Under Tennessee building codes, what is the maximum allowable span for a 2x10 floor joist at 16 inches on center using Southern Pine lumber?
Correct Answer
A) 15 feet 2 inches
Tennessee building codes allow a maximum span of 15 feet 2 inches for 2x10 Southern Pine floor joists at 16 inches on center.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Tennessee adopts IRC span tables for Southern Pine, a high-density species group used widely in the Southeast. For a 2×10 (No. 2 Southern Pine) at 16-inch o.c. spacing under a 40 psf live load / 10 psf dead load assumption, the span table yields 15 feet 2 inches as the maximum allowable span.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B: 13 feet 8 inches
13 feet 8 inches corresponds to a heavier load assumption or wider spacing (e.g., 24 inches on center), or a lower lumber grade. It is a conservative but incorrect answer for the stated conditions.
Option C: 16 feet 2 inches
16 feet 2 inches exceeds the code-allowed span for this joist size, spacing, and species — selecting it would result in a deflection or structural failure risk under typical residential loading.
Option D: 14 feet 6 inches
14 feet 6 inches is plausible but does not match the IRC span table value for 2×10 Southern Pine at 16-inch o.c. It may correspond to a different species group or loading condition.
Memory Technique
Associate '2×10 at 16 o.c. Southern Pine' with the phrase 'fifteen-two' — the answer is 15 feet 2 inches. The '2' in the joist size (2×10) echoes the '2' in the span (15-2). Repeat: 2×10 → 15-2.
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