Floor Joist Deterioration

dickibobboy

Hi All,

Just after some advice on one of my floor joists at the ground floor level. This particular one has always had the odd look to it but felt pretty solid and there wasn't any give in the floor.

The joist is fully visible in the cellar and is the closest one to the wall, it supports the floor in the living room, the next room along is an old Yorkshire flagstone floor. The next floor joist running the same span and fitted in the same way (just a foot along) doesn't seem to have any issues and looks/feels fine.

Below are two links to images to see, I've noticed only over the last few days that the floor right above the area has a slight squeak in it when walking over which sparked me to go and take a look. It seems that the joist must have some play along the bottom (you can see from the pictures) and it's causing slight movement in the floor giving the sound. It seems quite solid, sounds solid when tapped along the majority of it until you come to the last foot where it enters into the wall.

https://i.ibb.co/y4VxmVc/IMG-7867.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/wwMGVC8/IMG-7869.jpg

(the bricks that look out of place are literally sat there not supporting anything they can be ignored, the wood you can see attached to the joist in question is part of an old inset floor mat from the early days of the house)

The cellar is a typical cellar, it does have moisture in the air slightly but isn't wet or anything, there's an airbrick down there but i wouldn't store tools or anything thats not protected. 

I'm quite competent and wouldn't mind finding a way to fix fully myself, I've got family who are bricklayers etc.. on hand.  What sort of thing am i looking at for a fix? A temp fix that would last a few years to put me on would do for now, if i could fully get another one down there i'd replace and remove the old one out but there would literally be no access to get it down there due to the size without going in from above or taking out bricks low level to slide into the cellar from outside.

Any ideas? Thanks!

naf123

Joist itself looks a bit wet - is there a leak somewhere ?

dickibobboy

I thought the same, i actually think the rotting is from previously being wet just sat on bare brick with nothing to protect it from the underground elements and then drying out. 

The wood does feel dry so possibly just discoloured over time. I’m going to see if i have any pictures from a couple of years ago when i moved in to see if i can spot it, the house was in a bit of a state when i got it and there’s a possibility the previous owner didn’t let the flagstone floor (the room where the end of the joist just about sits in) breathe so moisture may have made its way that side. There’s no DPM on the original flooring.  

The cellar also did used to be worse damp wise when i first moved in, it’s only small but i stripped out the old lathe ceiling and sorted out a proper air brick for ventilation along with storing very little down there it has made the space much better and everything can now breathe. 

FreeBear

naf123 said: Joist itself looks a bit wet - is there a leak somewhere ?

Joist looks as if it is rotting. The source of the damp needs to be fixed and then the joist replaced after the ends have been dipped in bitumen. A short term fix would be to insert a new timber beside it and bolt it to the old one (dip the end of the new timber first).

naf123

Looks are deceptive even if it feels dry. Do you have a damp probe / moisture meter to check moisture levels at various different locations around the joist? 

grumbler

I can imagine a diagonal lintel in the corner under the joist.

RustyMG

I had simar marks like that on joists in my loft (dark), and had a roofer and joiner both say they seen nothing to worry about and that it was long term condensation marks.