Joist Hangers
Joist Hangers are designed to anchor timber joists in place in things like decking, floors and ceilings. Most joist hangers are u-shaped and wrap around three sides of a wooden beam, nails or screws are then used to secure it to the timber via pre-drilled holes. There is a connecting plate on the joist hanger that is then fastened to the surrounding frame that may be either timber or masonry.
There are many different shapes and sizes of joist hangers for use dependent on the beams or surrounding frame. Some hangers for example have a heavy-duty design to support larger loads or heavier beams, whilst others are designed to accommodate double beams in a single hanger. Most manufacturers recommend using the largest size hanger that will fit your joists. Hangers should not be adapted, cut or modified, and should never be reused. All pre-cut or pre-drilled nails holes in each hanger must have the correct nails or screws inserted to maintain the integrity of the joist. When choosing hangers for outdoor applications, such as decking, the hanger should be galvanised so that it will withstand rust and not corrode. You should also make sure to use galvanised nails, galvanised screws or proper decking screws.
