Drilling Floor Joists For Pex

Drilling floor joists to run plumbing wiring or ducts can be tricky.

Drilling floor joists for pex. Drill holes with a diameter of no more than one third the depth of the joist staying 2 in. If you re running pex through joists or studs drill 3 4 in. Some manufacturers recommend adding abrasion clips at each hole. Where and how to drill joists for electrical cables or.

The maximum allowable diameter of a hole in any solid lumber joist is one third of. If the span requires say a 2x 10 joist spanning 12 the above rules apply. Of walls and rim joists. You can t drill a hole more than a third of the thickness of a joist in the middle third of the joist.

When drilling through a stud be sure that each hole is at the same level so the pipe runs parallel to the floor. Let s review what is wrong with this particular joist and discuss what the proper technique is for. There is a side to this that i have discussed with inspectors. Place the bit up to the stud and slowly start the drill allowing it to build up speed.

Have a helper feed the line to avoid kinks and snarls. Drill a series of holes along alternating floor joists on the other end. If you have a 12 span and the joist is a full 12 you can drill a full 4 hole in the first and last 4. Engineered floor joists can be drilled only according to their manufacturer s guidelines the code specifies the maximum size of the holes you can drill or the notches you can cut where you can and can t place them and how far apart they can be spaced.

Holes anywhere in the web area of engineered i joists except within 6 in. Drill a series of holes through floor joists along one end of the room where you ll be adding hydronic radiant heating. Away from the top and bottom. Run your main lines first.