Knee wall not properly supporting floor joists

[Sam Morris]

Inspecting a 3 story house built in 2000 and I came across some framing that didn't look right to me. I thought the knee wall 2x4 (for lack of better wording) vertical supports should be installed directly underneath each floor joist and not nailed to the sides. Thank You In Advance

[John Kogel]

The preferred way would be to build the wall, sometimes called a pony wall, with a top plate, or double plate, and then rest the joists on the wall. Then a band joist is nailed across the ends to reduce rotation of the joists. With a double plate, the studs of the wall do not have to be directly under the joists.
That looks like something an amateur would do. The horizontal 2X4 has blocking under it at random intervals, but you are right, it is wrong.

[Jack Feldmann]

Looks like an attempt at balloon framing, since the wall studs are resting on the sill plate, and continue up. Typically the ledger supporting the floor joists would be let in to allow a better load path. This ledger looks like it was attached to the face of the wall studs.

[Rick Hartmann]

I once(2002) framed in a floor for a bonus room above a kitchen with 20' ceilings. Had it engineered. The floor joists(TJI's) were allowed to sit in metal hangers to a 2x12 attached to balloon framing. 4-16p nails at each stud. Certainly not a 2x4. A 2x12 was the smallest allowed, per the calcs. I wanted to do a 2x10 and eng said, 'no way!' The floor only had to span about 16'

[Sam Morris]

I once(2002) framed in a floor for a bonus room above a kitchen with 20' ceilings. Had it engineered. The floor joists(TJI's) were allowed to sit in metal hangers to a 2x12 attached to balloon framing. 4-16p nails at each stud. Certainly not a 2x4. A 2x12 was the smallest allowed, per the calcs. I wanted to do a 2x10 and eng said, 'no way!' The floor only had to span about 16'

Thank You, Good Information

[John Maverick]

Looks like an attempt at balloon framing, since the wall studs are resting on the sill plate, and continue up. Typically the ledger supporting the floor joists would be let in to allow a better load path. This ledger looks like it was attached to the face of the wall studs.



I have seen several constructions like these before