Structural

Blocking / Bridging

Structural · definition

Short pieces between joists or studs that stabilize members against twisting and distribute load. Often required at mid-span by code.

Source: HUD — Residential Structural Design Guide, Second Edition

  • Joist

    One of the repetitive horizontal members that support a floor or ceiling, spanning between beams or walls. Joist size, spacing, and direc…

  • Span

    The clear distance a member bridges between supports. Span tables (or an engineer) set the size and spacing required for a given load.

  • Stud

    A vertical framing member in a wall (typically 2x4 or 2x6) spaced 16 or 24 inches on center, forming the structure to which sheathing and…

  • Bowing Wall

    A foundation wall pushed inward by soil or hydrostatic pressure. Severity dictates the fix — straps, anchors, bracing, or rebuild.

  • Bearing Capacity

    How much load the soil can safely support. It sizes footings; weak soils require wider footings, piers, or ground improvement.

  • Cantilever

    A structural member extending beyond its support, loaded at the free end (e.g., a bumped-out floor or balcony). Backspan and connection a…

  • Basement Foundation

    A foundation with full-height usable space below grade. Offers expansion potential but adds waterproofing and egress requirements when fi…

  • Carbon Fiber Strap

    High-strength strips bonded to a bowing foundation wall to arrest further inward movement — a less invasive alternative to wall replaceme…

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

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