A horizontal timber member placed directly on top of a brick, stone, or timber wall to distribute the load of the floor or roof beams above it. It provides a flat, level surface for the joists or trusses to bear on, preventing the concentrated weight from crushing the underlying masonry.
Heard on the job
Make sure the raising piece is perfectly level and anchored into the brick before setting the floor joists.
Also heard as
- wall plate
Do not mix it up with
- Raising plate: A raising piece generally supports floor beams or heavy structural timbers, while a raising plate specifically supports the heels of roof rafters.