I have my chimney breast removed upstairs and supported in the loft but am now looking to remove the section downstairs as well, and am looking for clarity on what to do with the ground floor ceiling / first storey floor joists with regards to making sure they're properly supported.
I don't believe that they are currently fixed into the chimney breast, but may well rest on it as it was slightly smaller upstairs, so i am not sure that they are trimmed around / self supporting currently.
I am looking to temporarily support the joists by screwing down a length of timber across the ones which will run short, fixing into these and also into one / two joists either side to provide support whilst I make the amendments - If the consensus is that this is not enough I will hire acros and support that way.
I will then remove the top few courses from the breast to take it to below ceiling level downstairs (only this many as I wish to finish the bedroom ASAP).
If not already done, I will trim the ends of the shorter joists with a double trimmer using the same sized timber as used for the existing joists, so these pieces will be perpendicular to the shorter joists and will fix to the full length joists either side of where the chimney is / was using joist hangers.
The double joist trimmers I will bolt (M12's) back to back and use timber connectors between the two.
I will then run a length or two of timber between the two existing full length joists to provide support in the gap where the chimney breast previously was.
I guess my questions are a) does the above sound acceptable, and b) should i be adding a second joist back to back with the existing full length joists to re-inforce these (if so i have more questions on how to do this).
The link below is effectively what i mean with x's where the joist hangers will go, and the dashed line where my new joist(s) will go
diynot.com/diy/media/untitled.70793/full
I don't believe that they are currently fixed into the chimney breast, but may well rest on it as it was slightly smaller upstairs, so i am not sure that they are trimmed around / self supporting currently.
I am looking to temporarily support the joists by screwing down a length of timber across the ones which will run short, fixing into these and also into one / two joists either side to provide support whilst I make the amendments - If the consensus is that this is not enough I will hire acros and support that way.
I will then remove the top few courses from the breast to take it to below ceiling level downstairs (only this many as I wish to finish the bedroom ASAP).
If not already done, I will trim the ends of the shorter joists with a double trimmer using the same sized timber as used for the existing joists, so these pieces will be perpendicular to the shorter joists and will fix to the full length joists either side of where the chimney is / was using joist hangers.
The double joist trimmers I will bolt (M12's) back to back and use timber connectors between the two.
I will then run a length or two of timber between the two existing full length joists to provide support in the gap where the chimney breast previously was.
I guess my questions are a) does the above sound acceptable, and b) should i be adding a second joist back to back with the existing full length joists to re-inforce these (if so i have more questions on how to do this).
The link below is effectively what i mean with x's where the joist hangers will go, and the dashed line where my new joist(s) will go
diynot.com/diy/media/untitled.70793/full