chart. Tanks
On 2016-07- by Ted
looking for joist span info for hem fir used in a tree house
...
Continue reading at DECK LAYOUT if you need to know how to lay out and square up the deck plan to set exact pier & post locations, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see these
Wood Frame Construction Articles
- DECK CONSTRUCTION BEST PRACTICES - home
- DECK DESIGN & BUILD - home
- DECK & PORCH CONNECTIONS: LEDGER BOARDS
- DECK LEDGER BOARD INSTALL
- DECK NAILS, SCREWS, HIDDEN FASTENERS
- FRAMING AGE, SIZE, SPACING, TYPES
- FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
- FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR - home
- FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS
- FRAMING MATERIALS, AGE, TYPES
- FRAMING METHODS, Age, Types
- FRAMING SQUARE-UP 6-8-10 RULE
- DECK FRAMING TABLES, SPANS
- FRAMING TRIANGLES & CALCULATIONS
- HURRICANE TIE DOWN CONNECTORS & FASTENERS
- PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING
- PRESERVATIVE TREATED LUMBER
- RAILING CODES & SPECIFICATIONS - home
- ROT-RESISTANT DECK LUMBER & FLOORING
- STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS - home
Suggested citation for this web page
FRAMING TABLES, SPANS FAQs 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 DECKS & PORCHES
Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Or see
INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING STRUCTURES
Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Share this article:Search the InspectApedia website
Need to make a private comment? Email editor@inspectApedia.com. We welcome email with your website content critique, corrections, suggestions or questions. Email is monitored daily but our workload may prevent an immediate reply. For immediate results, we hope you'll first try asking your question using the search box just above.
Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- [1] Paul DeBaggis is a building inspector and certified building code official with special interest in the history of and standards for wood products. (The American Wood Standards Committee). Mr. DeBaggis has served in the Easton MA. Building Department since 2002 , has worked as a building trades instructor, and also writes about land use regulations, building regulations, and standards. He is a past president of Southeastern Mass. Building Officials and is currently writing a book on the Massachusetts building code. Email: paul@jenick.net
- Steve Bliss's Building Advisor at buildingadvisor.com helps homeowners & contractors plan & complete successful building & remodeling projects: buying land, site work, building design, cost estimating, materials & components, & project management through complete construction. Email: info@buildingadvisor.com
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 - 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
- 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,
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.
 |
HOME | ABOUT | ASK a QUESTION | CONTACT | CONTENT USE POLICY | DESCRIPTION | POLICIES | PRIVACY | |
| © 2026 - 1985 Publisher InspectApedia.com - Daniel Friedman | |||||||||