How to Replace Old Floor Bracings

How to Replace Old Floor Bracings: Replacement Cross Braces

• 1

  Slide a flat bar underneath the ends of each cross brace, and carefully pry them up to remove them, one at a time.

• 2

  Remove all of the nails from ends of the braces and any stray nails that may have been left in the floor joists, using the claw end of a hammer.

• 3

  Place the braces, one at a time, on the table of a miter saw, with the mitered ends facing up. Adjust the miter saw to cut at the same angle as the mitered ends. With the miter saw, saw the 2-by-2-by-96-inch boards to the length of each respective brace that requires replacement.

• 4

  Fit the replacement braces in place between the floor joists, one at a time. Hammer two evenly spaced 8-penny nails through each end of the braces into the joists to secure them firmly in place.

How to Replace Old Floor Bracings: Strapping

• 5

  Slide a flat bar underneath the ends of each cross brace, and carefully pry them up to remove them, one at a time.

• 6

  Remove any stray nails that may have been left in the floor joists, using the claw end of a hammer.

• 7

  Measure the length of the basement along one wall that runs perpendicular to the direction of the floor joists, using a tape measure. This is the measurement required for the strapping boards.

• 8

  Lay out the strapping boards on a work surface. Measure and mark the strapping boards to the measurement from Step 3, using a tape measure and pencil.

• 9

  Place each marked strapping board, one at a time, flat on the table of the miter saw. Cut each strapping board to length, using the miter saw.

• 10

  Hold each strapping board perpendicular across the floor joists, one at a time. Space the strapping boards every 16 inches on center across the entire width of the basement.

• 11

  Hammer two 8-penny nails through the strapping boards into the floor joists at each intersection along the entire length of the boards.