TECHNICAL BULLETIN

TB-808 July 2015 (Expires 7/2017)

Bottom Flange Trus Joist TJI Joist Attachment Connections

This technical bulletin provides designers and engineers with guidelines for specifying withdrawal connections into the bottom
flange of residential Trus Joist TJI joists with wood screws or lag screws. Examples of items commonly attached to the bottom
flange include furnaces, ductwork, bike racks, garage door motors/tracks, lights, etc. The information in this bulletin is not
appropriate for sprinkler attachments, which must comply with NFPA 13. For sprinkler details, refer to Weyerhaeusers Fire-Rated
Assemblies and Sprinkler Systems, reorder 1500.
Design considerations for bottom flange attachments include:
Maximum allowable bottom flange load is 500 lbs every 5 feet (250 lbs on each side of flange).
Minimum edge and end distances shall follow 2012 NDS guidelines.
Lead holes are required as follows:
o Lag screws " to " diameter = 50% of diameter.
o Wood screws larger than #8 = 70% of root diameter.
Withdrawal values shall be determined using a specific gravity, G, of 0.50 and taken as:
o Lag Screws: 2012 NDS Table 11.2A or W = 1800G (3 2 ) D (3 4 ) (lbs/in of thread penetration)
o Wood Screws: 2012 NDS Table 11.2B or W = 2850G 2 D (lbs/in of thread penetration)
Spacing of fasteners shall be taken as:
o Lag Screws: 2012 NDS Table 11.5.1E
o Wood Screws: 2012 NDS Table C11.1.5.7 or sufficient to prevent splitting of the flange.
Penetration into the web is permitted.
Loads applied or attached to the bottom flange must be accounted for in the design of the joist.
Table 1: Residential TJI Flange Sizes
Joist Series Minimum Flange Thickness (in) Flange Width (in)
TJI 110 1.25 1.75 Note: For sprinkler attachment
TJI 210 1.25 2.08 details, refer to 1500 (Fire-Rated
TJI 230 1.25 2.30 Assemblies and Sprinkler Systems)
TJI 360 1.375 2.30
TJI 560 1.375 3.50

Table 2: Common Screw Withdrawal Capacities

WMax(2) (lbs)
Fastener Lead Hole W(1) (in/lbs)
TJI 110 TJI 210, 230 TJI 360, 560
7 gauge Wood Screw 3/32" 107 134 134 147
8 gauge Wood Screw 3/32" 117 146 146 161
9 gauge Wood Screw 7/64" 126 158 158 173
10 gauge Wood Screw 7/64" 135 169 169 186
12 gauge Wood Screw 1/8" 154 193 193 212
14 gauge Wood Screw 9/64" 172 215 215 237
" Lag Screw3 1/8" 225 281 281 309
5/16" Lag Screw3 5/32" 266 - 333 366
" Lag Screw3 3/16" 305 - 381 419
7/16" Lag Screw3,4 7/32" 342 - 428 470
" Lag Screw3,4 1/4" 378 - 473 500(5)
1. Withdrawal capacity from 2012 NDS Tables 11.2A and 11.2B based on the fastener diameter and a specific gravity of 0.50. Capacity shown is in
pounds per inch of thread penetration into the main member, excluding the tapered tip of the fastener.
2. Maximum withdrawal capacity is based on the threaded portion of the fastener engaging the full thickness of the flange, which may not occur with many
fastener lengths and connection configurations.

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 TECHNICAL BULLETIN
TB-808 July 2015 (Expires 7/2017)
3. Clearance holes may not penetrate into the flange.
4. Requires a 10% reduction to design moment values.
5. Withdrawal capacity capped by the limit of 500 lbs for flange tear off.

Design Example:
Given:
TJI 230 joist series.
" x 1" lag screw thru " metal plate into bottom flange.
Find:
What is maximum withdrawal capacity of lag screw?
Solution:
From 2012 NDS Table L2, the dimensions for a " x 1" lag
screw are as follows: Figure 1: " x 1" Lag Screw
o H = 11/64"
o L = 1 "
o D = "
o Dr = 0.173"
o S = "
o T - E = 1 3/32"
o E = 5/32"
From Table 2, the reference design withdrawal value is 225 lbs/in of thread penetration.
From Table 1, the flange thickness of a TJI 230 joist is 1".
Determine the length of thread engaged in the flange:
o Determine if the screw shank dimension, S, penetrates into the flange. In this example, the screw dimension "S"
is the same as the metal side member, so the shank does not penetrate the main member.
o Determine length of thread in the main member. Since the shank is not in the main member, the amount of
thread in the main member is the dimension "T - E", 1 3/32". In this case, the flange thickness is greater than the
"T - E" dimension (1" > 13/32"), so "T E" is the length of thread engaged in the flange. Had the "T - E"
dimension been greater than the flange thickness, the flange thickness would be used as the length of thread
engaged. .
Lag screw capacity = 1 3/32" x 225 lbs/in = 245 lbs of withdrawal capacity.
Check end, edge, and spacing requirements per 2012 NDS:
o Minimum End Distance = 4D = 1"
o Minimum Edge Distance = 1.5D = 3/8"
o Minimum Spacing = 4D = 1"

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