Floor joists are some of the most important materials used in the construction of homes and commercial buildings. Floor joists are strong beams that support the floor of the building. Because of the amount of weight the floor joists will support, theses materials need to be of high quality wood or steel so the structure is sound. This is true of all types of construction, from a simple residential home to a large commercial building that sees hundreds of people each day.

Look through floor joists information to see what type of floor joists you need to provide for construction of the job at hand. Depending on how big the building is and what it is will be used for, you will need to consider the following options when buying floor joists:

1. Whether you need to purchase wood or steel joists.

2. How an open floor joist plan can work for you.

3. If you need specific joists for additional features, such as radiant heating.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find floor joists made in an I-joist design

An I-joist, or I-beam, is the most common among floor joists. This configuration allows the floor joist to give just enough, while still maintaining strong support under everyone's feet. This type of design is typical in wood floor joists, but can be found in steel floor joists as well.

I recommend: Boise Cascade is one company where you can a variety of I-beam designs. You can also find many I-beam sizes and designs from Georgia-Pacific.

Consider open floor joists for a maxium-strength design

An open joist might seem unsafe at first glance, but an open joist is made to withstand much more weight than normal floor joists. An open floor joist is used in projects that need maximized efficiency and performance from a floor. And while an open joist may feel a little different when you step on it, there is no reason to believe that this highly efficient design will not hold up.

I recommend: Open floor joists come in both wood and steel, like those that you can get at Universal Forest Products or SpaceJoist.

Choose between steel or wood floor joists

If you are supplied with a floor joists list by your provide that includes both wood and steel options, which one should you choose? The right floor joists for the job depend on the number of people who will be in the building at any given time, and how much weight is consistently put on the floor. Steel and wood are both strong, but steel is often used in large commercial construction projects for safety and support.

I recommend: The Quincy Joist Company and the Nucor-Vulcraft Group both provide a wide selection of steel floor joists for construction.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that floor joists are installed properly to get a usable finished product. Floor joists should be installed by professionals who know the measurements of the joists they're working with, how far apart they should be, and how to install any extras, such as radiant heating.