Joisties Fitting Tool | Steel Joists

Installing steel-framed floor insulation is simple with Joisties and Joisties Fitting Tools.

Joisties are semi-rigid boards designed to hold insulation in place under steel-framed floors while fixing the thermal bridging of a steel frame. Handy magnetic fitting tools help fit Joisties in the correct position and ensure they’re accurately aligned.

Steel framed home constructions are a great choice with many worthwhile benefits. However the floors in a steel-framed house can be challenging to install insulation. They conduct heat away from the floor, which can leave you feeling cold and uncomfortable in winter and they absorb more heat through the floor in summer leaving you hot and clammy, which can often be detrimental to your health in extremely hot climates or heat waves.

Turning up heating or cooling can be a costly way to try and get comfortable.

Insulation can’t be stapled to steel joists and up until ecoMaster invented Joisties this was a challenge for DIYers.

ecoMaster has drawn on 20 years of expertise installing insulation to create Joisties for steel-framed floors. The innovative insulation system is one of the highest-rated under floor solutions in the world for steel frames.

Joisties are made of polyester fibres compressed into firm boards. Premium Joisties Adhesive is applied to the Joisties.

Magnetic Joisties Fitting Tools snap onto the sides of box or C section steel joists to help position and align the Joisties boards. The Joisties Fitting Tools are strong enough to stay steady while fitting the Joisties, but are easy to remove and click into the next spot.

Once the Joisties are in place, it’s a simple job to install polyester insulation rolls.

Joisties create a steel frame thermal break so your entire floor is insulated effectively. They’re low cost, DIY-friendly with no mess or fuss. As a bonus, you can return intact and glue-free Joisties Fitting Tools for a 50% refund on the purchase price!

Joisties Fitting Tools are designed to make installation of Joisties easy and accurate to avoid the guess work, wasted time and stress. Follow the step-by-step instructions for insulating steel framed floors and enjoy a comfy house in every season.

Features:

• Powerful magnets strong enough to hold Joisties in the right position while the adhesive sets.
• Easy to position and reposition.
• Robust.
• Designed and manufactured in Australia.

Benefits:

• Can be used on box sections, C section floor joists and C section steel beams.
• Easily positions and holds Joisties in the correct place while the adhesive sets.
• Assists with accurate installation so insulation works effectively, which helps to regulate indoor temperatures and improve energy efficiency all year round.
• Intact, glue-free Joisties Fitting Tools can be returned after use, for 50% refund on the purchase price.

Remember to check all specifications; warnings and instruction videos first to make sure products are suitable for your home.

Browse our ecoMasterClass pages for more videos and articles on underfloor insulation. Explore a range of topics on creating an energy efficient home.

While some people work without fitting tools, it is harder to align Joisties so that they support insulation on both sides of the joist. These low-cost magnetic tools make a big difference in achieving an effective result so you gain the most benefit with the least fuss.

What you will need:

• Two Joisties Fitting Tools.
• Joisties.
• Joisties Adhesive.
• Polyester Insulation rolls.

Hacks:

• Use two Joisties Fitting Tools to save time and achieve the best outcome.
• Intact and glue-free Joisties Fitting Tools can be returned after use for a 50% refund.

How to fit Joisties with the Joisties fitting tools:

Our Part 3 of the 5 part series of installing Joisties demonstrates how to fit Joisties with the Joisties Fitting Tools.

Q: What are Joisties made of?
A: Joisties are made of polyester fibres compressed into a firm board.

Q: What R-Value are Joisties?
A: Joisties provide the standard thermal break for steel building elements of approximately R0.2 

Q: Why do I need insulation as well as Joisties?
A: Joisties insulate the steel joists and hold the insulation in place. Joisties do not insulate your floor, they only insulate the joists themselves. You will still need bulk insulation to put between the joists.  

Q: How do I install Joisties?
A: Click this link (video) so see how to install Joisties. 

Q: What’s so special about the Joistie adhesive?
A: The Joistie adhesive has two very important qualities. Firstly, it’s low VOC. This makes it safe to use even in low ventilation spaces. Secondly, it has a very high “grab” so that means that once you stick the Joistie up, it will stay up. That makes it easy to get the job done. 

Q: Can I use Liquid Nails instead of your more expensive adhesive?
A: Yes you can but we don’t recommend it. It will be much messier and take much longer.  Liquid nails will not hold up a Joistie straight out of the cartridge. You will need to undertake the “contact adhesive method”. That is, apply the adhesive to the Joistie, stick it up, take it down, allow the adhesive to go tack free, (5 to 10 minutes) and then re-stick the Joistie up.  Also, Liquid Nails is high VOC so is not safe in a low ventilation space. 

Q: Must I use your Joistie fitting tools?
A: No, you can fit Joisties without the fitting tools. Aligning the Joisties along the joists so that they support the insulation on both sides of the joist will be much harder without the tools, but it can be done. 

Q: How long does it take for the Joistie adhesive to set?
A: We recommend you leave it at least 24 hours before fitting the polyester underfloor rolls. 

Q: How can I trim Joisties to length or to go around pipes and wires?
A: Joisties are easily cut with a sharp utility knife. When trimming to length, use another Joistie lapped over the one you are trimming. This will provide you a square guide to trim by.  Rebates are also easily cut using a knife. 

Q: How many Joisties are in a box?
A: Each box contains 20 Joisties. Each Joistie is 1m long so one box will cover 20 lineal metres of joists. 

Q: How can I work out how many Joisties I will need?
A: Each Joistie is 1m in length. Measure the length of the joists and multiply by the number of joists to get the total lineal metres required. There will likely be sections of your floor with different length joists. It’s a good idea to make a sketch and write on your drawing the length and count of joists in each section of floor. 

Q: How do I know how much adhesive I will need?
A: One cartridge of adhesive is enough for about 30 Joisties if you follow the recommended pattern of adhesive. It’s prudent to order an extra tube just in case you over apply adhesive. 

Q: Are the powerful magnets on the fitting tools safe?
A: Under normal circumstances the magnets are safe. If you have a pacemaker or other bodily electronics or artificial joints it’s best to check with your medical professional first. 

Q: How do I calculate how many joisties are needed?
A: Each Joistie is 1m in length. Measure the length of the joists and multiply by the number of joists to get the total lineal metres required. There will likely be sections of your floor with different length joists. It’s a good idea to make a sketch and write on your drawing the length and count of joists in each section of floor.