Water shield reinforcing member for floor joists

Claim 1

A reinforcing, water shield device for insertion over a top edge of a joist member as part of a wood deck structure, said deck structure including: at least one joist member useful for supporting the wood deck or other outdoor structure which may be exposed to water; an elongate channel of rectangular cross-section inserted around an upper edge of the joist member, and having a composition of sufficiently high modulus of elasticity so as to substantially add to the longitudinal rigidity of the joist member; the channel having a width dimension corresponding to a width of a joist member and; a height dimension sufficient, in combination with the modulus of elasticity of the channel, to provide increased rigidity to the joist member; the channel having a length substantially coextensive and continuous with the length of the joist member; said channel including diverging wing members coupled to channel side walls and along the length of the elongate channel and being configured to extend outward from the joist member to direct water away from the joist member; and means for rigidly securing the device to a joist member which has been fully inserted within the channel.

Claim 13

A method for protecting a floor support joist member in a wood deck structure from water damage and for strengthening the joist member beyond its inherent stiffness, said method comprising: a) selecting at least one floor joist member useful for supporting the wood deck or other structure which may be exposed to water, said joist member to be included in subflooring support; b) selecting an elongate channel of comparable rectangular cross-section and diverging wing members extending downward from side walls of the channel which are capable of deflecting water away from the floor joist member when it is inserted within the channel, which channel has a composition of sufficiently high modulus of elasticity so as to substantially add to the longitudinal rigidity of said joist member when it is so inserted, which channel also has a width dimension corresponding to a width of the joist member and a height dimension sufficient, in combination with the modulus of elasticity of the channel, to provide increased rigidity to the joist member when it is so inserted; c) inserting an upper edge of the floor joist member within the channel in a seated position and to a sufficient depth to supply load bearing, beam support from the channel to the floor joist; and d) rigidly securing the floor joist in the seated position within the channel.

Claim 14

A method for protecting a floor support joist member in a wood deck structure from water damage and for strengthening the joist member beyond its inherent stiffness, said method comprising: a) selecting at least one floor joist member useful for supporting the wood deck or other structure which may be exposed to water, said joist member to be included in subflooring support; b) selecting an elongate channel of comparable rectangular cross-section and diverging wing members extending downward from side walls of the channel which are capable of deflecting water away from the floor joist member when it is inserted within the channel, which channel has a composition of sufficiently high modulus of elasticity so as to substantially add to the longitudinal rigidity of said joist member when it is so inserted, which channel also has a width dimension corresponding to a width of the joist member and a height dimension sufficient, in combination with the modulus of elasticity of the channel, to provide increased rigidity to the joist member when it is so inserted; c) inserting an upper edge of the floor joist member within the channel in a seated position and to a sufficient depth to supply load bearing, beam support from the channel to the floor joist; and d) rigidly securing the floor joist in the seated position within the channel.