According to South Carolina building codes, what is the maximum allowable span for 2x10 floor joists at 16 inches on center using Southern Pine lumber?
Correct Answer
D) 16 feet 6 inches
South Carolina building code span tables show 2x10 Southern Pine joists at 16" o.c. can span up to 16 feet 6 inches for residential floor loads.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
South Carolina building code span tables for Southern Pine 2x10 floor joists at 16 inches on center (o.c.) indicate a maximum allowable span of 16 feet 6 inches for standard residential floor loads. This value is derived from the IRC span tables adopted by South Carolina.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 17 feet 8 inches
17 feet 8 inches exceeds the allowable span for 2x10 Southern Pine joists at 16" o.c. under standard residential floor loading. This span would require a larger member size or reduced spacing to be code-compliant.
Option B: 15 feet 4 inches
15 feet 4 inches is below the actual allowable span and would be overly conservative. This figure might be confused with spans for smaller lumber sizes (e.g., 2x8) or wider spacing (e.g., 24" o.c.).
Option C: 14 feet 2 inches
14 feet 2 inches is significantly below the allowable span for 2x10 Southern Pine at 16" o.c. This span might apply to a smaller joist size or a different lumber species with lower allowable stress values.
Memory Technique
For 2x10 Southern Pine at 16" o.c.: think '16-6 for the 10' — the joist depth (10 inches) gives roughly 16-6 of span. As a rough rule, floor joist spans in feet are often close to the nominal depth in inches, adjusted for spacing and species. Southern Pine is a strong species, supporting longer spans.
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