Shim joist in hanger

So rookie mistake. I nailed off my joist hangers to the bearers using a tee jig to set them. I eyed off the bottom of the hanger to the bottom of the joist. But you guessed it, the joist (even though it's a LVL) is not 240 but 245 to 243. I banged 10 nails in each hanger. Hate to have to try to pull them up. About 15 hangers in total before I realised. Using 240 I joists. Whoops I assume they are 240.... better check. Still question still stands. So can I pack under the joist to make it sit flush with the bearer.

That would make the joists higher than the bearer & you'd have to plane a landing on the bottom of the joist bringing the depth back to 240 on the hanger
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I think maybe you mean the bearer, even though it's an LVL is 245?

I can't see why you couldn't pack/ shim up the joist in the hanger as long as you still get the weight sitting firmly on the base of the hanger and get nails into all the right spots on the I joist

Yes, I do mean the LVL bearers measures 243 to 245. My joists are 240mm Ijoists. They are not 240 either and vary as much as the LVL bearer, so I might have to do a mixnmatch for the ones initially installed and just fit the rest of the hangers when the joists are in position. Thanks.

Can you plane the top of the bearer?

The joist needs to sit hard on the hanger for it to be compliant and hold the weight of the joist.

Otherwise if the joist isn’t exposed, you could pin strips of Masonite packers, mallory or rips of rates timber.

It's IJoists up against an LVL bearer. I hung the joists in today, but thinking I will get some of those solid shims used for precast concrete panels and cut them to size and slip them in. Joist hangers are a pain.

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Originally Posted by manofaus

Joist hangers are a pain.

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That's why you fit them after the joists are installed.

How do you do that when hanging an ijoist between two bearers. Am I missing a step?

Haven't done it with I Joists but for solid joists I fit them between 2 bearers and put a single framing nail through the bearer into the joist - that was enough to hold them until the hanger got installed. In my case I could get to the back of the bearer to put the nail through, otherwise you would need to have skew nail them

For I joists it should still work but I guess you might need to be careful about getting the nail into the flange without splitting it

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Originally Posted by manofaus

How do you do that when hanging an ijoist between two bearers. Am I missing a step?

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Easy, , but if you want to use face mount brackets, use an offcut of the I joist as a template, this will ensure the height is set correctly.

Best method is to ditch the face mount brackets and go for top mounted hangers, the height is set automatically.

To rub salt into the wounds turns out that I joist hangers need special nails. I used the ones that came in the box, but they were short in number, so I bought some more connector nails thinking I was doing the right thing. Turns out the nails required are bracket nails which are 3.75 x 40 not the 3.15 x 35 connector nails. Only banged in about 8 so not bad, but still rookie mistake. Lucky the local hardware had a few packs, though covered in dust. Not listed in the big green shed funnily enough.

Do the larger diameter connector nails fit loosely in the hanger's nail holes?

no. Thats half the battle when fitting, trying to start a nail by giving it a good wack. Not much room for fingers. The larger nails punch out the hanger holes to the larger diameter. The smaller nails are a loose fit.

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Originally Posted by manofaus

no. Thats half the battle when fitting, trying to start a nail by giving it a good wack. Not much room for fingers. The larger nails punch out the hanger holes to the larger diameter. The smaller nails are a loose fit.

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Then, I think you should be using the smaller diametre, as the hanger can strip the coating from the nails, leading to potentially rusting nails.

Sorry for the concerning news - maybe someone else will shoot me down and you'll be fine...

Pryda are clear that I joist hangers use 3.75 x 40mm connector nails not the usual 3.15 x 35mm.

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Originally Posted by PaulDW

Pryda are clear that I joist hangers use 3.75 x 40mm connector nails not the usual 3.15 x 35mm.

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Yes, I see that. Would be pretty simple to manufacture the holes to suit the prescribed nails! Must be enough gal between the hanger and the nails to take care of any rust.