For bored holes in joists, the minimum distance from the top or bottom surface of the joist is:

• A. 1 inch
• B. 2 inches
• C. 3 inches
• D. 4 inches

Answer: (B)

Holes in joists must be kept away from the faces to preserve strength. When a joist bends, the fibers near the top and bottom faces carry the most stress. If a hole is too close to either surface, the remaining wood around the hole is too small to resist bending and can crack or fail. Therefore, the edge of a bored hole should be at least two inches from the top or bottom surface of the joist. This distance helps maintain enough wood around the hole to carry loads. If you’re planning holes, also keep the hole diameter under about one-third of the joist depth and try to center the hole in the middle portion of the depth to maximize strength.