Sagging & Bouncy Floor Repair: Causes & Permanent Solutions

Some variation may be common in older homes, but a noticeable slope, a worsening dip or new movement should be evaluated. Age alone is not an explanation for structural supports beneath a floor settling, weakening or deteriorating. 

A number of SmartJack® installations can be completed in one or two days, although the schedule depends on the number of supports needed, crawl space access, structural damage, moisture conditions and whether additional repairs are required. 

SmartJack® supports can substantially reduce bounce when inadequate support beneath the beams or joists is causing the movement. We may also recommend supplemental beams or joist reinforcement when the framing itself lacks sufficient stiffness. 

Typically not. SmartJack® supports and supplemental beams go in from the crawl space or basement below, allowing the underlying support system to be repaired without tearing out finished floors. 

In many cases, SmartJack® supports can help raise sagging floor areas closer to their original position while permanently stabilizing the structure. The amount of correction depends on how long the floor has been sagging, the condition of the framing and how the home responds during repair. 

Not always, but growing movement should not be ignored. Severe bounce, soft spots, visible sagging, cracked flooring or related wall and door problems may indicate weakened structural components that could continue to deteriorate. 

In some cases, yes. Some sagging floors are caused by weakened crawl space framing, while others develop because part of the foundation has settled. Identifying the actual source takes a professional inspection of the floor system, crawl space and foundation. 

A bouncy floor usually means the joists or beams beneath it are flexing too much under weight. The framing may be undersized, spanned too far, weakened by moisture or no longer properly supported by the posts or foundation below. 

Sagging floors usually come down to weakened floor joists, settling support posts, damaged beams, crawl space moisture, wood rot or foundation settlement. As the structural system below the floor loses strength or support, the floor above begins to dip, slope or sit unevenly.