Submitted by mejelic t3_z668k4 in DIY

I would like to put my projector on / in my ceiling. The need to put it "in" the ceiling is so that I can get the projection size that I want at the height that I want.

My problem is that my projector is wider than my floor joist space. Can I notch out the floor joist where my projector would be and reinforce it with the joists next to it?

Part of what worries me is that this is at the end of the board where it goes into the center where everything is held up by metal joists.

See the link to understand my current thinking...

https://imgur.com/a/gJNN2fD

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Comments

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BdaBng t1_ixzl4as wrote

Could it be done correctly…most likely. You should absolutely consult with a structural engineer to make sure that joist can be modified in that area.

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schribes7762 t1_ixzlql5 wrote

No.

Your floor joist is sitting atop your wall, which is supporting the weight of your floor above. Adding the supports shown in blue will not provide much support to the joist where you cut it. You risk having some serious sag in the floor above, or structural failure at worst.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is much you can do in this instance.

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partyongarth788 t1_ixzlx3u wrote

If the blue represents the new supports & the black is what you are cutting out, you have an issue. The supports won't support what you are cutting out. It MIGHT be doable if you can add joist parallel to the cut one but any time you adjust the actual support structure, you need some professional advice from an engineering direction.

I'm also confused by how placing a projector that high will angle the image correctly. Yes, I know they have electronic keystone correction.

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jasonkohles t1_ixznync wrote

Given the screen in the wall in the bottom half of the picture I’m guessing it’s a short-throw projector, which get mounted directly above the screen and project mostly down rather than the more traditional kind that get mounted away from the screen and project forward towards the screen.

They’re just trying to avoid moving the top of the screen down to provide space for the projector.

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derphurr t1_ixzo4rc wrote

Nope, that's the entire end of the joist, which is supported by that wall.

You could probably notch an opening in the wall and mount projected on opposite side of wall and light goes through opening.

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skee8888 t1_ixzomtn wrote

Definitely doable, but I’m not going to give you structural advice…. Double up both joist on both sides cut out the middle add some hangers and a new beam to support the middle joist….

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iaintlyon t1_ixzp74f wrote

JFC don’t do that lol

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Tigger3-groton t1_ixzp99q wrote

I’d look for alternatives, modifying the house support structure isn’t something to take lightly. For example, can you hang the projector just below the floor joist?

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whyunoletmepost t1_ixzpkmv wrote

It's prob cheaper and easier to just buy a smaller/different spec projector since doing this right would involve at least 1-2k to have an engineer make sure it works plus another 1k for labor and parts . Easy 2-3k for the whole project and a good projector is only 1-2k.

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LtArson t1_ixzplko wrote

Just buy a ceiling mount that lets it hang down a bit so it's below the joists

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icosahedronics t1_ixzqe9f wrote

it is possible if you hire a professional to review the changes to the foor framing and design a new load path, but that is a lot of work just to mount a projector. i'd find a new way to do it.

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concretemike t1_ixzqzqx wrote

Contact a Structural Engineer.....$500 visit could save you thousands in structural damage repairs by compromosing a joist, near a structural wall.....seen it dozens of times over the years....always expensive to fix!!!!

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imoutohere t1_ixzsdlb wrote

That can easily be done. Sounds like you have zero experience. Call a carpenter. He can sister each joist on either side of the joist that you want cut out. Then he will head the joist off with hangers etc. I don’t know if the prize is worth the price though.

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adzling t1_ixzufc7 wrote

tl:dr get a narrower projector.

will cost less than what you are thinking of doing, and will not result in your house falling down.

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lollroller t1_ixzv1ot wrote

I’ve never seen a projector mounted in a ceiling, other than lifts to conceal when not using.

How many inches of throw do you think you will gain by doing this? I can’t imagine much, if any.

And how does this get you the height you need? Most modern projectors can project from just up any position at all, ceiling, wall, table, etc…?

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2muchtimewastedhere t1_ixzv9h3 wrote

Don't do it. You can get a lens to put in front of the projector to change the output size. I don't know where to get them, but I have seen them in use on home theaters

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Lamacorn t1_ixzw86m wrote

At least not as a DIY.

An actual structural engineer could probably map the loading out and come up with a plan including metal I beams and all sorts of other expensive stuff… $40k later, OP can recess the projector.

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SaverioJames t1_ixzwn1c wrote

Are you willing to put columns on either side of the projector? If so, you could try running a single cross brace where you have blue lines, put columns on either side, then tie the cut end into that.

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neweiss t1_ixzwqae wrote

That could cause severe damage to the house without a structural engineer and probably a very expensive contractor. Are you finishing the ceiling as part of this project? If so, it might be short-sited to do this for a extreme short throw projector. If not, I would consider whatever you have temporary since you might want to redo the space in the future to be “finished”.

I would recommend either putting the short throw on a small cabinet underneath the screen, getting a slightly smaller screen, or looking at a standard throw projector swap. All of those would be cheaper than hiring a structural engineer to facilitate moving ceiling joists.

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knifebork t1_ixzwqmc wrote

No, as others have said. Here's another reason why not. Up in a mostly enclosed box, your projector might not have proper ventilation and might overheat.

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Arcade80sbillsfan t1_ixzx3m3 wrote

Terrible idea. Get a mount and mount it. There will be settings to adjust focus, keystone etc.(even if you have to mount upside down).

Don't mess with load bearing joists for a pet project.

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tackstackstacks t1_ixzx5ku wrote

Don't touch anything structural, especially doing it yourself. You can have someone come out and figure out a way to resupport around that joist, but at that point you'll be spending enough money where you may as well just buy a laser TV. Those are much higher quality than a projector anyhow.

In fact this would be a great way to justify buying one to your SO.

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hunterxy t1_ixzx9ik wrote

No fam, you dont remove structural elements. You figure out a way to put the projector lower and deal with it.

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visualvector t1_ixzxbro wrote

BETWEEN your floor joists is far wiser.

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jstar77 t1_ixzxecc wrote

I fully understand that this may not be a reasonable option.

Unless you have a huge room, I'd never build a home theater around a projector these days. I'd ditch the projector, even a medium quality LCD will provide better results than most home theater projectors. 86" LCDs are affordable and while you may sacrifice some size the viewing experience is going to be better.

If you stick with the projector don't notch the floor joist, lower the projector and screen if necessary.

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One-monkey t1_ixzy0tl wrote

This is how I’d do it. Where the shortened joist is And you have blue sketched in that blue should be a continuous piece with joist hangers at either and and at the middle to connect the shortened joist. Then I’d also drive some screws through the ends just because I have a box full in the garage.

But this is in no way professional advice and if you’re concerned have someone do calcs for you.

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braymondo t1_ixzy404 wrote

So to do this properly you will need to head out the joists which means where your blue marks are you would run a double floor joist from joist to joist and “heading” off the joist you want to notch you would then do the same thing on the other side creating your desired space for your projector. Everything would need joist hangers. I will add the fact that you are asking this question means that you should get someone who knows what they are doing to at the very least come look at this because I can tell you the proper way to frame this but there can be any number of reasons you shouldn’t do this and I have a single picture to go off.

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FabianVG t1_ixzyvjj wrote

You would have to sister the floor joists on either side for the full run and then box frame it, so I wouldn't recommend that.

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FeloniousFunk t1_ixzyz1c wrote

Hilarious. You absolutely can and it’s carpentry 101. /r/DIY, you should be ashamed of yourselves for lying to OP.

OP, this is structural work and you should fully educate yourself on what can go wrong before attempting this but it’s not a big deal. Shore up the joist with a vertical 2x4 to prevent sag when you cut the joist and use hangers on the new header (joist than runs perpendicular). Sistering the adjacent joists is an option but not every case, that’s the only thing that would cost a bit.

https://codes.iccsafe.org/s/IRC2015/chapter-5-floors/IRC2015-Pt03-Ch05-SecR502.10

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PristinePineapple1 t1_ixzz0vu wrote

how does putting the projector higher up increase your picture size? why not just put it right below the joists so you get a more straight on picture? and presumably your projector is right above a couch anyway so is the additional 6 inches really going to save you anything at all?

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hillycan t1_iy00ltg wrote

Please don’t do that. If you absolutely need the projector to go there, call a structural engineer. This will likely cost anywhere from $1k-6k. If you notch that joist, you will have a saggy floor; it’s just a matter of when it will happen.

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NiteSwine t1_iy01xu5 wrote

You would be better off buying a projector that would fit between the joists than the trouble of making what you have fit. And, if it fits but it’s slightly off center, know that any good projector can adjust for an off set mounting location.

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Chilitime t1_iy0229h wrote

Go ahead and cut the floor joist. There’s plenty of other joists holding it all together. It’ll be fine.

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squee_goblin_nabob t1_iy03glv wrote

Cheaper and easier overall to just get an ultrashort throw projector if you want an image larger than an 85" oled TV

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Rubbytumpkins t1_iy04hn8 wrote

Yea i know right, all the ppl in this thread panicking. This is an easy and common problem that carpenters face every day while dealing with joists interfering with plumbing etc.

Call a professional, yes what you want can be done and not all that expensive. Would take me about 20 mins to do what you need. But, I am a professional.

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TragicNut t1_iy04ihs wrote

Speaking as an aerospace engineer, I'd strike out "could probably." It is definitely possible, but it sure won't be cheap.

Edit: far cheaper for OP to just buy a projector with the optics that will give them their desired screen geometry with the projector sanely mounted.

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Blacknight841 t1_iy04k2k wrote

Technical answer is yes…. Should you, probably not.

Unless you are hiding an engineering degree that you haven’t disclosed, you should find a professional to look at it.

That said, you can remove that joist, as long as there is enough support on the neighboring joists to appropriately handle the load. This may include strengthening the neighboring joists, or moving them.

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gdubh t1_iy04rb3 wrote

This will work great if you want the people upstairs to be able to watch what your projecting too.

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is_In_the_know t1_iy04uhe wrote

A smaller projector would be cheapest in the long run.

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PristinePineapple1 t1_iy05q6e wrote

i see, that changes things. but no i would not cut out floor joists without consulting a structural engineer. you may just have to sacrifice the depth of the projector or look into a normal throw projector

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mec2012 t1_iy05sd9 wrote

I’ve seen dumb questions on here… this one though, tops the list. Bet OP still does it.

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solitudechirs t1_iy06fs8 wrote

I almost want to say I can’t believe this is the only reasonable comment among 20 clueless “you need to consult a structural engineer”s, but at this point I’m not surprised that so many people with no idea what they’re talking about still think they need to say something. This is a problem that can be fixed for probably under $100 in material and an hour of work if you’re being generous (excluding time spent moving existing furniture and such out of the way).

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ten-million t1_iy073fv wrote

I think I would sister the first and third joist and head off the second. Not too big of a job depending on stuff we can’t see. Pretty common job. I get the impression the OP is willing to spend the money to do this.

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reesea17 t1_iy07fsu wrote

Everyone is saying no, however this can be done if you do it right.

You’ll have to support that joist from below with a few 2x4’s before you do anything, having one on a bottle jack would also likely be a good idea.

What you need to do here is cut the offending joist to the desired location and add in a doubled up 2x6 (or 2x8 whatever matches the current joists) spanning the gap between both adjoining joists to act as a header.

In this case you’ll need to use joist hangers on the end of the cut joist and the ends of the new header beam. Probably easier to see a picture so it’ll look pretty similar to the photos in this link.

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reesea17 t1_iy07w1e wrote

You’re so off the money here it isn’t even funny. Look up building codes. This can easily be done and for very cheap. Maybe if they don’t have the experience or know how it’s not possible for them to do alone, but this is not a $40k job requiring metal I beams. It just requires the installation of a header joist where the cut will be made.

Use this link to see how it’s done. I’ve done this multiple times myself on projects.

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vagalumes t1_iy083qy wrote

Structural engineer here: noooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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squee_goblin_nabob t1_iy0a5gh wrote

If that's your center channel speaker, which is centered to the screen. Just mount the projector in the space between the joists slightly recessed where the ceiling will be. I wouldn't touch that joist at all

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Stefanz454 t1_iy0b9jq wrote

I’ve done that with engineering approval. Depending on the width of the projector I’ve sistered joists next to the one cut and headered each end of the joist cut to the sistered joist. Depending on subfloor thickness and span rating and dead and live load above would determine the max span in the cut

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elSuavador t1_iy0bhuw wrote

We do stuff like this for toilets all the time, but the blue joists would run through, be doubled, and hang off the joists on the sides, then you would hang the trimmed joist off the hanger.

You would also probably want to block off between joists above the wall which will help the joist that continues beyond the wall to stay upright and help take the weight of whatever is above the wall.

Make sure that there is no structure above the piece of the joist you are taking out.

Re-route that electrical wire to the other side of the joist so that it doesn’t get in the way of the hanger and header.

If that sounds beyond your ability the get a professional to do it. And since they will cost as much as a new projector, then just buy a new projector that throws the distance that you need it to.

Before any of that: read your projectors manual in case you’re missing something that will allow you to adjust the projection to the space you have.

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dbto t1_iy0d3zo wrote

You can almost always get the desired size and height with a good projector ideally-mounted and with the correct lens

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whyunoletmepost t1_iy0d4q9 wrote

Might be worth it then. Check craigslist for engineering options if you want to go cheaper but there is possible trade off with time or quality. Do a google search if you are good to pay closer to the 3k total and chances are it will go faster and be a better design. Make sure to only pay 50% max up front or they might take forever to finish.

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bartz824 t1_iy0deyr wrote

I've worked in construction for 20+ years and have had to get engineered fixes to reframe around HVAC and/or plumbing in similar situations.

You're best bet is to double up your existing floor joists to the right and left of the intended joist to be cut. These need to run full length from one bearing point to the other. Buy yourself some 3 inch and 1-1/2 inch wide joist hangers from a nearby home improvement store, 4 of the 3 inch wide and 2 of the 1-1/2 wide hangers. Looks like 2x10 joists so make sure the hangers are at least 8 inches tall. Temporarily support the joist to be cut with a 2x4 down to the floor. Cut your intended joist as needed to create the pocket for the projector. Place a 2 ply 2x10 (or 2x8, it needs to be the same height as existing joist) across each end of the cut joist in-between the exciting joists so that everything is perpendicular and square. Temporarily attach with screws or nails. Attach one 3 inch wide hanger to each existing doubled up joist with 2-1/2 inch joist hanger nails or joist hanger screw. Do not use any other kind of nail or screw with these hangers. Finally attach the 1-1/2 inch wide hangers around the joist that was cut to the side of the new 2 ply joist header, again using joist hanger nails or joist hanger screws.

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reesea17 t1_iy0gp08 wrote

Thanks. Doesn’t seem others do, but then again, anyone can give advice on Reddit and it’s simply easier to say no when they don’t actually know what they’re talking about.

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benjacob30 t1_iy0jirm wrote

Jesus the structural engineers must have a smile on their face when people want to call them for every little project. I’m an engineer, but not licensed for structural. Sure wish I was. This is an easy fix and one that in the past was done by a carpenter. No need to over think this.

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benjacob30 t1_iy0kibk wrote

It’s ridiculous. The comments here are so far off from reality. And decent framing carpenter could knock this out in a day and it would have no effect on the structural integrity of the home.

I agree though that it’s not very practical to be installing such a projector.

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ad34 t1_iy0kpfg wrote

I’m in cali not licensed for structural but you can stamp off as civil. Don’t practice anymore but these little ones were my fav side gigs. A little calc package with my stamp and leave me out of the other bs. the structural liability for this is low since it’s just gravity.

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mrfattbill t1_iy0mdmg wrote

What projector is it and what is the screen size you are aiming for?

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Interesting-Dish8894 t1_iy0ndud wrote

I would only do it after an engineer bought off in it and I’ll add an electrical sub panel without getting a permit so it isn’t like I’m mr rule follower

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Crispien t1_iy0qfuh wrote

Quick way to condemn your own home.

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Builder_Maker t1_iy0qwke wrote

Put down the YouTube DIY’s . That’s enough internet for you for today.

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captainteabarbie t1_iy0rn2m wrote

No, get an ultra short throw instead. It’s cheaper than it would cost you to fix the problem you would create

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CyberNinja23 t1_iy0th1v wrote

The joist are structurally important, why risk it to install a projector you’re probably going to use about a dozen times.

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Lamacorn t1_iy0tygd wrote

Thanks for sharing the link. Good info.

Though I would still say this is not a DIY job and I would still be good to get an engineer in there to since code assumes everything else is to code…

And price really depends on location.

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reesea17 t1_iy0uojp wrote

You’re welcome. Price does depend on location.

In my opinion, DIY is all in the skill of the individual. YouTube has become an incredible resource in teaching and learning building skills. This job is honestly very simple in the end and only truly requires a hammer, a circular saw (preferably a miter saw), a drill, time, and guts (potentially a sawzall to remove the nails from the sub flooring to the joist top as well, although once cut on both ends it could likely just be pried out).

Sometimes the reason little jobs like this cost so much is because of their simplicity. They’ll charge more for the inconvenience if completing such a quick job. Not saying it’s right. Just what happens.

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Lamacorn t1_iy0vmhg wrote

That’s very true, I’ve definitely done quite a few DIY that most people would not consider DIY. OP just didn’t strike me as a DIYer with much actual construction experience.

The whole project honestly seems kinda weird. If you want a nice movie room where the audio sounds great, you might want to start with a ceiling rather than open joists, but that’s just me. There is a reason movie theater walls have a fabric coating.

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Big-Spend-2915 t1_iy0vqje wrote

Too many to read through. Yes it can be done. You will have to sister in another joist full length on both sides of the one you want to cut. Maybe even triple it depending on the span.
Next, where your wanting to cut out, you will need to double up both sides. That way your box is strong enough. Will need to also incorporate joist hangers on this too. Now, by moving the projector up those few inches and then literally putting a wall in front of it, is that going to do you any good?

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mejelic OP t1_iy0zi3x wrote

I agree, the technical skill involved is very low here. I was more concerned in making sure that there WAS a proper way to handle this situation.

I may not have done the drawing 100% right, but I assumed that it would be similar in how I boxed out the hole in the rafters of my shed (per the plans). This is holding a bit more weight than my shed's roof though.

Sistering up the two joists to the left and right makes sense and what I expected was what would be needed. Thanks for the info!

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Big-Spend-2915 t1_iy0zoir wrote

Ok. Also, under where the sistered up joists are, put at least 2 if not 3 two X into the wall underneath to act as a post. That will help with the extra weight transfer.

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mejelic OP t1_iy10c0x wrote

I built a shed in the spring with a friend and solo renoed my master bathroom (took it down to the studs and redid some plumbing). That's not including the projects I did with my dad growing up which includes taking the unfinished 2nd floor of our garage and turning it into a studio apartment. So I wouldn't say that I have 0 experience....

Skill wise this would be super easy, I just wanted to make sure that what I wanted to do isn't super crazy.

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knoxvilleNellie t1_iy12gab wrote

Double headers and metal hangers. Support the cut joist while you are doing it. It’s a pretty basic framing job.

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tackstackstacks t1_iy12ypl wrote

I'm sorry, that is what I meant. So few people aware of them that any time I read projector I just assume they are talking about LED or LCD projectors. My bad. However if that's what you have, why not build a box to protect it and either set it on the floor or mount it to the wall really low, or within a console that will protect it? Iis it just that you don't want to give up floor space?

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mejelic OP t1_iy149v5 wrote

I have a console that is under the screen that has a built in electric fireplace in it. Unfortunately, the console sits too high for me to get a 120" picture with the ceiling height that I have.

I may have to end up getting (or building) a different console though.

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mejelic OP t1_iy15cwh wrote

I have almost $1300 in materials sitting in a home Depot shopping cart that would be everything needed to finish out this portion of my basement. The only reason it hasn't been finished yet is because I have been waiting over a year to get geothermal heating installed which would have required me to rip apart a finished basement to do. Now that that project is complete, I can finish out my basement and have a nice home theater experience.

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jasonkohles t1_iy1ast5 wrote

One option you might consider is that some short throw projectors can also be mounted below the screen projecting up. If yours has that option you could potentially put it behind the furniture.

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Ottoclav t1_iy1ham5 wrote

What OP is trying to accomplish isn’t really that different from boxing out an attic entry or attic pull down ladder well. With the right guidance and tool proficiency, could be a piece of cake.

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mejelic OP t1_iy1m65y wrote

Yeah, that is how I have it now. The problem is that it has to be so low to the ground to get the size that I want that it is very inconvenient. I would have to either make something or get something custom made for it to be an ideal height.

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03223 t1_iy1shic wrote

Agree. No 'problem' to do it. Note that, as shown in diagram, adjacent joists should be doubled to meet code. (If you didn't double them, would it fall down, probably not, but it might me more bouncy walking there than if you did it right.)

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AdagioAble t1_iy26tbc wrote

Don't do it! You'll have to reinforce that section and you'll have jack posts in the way.

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gendabenda t1_iy2eamt wrote

OP are you not finishing the ceiling off?

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Osito6292 t1_iy2hqud wrote

What’s on the floor above it? And how long is the span. You could probably do it if you if you hanger a header in-between the two joists, where you have the blue drawn, and hanger the joist you are notching into the header, and same thing on the other side of the notch. Or better yet. Add a joist on each side of the joist you want to notch to where the projector would fit and then hanger in between those two joists. There is a lot of other information I’d need before saying to go for it. Also you might make a floor squeak above it, depending on what you do.

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AngryD09 t1_iy2jnyz wrote

Don't listen to these naysayers. All you need is a chainsaw and some sandpaper and you're good.

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mejelic OP t1_iy3afp3 wrote

This is in the basement, above it is the utility wall that takes things like plumbing, HVAC, and electrical to the 2nd floor.

From other comments, it seems like the appropriate way here is to sister up the side joists and then create a box where I need to remove the joist.

I might even add some blocking between the joists for further support.

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gendabenda t1_iy5e4wx wrote

Why not go the other way and embed it into a floor unit like a table or TV stand etc? I've seen a few people do it with a glass top and it looks slick as hell and won't compromise your floor.

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mejelic OP t1_iy5fb5i wrote

I was trying to work around a piece of furniture that is already on the floor there, but when going over reno plans an hour or so ago, my wife informed me that I don't have to work around that piece.

At this point I will likely custom build a cabinet for the projector.

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knifebork t1_iy7053w wrote

I got to wondering. Just how tall/thick is this projector? And just how close MUST it be to the wall? And how high is the ceiling and how far away will you sit?

Is there any chance it won't obstruct your view even if it is mounted to the ceiling without screwing around with joists? How does the manufacturer recommend mounting it?

1