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// CODE SNIPPET

R802.4 Allowable Ceiling Joist Spans

Residential Code 2015 of Utah > 8 Roof-Ceiling Construction > R802 Wood Roof Framing > R802.4 Allowable Ceiling Joist Spans
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Spans for ceiling joists shall be in accordance with Tables R802.4(1) and R802.4(2). For other grades and species and for other loading conditions, refer to the AWC STJR.

TABLE R802.4(1) CEILING JOIST SPANS FOR COMMON LUMBER SPECIES (Uninhabitable attics without storage, live load = 10 psf, L/Δ = 240)

CEILING JOIST
SPACING (inches)		 SPECIES AND GRADE DEAD LOAD = 5 psf
2 × 4 2 × 6 2 × 8 2 × 10
Maximum ceiling joist spans
(feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches)
12 Douglas fir-larch SS 13-2 20-8 Note a Note a
Douglas fir-larch #1 12-8 19-11 Note a Note a
Douglas fir-larch #2 12-5 19-6 25-8 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #3 11-1 16-3 20-7 25-2
Hem-fir SS 12-5 19-6 25-8 Note a
Hem-fir #1 12-2 19-1 25-2 Note a
Hem-fir #2 11-7 18-2 24-0 Note a
Hem-fir #3 10-10 15-10 20-1 24-6
Southern pine SS 12-11 20-3 Note a Note a
Southern pine #1 12-5 19-6 25-8 Note a
Southern pine #2 11-10 18-8 24-7 Note a
Southern pine #3 10-1 14-11 18-9 22-9
Spruce-pine-fir SS 12-2 19-1 25-2 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #1 11-10 18-8 24-7 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #2 11-10 18-8 24-7 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #3 10-10 15-10 20-1 24-6
16 Douglas fir-larch SS 11-11 18-9 24-8 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #1 11-6 18-1 23-10 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #2 11-3 17-8 23-4 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #3 9-7 14-1 17-10 21-9
Hem-fir SS 11-3 17-8 23-4 Note a
Hem-fir #1 11-0 17-4 22-10 Note a
Hem-fir #2 10-6 16-6 21-9 Note a
Hem-fir #3 9-5 13-9 17-5 21-3
Southern pine SS 11-9 18-5 24-3 Note a
Southern pine #1 11-3 17-8 23-10 Note a
Southern pine #2 10-9 16-11 21-7 25-7
Southern pine #3 8-9 12-11 16-3 19-9
Spruce-pine-fir SS 11-0 17-4 22-10 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #1 10-9 16-11 22-4 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #2 10-9 16-11 22-4 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #3 9-5 13-9 17-5 21-3


(continued)

TABLE R802.4(1)‒continued CEILING JOIST SPANS FOR COMMON LUMBER SPECIES (Uninhabitable attics without storage, live load = 10 psf, L/Δ = 240)

CEILING JOIST
SPACING (inches)		 SPECIES AND GRADE DEAD LOAD = 5 psf
2 × 4 2 × 6 2 × 8 2 × 10
Maximum ceiling joist spans
(feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches)
19.2 Douglas fir-larch SS 11-3 17-8 23-3 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #1 10-10 17-0 22-5 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #2 10-7 16-8 21-4 26-0
Douglas fir-larch #3 8-9 12-10 16-3 19-10
Hem-fir SS 10-7 16-8 21-11 Note a
Hem-fir #1 10-4 16-4 21-6 Note a
Hem-fir #2 9-11 15-7 20-6 25-3
Hem-fir #3 8-7 12-6 15-10 19-5
Southern -pine SS 11-0 17-4 22-10 Note a
Southern pine #1 10-7 16-8 22-0 Note a
Southern pine #2 10-2 15-7 19-8 23-5
Southern pine #3 8-0 11-9 14-10 18-0
Spruce-pine-fir SS 10-4 16-4 21-6 Note a
Spruce-pine-fir #1 10-2 15-11 21-0 25-8
Spruce-pine-fir #2 10-2 15-11 21-0 25-8
Spruce-pine-fir #3 8-7 12-6 15-10 19-5
24 Douglas fir-larch SS 10-5 16-4 21-7 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #1 10-0 15-9 20-1 24-6
Douglas fir-larch #2 9-10 15-0 19-1 23-3
Douglas fir-larch #3 7-10 11-6 14-7 17-9
Hem-fir SS 9-10 15-6 20-5 Note a
Hem-fir #1 9-8 15-2 19-10 24-3
Hem-fir #2 9-2 14-5 18-6 22-7
Hem-fir #3 7-8 11-2 14-2 17-4
Southern pine SS 10-3 16-1 21-2 Note a
Southern pine #1 9-10 15-6 20-5 24-0
Southern pine #2 9-3 13-11 17-7 20-11
Southern pine #3 7-2 10-6 13-3 16-1
Spruce-pine-fir SS 9-8 15-2 19-11 25-5
Spruce-pine-fir #1 9-5 14-9 18-9 22-11
Spruce-pine-fir #2 9-5 14-9 18-9 22-11
Spruce-pine-fir #3 7-8 11-2 14-2 17-4

Check sources for availability of lumber in lengths greater than 20 feet.
For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound per square foot = 0.0479 kPa.
a. Span exceeds 26 feet in length.


TABLE R802.4(2) CEILING JOIST SPANS FOR COMMON LUMBER SPECIES (Uninhabitable attics with limited storage, live load = 20 psf, L/Δ = 240)

CEILING JOIST
SPACING (inches)		 SPECIES AND GRADE DEAD LOAD = 10 psf
2 × 4 2 × 6 2 × 8 2 × 10
Maximum ceiling joist spans
(feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches)
12 Douglas fir-larch SS 10-5 16-4 21-7 Note a
Douglas fir-larch #1 10-0 15-9 20-1 24-6
Douglas fir-larch #2 9-10 15-0 19-1 23-3
Douglas fir-larch #3 7-10 11-6 14-7 17-9
Hem-fir SS 9-10 15-6 20-5 Note a
Hem-fir #1 9-8 15-2 19-10 24-3
Hem-fir #2 9-2 14-5 18-6 22-7
Hem-fir #3 7-8 11-2 14-2 17-4
Southern pine SS 10-3 16-1 21-2 Note a
Southern pine #1 9-10 15-6 20-5 24-0
Southern pine #2 9-3 13-11 17-7 20-11
Southern pine #3 7-2 10-6 13-3 16-1
Spruce-pine-fir SS 9-8 15-2 19-11 25-5
Spruce-pine-fir #1 9-5 14-9 18-9 22-11
Spruce-pine-fir #2 9-5 14-9 18-9 22-11
Spruce-pine-fir #3 7-8 11-2 14-2 17-4
16 Douglas fir-larch SS 9-6 14-11 19-7 25-0
Douglas fir-larch #1 9-1 13-9 17-5 21-3
Douglas fir-larch #2 8-11 13-0 16-6 20-2
Douglas fir-larch #3 6-10 9-11 12-7 15-5
Hem-fir SS 8-11 14-1 18-6 23-8
Hem-fir #1 8-9 13-7 17-2 21-0
Hem-fir #2 8-4 12-8 16-0 19-7
Hem-fir #3 6-8 9-8 12-4 15-0
Southern pine SS 9-4 14-7 19-3 24-7
Southern pine #1 8-11 14-0 17-9 20-9
Southern pine #2 8-0 12-0 15-3 18-1
Southern pine #3 6-2 9-2 11-6 14-0
Spruce-pine-fir SS 8-9 13-9 18-1 23-1
Spruce-pine-fir #1 8-7 12-10 16-3 19-10
Spruce-pine-fir #2 8-7 12-10 16-3 19-10
Spruce-pine-fir #3 6-8 9-8 12-4 15-0


(continued)

TABLE R802.4(2)‒continued CEILING JOIST SPANS FOR COMMON LUMBER SPECIES (Uninhabitable attics with limited storage, live load = 20 psf, L/Δ= 240)

CEILING JOIST
SPACING (inches)		 SPECIES AND GRADE DEAD LOAD = 10 psf
2 × 4 2 × 6 2 × 8 2 × 10
Maximum ceiling joist spans
(feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches) (feet - inches)
19.2 Douglas fir-larch SS 8-11 14-0 18-5 23-7
Douglas fir-larch #1 8-7 12-6 15-10 19-5
Douglas fir-larch #2 8-2 11-11 15-1 18-5
Douglas fir-larch #3 6-2 9-1 11-6 14-1
Hem-fir SS 8-5 13-3 17-5 22-3
Hem-fir #1 8-3 12-4 15-8 19-2
Hem-fir #2 7-10 11-7 14-8 17-10
Hem-fir #3 6-1 8-10 11-3 13-8
Southern pine SS 8-9 13-9 18-2 23-1
Southern pine #1 8-5 12-9 16-2 18-11
Southern pine #2 7-4 11-0 13-11 16-6
Southern pine #3 5-8 8-4 10-6 12-9
Spruce-pine-fir SS 8-3 12-11 17-1 21-8
Spruce-pine-fir #1 8-0 11-9 14-10 18-2
Spruce-pine-fir #2 8-0 11-9 14-10 18-2
Spruce-pine-fir #3 6-1 8-10 11-3 13-8
24 Douglas fir-larch SS 8-3 13-0 17-2 21-3
Douglas fir-larch #1 7-8 11-2 14-2 17-4
Douglas fir-larch #2 7-3 10-8 13-6 16-5
Douglas fir-larch #3 5-7 8-1 10-3 12-7
Hem-fir SS 7-10 12-3 16-2 20-6
Hem-fir #1 7-7 11-1 14-0 17-1
Hem-fir #2 7-1 10-4 13-1 16-0
Hem-fir #3 5-5 7-11 10-0 12-3
Southern pine SS 8-1 12-9 16-10 21-6
Southern pine #1 7-8 11-5 14-6 16-11
Southern pine #2 6-7 9-10 12-6 14-9
Southern pine #3 5-1 7-5 9-5 11-5
Spruce-pine-fir SS 7-8 12-0 15-10 19-5
Spruce-pine-fir #1 7-2 10-6 13-3 16-3
Spruce-pine-fir #2 7-2 10-6 13-3 16-3
Spruce-pine-fir #3 5-5 7-11 10-0 12-3

Check sources for availability of lumber in lengths greater than 20 feet.
For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound per square foot = 0.0479 kPa.
a. Span exceeds 26 feet in length.

Related Code Sections


R802.4 Roof-Ceiling Construction, Allowable Ceiling Joist Spans
Spans for ceiling joists shall be in accordance with Tables R802.4(1) and R802.4(2). For other grades and species and for other loading conditions ...
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R502.3 Floors, Allowable Joist Spans
not exceed 20 pounds per square foot (0.96 kPa). The allowable span of ceiling joists that support attics used for limited storage or no storage ...
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R804.3.1.1(2) CEILING JOIST SPANS 20 PSF LIVE LOAD (LIMITED ATTIC STORAGE) a, b, c MEMBER DESIGNATION ALLOWABLE SPAN (feet - inches ...
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2308.7.1 Wood, Ceiling Joist Spans
Spans for ceiling joists shall be in accordance with Table 2308.7.1(1) or 2308.7.1(2). For other grades and species, and other loading conditions ...
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