How to Jack Up a Sagging Floor
No one enjoys walking through a house and feeling the floor dip as if walking on the ocean. Besides being an annoyance, a sagging floor is a sign of a poor structure. The floor joists are either warping or settling because of time and use. Jacking up the floor joists allows you to level the floor and prepare the area for a permanent supporting stud wall. The process is not completed overnight. Depending upon the amount of sag in the floor, raising the level could take weeks. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 2 wood beams, 4 inches wide by 6 inches tall
- 2 floor jacks
- Circular saw
- Level
Instructions
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1
Place a level on the floor to identify the location of the sagging floor joists.
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2
Cut two 4-by-6 wood beams to a length sufficient to reach each of the sagging floor joists.
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3
Rest one wood beam on the floor directly beneath the sagging joists. Set each floor jack on top of the wood beam positioned close to the end of the beam. The jacks need to be at least 12 inches in from the ends of the beams. A beam longer than 5 to 6 feet should use three floor jacks with one positioned in the middle.
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4
Set the second 4-by-6 beam on top of the jacks and raise the jacks until the second beam is in contact with the floor joists. Most jacks have the center piston rotate to raise the jack. Follow the directions for the specific jack you use.
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5
Raise the jacks equal amounts slowly until the floor is level or begins to creak. Creaking is a warning of potential damage to the joists. Allow the floor joists to adjust to the new position for several days before attempting to raise the floor further. The whole process can take a few weeks to raise the floor even 1/4 inch.
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Tips & Warnings
Once the floor has been raised to the proper level, erect a permanent support structure before removing the floor jacks. You may need to install additional support along the wall where the floor joists connect.
