By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- Boards Of The Same Size And Wood As Current Joists
- Clamps
- Electric Drill With Screwdriver Bit
- Electric Saw Or Handsaw
- Galvanized Screws Or Nails
- Hammer
- Tape Measure
Adding a sister joist
Step1
Measure and cut another joist the same size as any joists that are split, broken or otherwise damaged. Clamp the new sister joist alongside the older joist. Drive 3-inch (7.5-cm) galvanized screws through the sister joist to attach it; remove the clamps. Drive two screws through the end joist into each end of the new joist. Drive one deck screw through each piece of decking and into the new joist.
Adding bridges to your joists
Step1
Measure the width of the spaces between the joists. Add 1/8 inch (3 mm) to that measurement and mark the total length onto a board of the same thickness and width as your joists. Cut the board at your mark to make bridges for every 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) of joists.
Step2
Tap a bridge into place between the joists, and drive two nails or screws through the joists into each end of the bridge (see illustration). Install the other bridges, each offset from the previous one by several inches (about 7 cm) so you have room to drive in the nails or screws.