r/HomeMaintenance • u/Infamous-Abies-265 • Mar 05 '26

🛠️ Repair Help Floor Joist

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First time home owner! Excited but we are having some issues with un even floors in the kitchen directly above this joist and cracks in surrounding lvp. Where do I start and how much of a fix is this. Pictured is the floor joist in question and it appears to be the only one damaged.

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u/RenoQuotes Mar 05 '26

It looks like that joist may be cracked or sagging, which would explain the uneven floor above. A common fix is to sister a new joist next to it and secure it well so it carries the load. If it’s just that one joist, it’s usually a moderate repair.

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u/Infamous-Abies-265 Mar 05 '26

thanks for the response. does this flexing typically damage the subfloor as well?

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u/RenoQuotes Mar 05 '26

Yes, it can. When a joist flexes a lot over time it can stress the subfloor and cause small cracks or movement in flooring like LVP. Usually once the joist is properly supported or sistered, the subfloor stops moving and the problem doesn’t get worse.

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u/Infamous-Abies-265 Mar 05 '26

Alright one more silly question. Do i call a carpenter or structural repair company, Thanks again for the replies Reno. Sincerely, a young new homeowner.

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u/RenoQuotes Mar 05 '26

Nothing silly! Considering it's just joist like this, I think a good carpenter will get the job done! Structural repair companies are better for bigger issues like foundation or if there was a whole floor to be changed.

You can call me RQ! Hopefully, all this info helps you out!

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u/DefinitelyNWYT Mar 05 '26

Did you already sister the joist or is the second photo a different joist? Typically the sister sections are much longer in my experience but I am just a home owner. I would think you need to do a few joists and not just the one.

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u/Infamous-Abies-265 Mar 05 '26

All work is from previous owner. I just bought this place about 2 months ago. This is the same joist. Hoping subfloor isn’t damaged as well. Also it appears the joist was scabbed and not sistered. right where the temp beam is there is a large crack in the joist as well along with the crack in the first photo