Joist hangers are useful building components used to anchor decking, ceilings and floors. Even though joist hangers are not a visually appealing part of a deck, roof or floor, they are incredibly important components. As Speedy Fixings, fixings manufacturer and specialists, explain in a recent blog post, “joist hangers are used to hold timber joists in place to support decking, floor joists, ceiling and roofing while providing extra strength and stability.”
Additionally, by using joist hangers, joists can be connected without cutting holes in walls or risking damp penetration to the ends of timber joists. So, if these components aren’t installed properly or sized correctly, decks, roofs, floors and ceilings won’t have the necessary load support.
Fine Home and Building also highlight the importance of properly installing joist hangers and their fasteners to ensure the stability and safety of a structure. Please remember to install joist hangers according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Plus, when installing joist hangers outdoors, it is also important to ensure that the fasteners used are suitable for outdoor use.
Choosing the right joist hanger might be a difficult task as these are not available as a one-size-fits-all product. From face fixed joist hangers to wrap-over joist hangers, there is a large variety of joist hangers available to buy online, each one in different sizes and made with different materials designed for specific applications. So, how to choose to right joist hanger for your project? To help you with this task, we’ve put together below some of the most popular joist hangers and their uses.
Wrap-over joist hangers
Also known as speedy joist hangers or jiffy hangers, wrap-over joist hangers are designed to wrap around three sides of wooden timbers joists to support these from timber members.
Face fix joist hangers
Face fix joist hangers, such as these 200mm wide joist hangers, are designed to connect timber joists to timber members, timber joists to steel members and timber joists to concrete structures.
Mini joist hangers
Mini joist hangers are designed for light duty timber to timber applications, such as supporting short span joists, in-fill timbers and trap hatches.
Masonry joist hangers
As this article on the DIY doctor explains, masonry joist hangers “are designed to be placed either on top of a wall and hang directly down to carry the joist or they are built into a joint in the masonry wall.”
Long leg joist hangers
These joist hangers are ideal for floors which are being constructed at different levels. Long leg joist hangers are also suitable for loft conversions and purlin framing connections.
Custom made joist hangers
When renovating old buildings or constructing original structures, standard joist hangers might not be the right fit. When this happens, custom made joist hangers can be used to perfectly fit any job.
Joist hangers are the perfect solution to keep floors, decks, ceilings and roofs strong as the wood shrinks, ages, twists and dries. We hope that this article has been helpful in choosing the right joist hanger. Remember to properly install joist hangers to ensure their effectiveness.