Living With Sloped Floors

On the lower level you ll usually find patios that invite you to relax outside.

Living with sloped floors.

If floor sloping is limited to the first story of the house that is there is no corresponding slope to the 2nd story floor then the reason could be missing support posts and damaged joists. Sloping floors are most often caused by normal and acceptable deflection bend in the wood joists which comprise the floor structure. Foundation issues deteriorating wood supports especially sills which rest on the foundation footer improperly installed joists or sub floors and other issues can all cause a floor to slope or sag. The average person can sense if a floor slopes 1 inch in 10 feet and sloping floors or sagging floors are often one of the warning signs that structural engineers look for when analyzing a house.

These plans use the sloping lot to their advantage and often feature a beautiful walkout basement. There are several problems that can cause a sagging or sloping floor which is one of the reasons why fixing a sloping floor is difficult. Every floor sloped from the right of the house down to the left although in one room there was a hump back up at the edge of the room which we think might have been the hearth of an old fireplace which has just been carpeted over. Although most floors slope it is important to know how much and why.

Except for that slope the floor itself might be flat. A slant slope situation might be one where over the course of 15 or 20 horizontal feet the floor slopes down one or two inches. Sloped floors are common in older homes and even in homes as new as 15 to 30 years. While there are certainly virtues held by the closed floor plan house hello privacy an open concept design can transform even the quaintest cottages into an ideal entertaining space.

In some cases the slope is caused or aggravated by similar deflection in the girder main bearing beam that supports one end. Basically the floors were sloping. These homes can be built in any style from modern to rugged craftsman. House plans for sloped lots or hillside plans are family friendly and deceptively large.

When converting a garage space into a living area installing a framed wood floor offers an opportunity to add insulation from the cold concrete slab access for electrical circuits to any interior walls being planned and effectively provides a level floor platform over a standard garage floor that can be sloped 4 to 5 inches from front to back. This design allows for an enlarged living space where guests in the kitchen living room dining room and even the sun room can all engage in conversation. For rooms that have a general slope the issue may be foundation problems that require the assistance of a foundation repair company or a general contractor.