And here you thought you were walking on sunshine.

The joist is the last part of our series on house framing terms.

There are both floor joists and ceiling joists. In the absence of flooring and drywall, they will look similar.

Joists make up the bulk of the framing in the floors and ceilings. They transfer the load from the floors or ceiling to the walls, girders, and bands.

Floor joists are what the subfloor and flooring attach to. They are what hold up the floors and what we walk around on. In the ceiling, they are what the drywall attaches to.

Joists have seen some of the most technological developments or changes. The need for larger rooms and open floor plans led to stronger products for longer joist spans. Engineered lumber products like I-joists and web trusses have allowed for bigger spans. They have also made it easier to install pipes, wires, and ducts without weakening the joists.