How Far Can You Cut into a Joist
You Can Cut a Notch at the End of the Joist to 1/4 of the Joist’s Depth (Maximum). Along the Outer Third of a Joist, You Can Cut a Notch a Maximum of 1/6 the...
You can cut a notch at the end of the joist to 1/4 of the joist’s depth (maximum). Along the outer third of a joist, you can cut a notch a maximum of 1/6 the joist depth and 1/3 the joist length without compromising its strength.
How much can you cut off a joist?
Maximum depth of notch of any joist in any situation is 35mm. Size and position of holes must be within the zones shown in the diagram above and only on the centre line. Adjacent holes must be at least three times their diameter apart and no hole may be within 100mm (4”) of a notch.
How big of a hole can I cut in floor joist?
The hole cannot be larger than one-third the depth of the joist, so the maximum hole size for a 2×12 joist (actual size 1-1/2 x 11-1/4 in.) is 3-3/4 in. diameter—plenty big enough for running cable! You can drill the holes anywhere along the length of the joist (first photo).
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
