Adding two rows of bridging costs a few dollars per joist.
Improper bridging between floor joists.
Solid blocking and metal or wood x type bridging do accomplish the same task.
But larger is not always better when builders are constructing a home or adding a room addition.
Various types of metal bridging are available at home centers and lumberyards.
From a structural perspective you are correct.
How to make floor joists stronger.
After several centuries of service floor joists in older homes may sag or crack.
Floor joist bridging is critical to the structural strength of a floor as shown in figure 1.
The extra two inches of vertical distance when a floor is framed with 2 x 10 joists rather than 2 x 12s can be quite important for example.
Proper bridging distributes the load on the floor to other joists and over time prevents floors from sagging and squeaking do to floor joists twisting and warping.
Blocking is also needed each time the joist overlaps with a center beam and every eight feet between two joists.
Mike installs galvanized steel briding in between the floor joists on this bedroom addition project in rocky hill ct.
From both ends of the span.
Long spans of joists in newer homes may wobble or bounce from foot traffic.
Simpson strong tie tension bridging galvanized steel the ltb s are used in floor systems to resist the overturning of floor joists and features a staggered nail pattern.
The blocking or bridging between joists or rafters also contributes to this phenomenon.
To install the type shown here drive the toothed end into the joist and nail the other end.
Additional support for the floor joists is achieved by nailing the ends of the joists into headers.
Yet it is not uncommon to find bridging not properly installed or missing all together.
Thd sku 205173.
For example with bridging installed between joists a piano leg sitting over one 2 10 is actually supported by several.
The joists shown here for example span 12 ft so we added rows of bridging 4 ft.
Install with two 6d common nails per end.