Skip to main content

Ready to hire?

Post your job in minutes, browse real reviews and choose who to speak to.Post a job

Need some tips or advice?

Ask a question
Carpentry & Joinery

Joists supported by wooden beam in brickwork

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.58 PM

Hi, We have just bought a Victorian terrace with 9” walls. I’ve removed laminate and skirting in our back reception room and found some damp so am investigating further. I found that the joists were sitting on a wooden beam that is embedded in the inner brickwork course. So the beam is lying across the whole length of wall instead of bricks. This beam at least by the air brick where I can access has wet rot and is half the original thickness. Is this normal Victorian construction? Does that mean our whole wall is resting on a rotting beam? What can we do to fix? Obviously it can’t easily be replaced as it is supporting the wall. Hoping I’m wrong! Just to clarify, I don’t think it’s a normal wall plate as the wooden beam is instead of a line of bricks and is supporting the whole length of bricks in the internal skin above it.

Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?

Log in

4 Answers

Bob Quaye carpenter and joiner

Rating: 4.9 out of 5
Plymouth
The timber that the joists are sitting on,is a wall plate and is imperial size 4 x 2.You can replace this with the same size timber,make sure it is tantalised and treat the end grains with wood preserver,fit damp course underneath and also a bed of mortar,3-1 ratio.You can use joist clips to fix the joists to the wall plate,or skew nail with 100 mm sheradized nails.Run a straight edge over the top of the joists or a string line ,make sure there are no bumps.The wall plate has to be fitted level.The should be more than one air vent.you can protect the exterior air vents by fitting a cowl or a different type if it is on the weathered side of the property,the air is designed to pass through the underside of the floor.Leave the mortar to set for two days before you re-fix the flooring.
Answered14 February 2021
1

Anonymous user

Not uncommon when working on older properties of your type, it is always possible to replace supporting timbers and wall plates using tantalised (treated timbers) but not recommended as a job for the inexperienced foyer...with great respect of course, but working with the experience of competent tradesmen and builders us always by far the best option. Other comments are equally supported. Hope this helps to reinforce your confidence.
Answered14 February 2021
1

Anonymous user

Respect to other builders for giving advice , I wouldn’t use any timber below ground as it will probably rot eventually, I would use engineering bricks, and cut excisting wood/ plate , below each joist and insert bricks accordingly , pack out if necessary under joist , do 3/4 at a time ,let go of 1day or 2, and repeat , think alot easier then fitting in wood /or timber plate
Answered15 February 2021
0

Anonymous user

You will need a structural engineer to carry out calculations. Once that’s done you need a new beam either steel or timber
Answered15 February 2021
0