- 1) When drilling for cable runs, rest the drill on your thigh. This method eases drilling and places holes at a convenient height.
- 2) Use an 18-in. ship bit to drill through multiple studs.
- 3) The 18-in. ship bit also allows you to drill through top wall plates while standing on the floor.
How deep do you drill a hole in a joist? Drill holes with a diameter of no more than one-third the depth of the joist, staying 2 in. away from the top and bottom. Where and how to drill joists for electrical cables or plumbing runs depends on what type of floor framing you have. Keep the hole at least 2 in. from the top and the bottom if it’s a dimensional lumber joist.
Can you drill joists without weakening them? You can safely drill joists for electrical and plumbing runs without weakening the joists, if you follow the rules. Drill holes with a diameter of no more than one-third the depth of the joist, staying 2 in. away from the top and bottom.
Where do you drill a hole in an I-joist? Holes up to 4 in. can be drilled in the middle of the I-joist, away from the ends and load-bearing wall. Keep the distance between adjacent holes at least twice the diameter of the largest hole. For holes larger than 4 in., consult the lumber supplier.
How do you punch out I-joists without a drill? Typically, most manufacturers have little perforated knockout holes that can be punched out without the use of a drill. If holes larger than 38 mm are required, these should be made toward the centre of the I-Joists, not toward the ends. Leave at least twice the diameter of the larger hole between edges of holes.
How deep do you drill a hole in a joist?
Where can I drill a hole in a joist? You can drill the holes anywhere along the length of the joist (first photo). If you have manufactured I-joists, you can drill holes up to 1-1/2 in. diameter almost anywhere in the web area (the area between the flanges). Just stay 6 in. away from any end or load-bearing wall (second photo).
How deep do you drill holes in I-joists? Drill holes with a diameter of no more than one-third the depth of the joist, staying 2 in. away from the top and bottom. Drill 1-1/2-in. holes anywhere in the web area of engineered I-joists, except within 6 in. of walls and rim joists.
How big should a hole be in a floor joist? If you use dimensional lumber for floor joists, keep the holes in the middle if possible, spaced no closer than two inches from the top and bottom of the joist. The hole must not exceed 1/3 the size of the floor joist size. For example, a 2×12 floor joist has a nominal size of 1-1/2 x 11-1/4 inches in size.
What are the rules for drilling through floor joists? Those rules may sound complicated, but they are really quite simple. Say you need to drill through a floor joist that is 9 inches tall. The hole would need to be within the middle 5 inches of the joist, because of the 2-inch rule on the top and bottom. That also means, because of the one-third rule, that that the hole cannot be wider than 3 inches.