# Are they ceiling joists or floor joists?



## Zinsco (Oct 14, 2009)

They other day I was in a 2 story house that had just been framed, I was downstairs in the kitchen with the general contractor going over the lighting layout. I pointed upward to the ceiling and said "there was plenty of room between the ceiling joists" to install large recessed cans...

He acted startled, raised an eyebrow and peering over his glasses he said "those are floor joists..."

Who is right?


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Floor joists when there is a floor above, ceiling when there is no floor above. At least that is what I think.


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## NormW (Jun 4, 2009)

I'd say he's right, technically speaking...

On a personal level I think he's a toolbox, to point it out...

If your looking up, why the F' can't you say ceiling joists?


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Agree with both replies. The term "joist" will refer to either, interchangeably.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Zinsco said:


> They other day I was in a 2 story house that had just been framed, I was downstairs in the kitchen with the general contractor going over the lighting layout. I pointed upward to the ceiling *and said "there was plenty of room in the joist bays"* to install large recessed cans...
> 
> He acted startled, raised an eyebrow and peering over his glasses he said "those are floor joists..."
> 
> Who is right?


Fixed it for you. :laughing:


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## stuart45 (Oct 7, 2009)

I've found it's best not to argue with a man working above you as it's easier for him to drop something on you, than for you to throw something up.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Then, on a flat roof, with the same member holding a ceiling on one side and a roof deck on the other, is it a joist or a rafter?


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## Zinsco (Oct 14, 2009)

neolitic said:


> Fixed it for you. :laughing:


Hey thanks guys, ^^^ This will be how I refer to these in the future!


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

It is always safer to just say joists or like noted by neo in this case, joist bays. 

To answer the question, floor joists, not ceiling joists.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

Next time you see this guy call them a "horizontal in the ceiling under the floor wall stud".


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