What are these engineered joists worth?

[green.bubbly]

Looking on the local craigslist, I came across these joists from a guy just a few minutes from my home. He is asking $20.00 a piece and a little less if I want more than 50 of them.

He has two lengths, 14'8 and 15' 5". They are 12 inches high. I could get 2x12x16 for less than $20.00 but these would certainly make a stronger and straighter floor. He got them from an auction of a local Katrina Cottage builder that recently went out of business.


He had hundreds of them. I will have to take a good look at my house plans to see if I could even incorporate them into my plans.

 

[larry_g]

I'm not sure if those are a standard part but I would sure want a document with load ratings.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[w1im]

these would certainly make a stronger and straighter floor.

Be advised that if you ever have a fire, these will collapse in a fraction of the time regular solid joist construction will. They are perfect kindling and once a few of the small members are compromised, the entire system will fail. The gusset plates are also a point of failure under fire conditions.

Personally I wouldn't want them in my house.

 

[Provincial]

Be advised that manufactured joists using OSB webs are also very vulnerable to fire. I burned some scraps of Boise engineered joists in my shop wood stove last Spring, and they burned fast and HOT!!!!

 

[Delawaredave]

I could get 2x12x16 for less than $20.00 but these would certainly make a stronger and straighter floor.

I had a townhouse with fabricated joists. They didn't feel stronger to me - and I think they are more prone to squeaks years later.

Only reason I would consider them is if they were a substantial discount to solid wood. 2x12x16's are around $1/foot around me.

 

[green.bubbly]

Alright, thanks for all the input. I can certainly get 2x12x16 for less than $20 and if these things are not any better (or worse as it seems) then I have no use for them.

Thanks.

 

[red]

Not a deal, if you spend more time and money trying to get them to work.
Personally I used Doug Fir 22' 2x10 and 18' 2x12 because they were cheaper, stronger, and proven over decades if not centuries of use. Only reason to go for engineered joists is for distance, not available in standard length lumber. Don't waste your time trying to "make" a so-so deal work.

 

[KELLHAMMER]

I specify engineered projects daily. They outperform standard lumber. If you can inspect the joist, it should have a stamp on every piece by MFG. it's size, date of mfg, series, material properties, etc. Once you know that info then it can be determined how they can be used. It's important that the joist have not been exposed to the weather for more than whats recommended by mfg. If so, then stay away for them. If someone built a floor with these and they squeak, they built it wrong. I have never had that problem. They do tend feel like there is some bounce to them, until a space gets loaded, no harm there. As fire goes, none of my buildings have ever burned , so I cannot speak to that. If your really concerned about fire. Underwriters Lab has published tested assemblies using engineered lumber that have passed 3 hour fire tests.