Michael@4m4solutions
Sherwood,#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, July 17, 2008
Robert, I am sorry to hear about your experience with the TrusJoist product line and its level of performance in your project. My name is Mike and I have been designing engineered floor systems using TrusJoist products for nearly 10 years in project types mainly related to but no limited to residential construction. Not that it will aid you much now, being some 8 years later, as you indicated, it is important to know that education on engineered lumber product is a key factor when using them. All aspects of the product should be taken into account when using them in a specific application. Cost, performance, your needs as the home owner or builder, all of these areas need to be considered. Of course all of which need to be explain up front before your floor system is designed, this will help to ensure the finished product will be satisfactory. The sales person should have asked you several questions to help dial in your needs or put you in front of the actual floor designer (TJ Xpert) to explain what it was you were expecting for floor performance. All too often when plans are submitted for floor design the sales person knows that many times what a person is looking for is the bottom line price, which in this case maybe an additional $600 to $1200(estimate) more in material to provide you with a better floor may have been a minor issue compared to your overall happiness for this addition. On your TJ Xpert Layout somewhere is a box titled LEVEL NOTES, in this box it will have many pieces of vital information that will tell you how well your floor performs. In this case the most relevant items on the list are the Maximum Joist Deflection which should be L/360 or higher for Live Load and the TJ-Pro Rating Information it will have the Average, Low, and the High ratings ranging from 0 to ??. the higher the number the better the floor. Over the years I have set a minimum standard of floor rating at no less than a Pro Rating of 40. This rating teeters on the edge of having an acceptable performance while offering the best economy, though a number may be as low as 5 and still meet all regulatory floor deflection codes and requirements, it will have excessive bounce, squeaks, and or vibrate (fan issue). For long span's(anything over 18') the number I use for the pro rating jumps from 40 to a minimum of 48 or higher. Because of the longer spans and the increase in wood material, it is more difficult to design a floor that doesn't perform poorly. Depending on how unhappy you are with your floor and what the conditions are I may have a few different solutions to remedy the poor performance of your floor. That's if, of course, you are still residing there. Feel free to contact Mike at: [email protected] with any questions.
Brian
Salem,#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 26, 2003
I am a remodeling contractor building additions and great rooms etc. I have recently been moving toward engineered lumber for some of my larger projects, but I am not an expert on engineered lumber which forces me to rely on "other experts" for my information and specification on the subject. Unfortunately, at times I have found that the person providing me with the ever important specifications (usually a lumber desk clerk) knows less than I do about a specific application and simply relies on a chart in a book behind the counter. What I do is ask to see the charts etc. they are relying on, double check my own information and check that it is applied properly to the charts. Once I am comfortable with that, I take all the information and do my own research either with an engineer or on my own. Most engineered lumber mfgs. have specifications on their web pages or you can find books on the subject or even find a local contractor who is experienced on the subject and they may be willing to help. What this person has gone through is unfortunate, and worst of all, floor framing problems etc. are all but impossible (and most certainly very expensive) to rectify once finished floor and ceiling surfaces have been installed. I have used various types of engineered lumber and have not had any problems to date, however I have made sure that what I use is more than sufficient for the application. There is no alternative to good research when using any product that is engineered for a particular purpose.