Floor and Roof joist blocking / bridging

[JStructsteel]

Do you folks specify exact locations and show blocking/bridging in your plans, or just handle with a note? I was thinking a note, similar to this, unless it was a specific need for exact location.

2.8. PROVIDE WOOD BLOCKING BETWEEN FLOOR AND ROOF JOISTS @ BEARING LOCATIONS IF BOTTOM BEARING. IF SPAN OF ROOF OR FLOOR JOIST EXCEEDS 8'-0" PROVIDE MIDPOINT BLOCKING OR BRACING IN EACH JOIST SPACE. FOLLOW LOCATIONS CALLED OUT ON PLANS IN LIEU OF THIS REQUIREMENT

houses are built all the time, how into the weeds do you get?

 

[phamENG]

Houses are also built incorrectly all the time - there's just so much redundancy that you don't know there's a problem under typical service conditions until creep has set in years later or, in extremely rare circumstances, it actually sees design level loading.

But for blocking like you're referencing, I typically leave it at that. If I need blocking in a specific spot - like a disjointed collector over an interior shear wall - I'll call it out on plan. Or if the plan is especially blank and I want it to look more impressive, but that doesn't happen often...

 

[SoFloJoe]

Depends on ultimate scope and type of work. But if you have the floorplan showing the floor joists already then it does not hurt to add it into the plan to avoid confusion. Anything that you can do to make it easier/clear for the contractor is a good thing in my opinion.

But if you are submitting a report or a simple repair detail and you do not have a plan view layout then I would say a note would suffice.

 

[JStructsteel]

Thanks.
I am starting to see why there is no money in residential design, just so many details to take care of. Perhaps once I have a library built up.

 

[KootK]

I find that I really have to leverage the power of scheduling to make a go of light frame wood projects. I'll schedule the joists on the same pages as the floor plans and, within those schedules, indicate what I want for blocking. At the least, this way, someone reading the plans would have a hard time missing the blocking requirements given that they had to go right next door to figure out the framing in the first place. Putting the blocking requirements in specs or general notes is a step down from this in terms of clarity I feel. Conversely, showing the blocking in plans is a step up, albeit perhaps a laborious, drawing cluttering step up.

I work with one architect that produces framing plans that show every stick, including the blocking and hangers. On a few occasions, I've done this for them as an additional service. It doesn't take nearly as long as I'd originally anticipated and, I have to admit, it reduces questions in the field.

 

[XR250]

I am starting to see why there is no money in residential design, just so many details to take care of. Perhaps once I have a library built up.

I can tell you there is plenty of money in residential design. The key is to not detail everything to death. Or have 6 pages of notes. There is a building code for a reason. Contractors like my plans because they are typically 1 -2 pages instead of 13 like some of my competitors who have 10 pages of canned details. Having a lot of field experience is helpful as you learn what works, what doesn't, where typical failures occur etc.