Studding in Basement

I have my basement about 2/3 the way studded with 2 X 3's and forgot to use pressure treated lumber on the bottom plate. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from rotting out. I used a heavy bead of Liquid Nails underneath and don't want to rip this out. My house sits on a ridge and has never seen water or moisture in 6 years. I have an interior drain also that has never seen water. Could I coat this with some kind of primer or water resistant sealer? Please help.

 

ken7,

Yu know that saying, "day late and a dollar short" - Well it's too late to do anything that would remedy this. With what you have done, you can't just seal, caulk or do much. When moisture gets under it and it will, and wherever the wood touches the floor even if you used alot of Liquid Nails, it will be a problem. Nothing worse that a mildew or mold problem just waiting to happen. I'd strongly consider replacing the plates with W/T. You already knew this but so much for wishful thinking. There is no easy remedy for this.

Sorry, good luck!

 

Thanks Doug. Yes I already knew the answer, but I thought I would ask anyway. Remember there is no such thing as a dumb question; "Well in this case, maybe there was".

Thanks for your time. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

I think I might make this hard job a little easier. Instead of ripping alot of wood out, I would run a saw across the bottom of the studs, and just slip in a pressure treated plate.

 

Ken,

Sawzall with long blade to cut nails and below 2x - it might get gummed up but this may be easier! Get alot of blades!

Good Luck!

 

"Nothing worse that a mildew or mold problem just waiting to happen."

Treated wood will not prevent mildew or mold from forming. There are lots of green slimmy decks around here where the trees are heavy. See if you can treat them in place. A friend did the same thing and AHJ let him do that. Sort of stank up the house a little, but easier than tearing everything out.

 

Brickeyee,

What do you reccomend to use on the wood to seal it with?


Jack and Doug,

If I did cut the nails, what about the Liquid nail caulk? Will a big freakin hammer work for that with a cold chisel? Any suggestions would be great.

 

ken7,

I would not try and treat your existing lumber - you can't guarantee that it will all be treated, the process can nowhere come near to the rating of processed lumber, even brickeyee can't!

Code says W/T stock for any area touching concrete/masonry surfaces..period! You don't want you standard wood prematurely rotting due to the fact that this will act as a wick for water and it will get destroyed and anything else...like drywall where mold and mildew will spread like wildfire. How you do the rest of the finish work as I have posted befoer will keep you safe and warm.

brickeyee, we are talking about inside humidity levels which are far less than outside and green slimy stuff outside is usually in severe shadows with a high moisture content!

After you remove the existing plate, you may want to use a wide blade wood chisel, something rigid and sharp and scrape away.
This should go realtively fast then repalce the plate with W/T, toe nail your studs in place.

Hope this helps!

 

im thinking but if you took 2 metal "galvanized" scored off one of the sides on each of them and slid them underneath. to get that liquid nail stuff, get some denatured alcohol and let it soak. it will soften it up then get a sawsall clean it up a bit under there and stick your prepared galvanized studs underneath.
no?

oh yeah denatured alcohol will evaporate quickly just like any other alcohol but it will soften the glue up for good. just get some tapcon screws and call it a day.

 

So it is wet enough to require P/T, but not enough to grow mold. I know the decks are more extreme, but it was an example to show thet PT does not prevent mold. PT prevents the wood itself from rotting only. Many places do not require P/T for basement 'trim' walls, only structural members in contact with concrete. And there is usually a height above grade distance specified also, though this does not apply to him since he is below grade. Ask the AHJ what they are willing to accept.

 

brickeyee,

I guess you haven't heard that PA does abide by the IRC rules and W/T lumber is required in the formation of partition walls within a basement, load and non-load bearing.

The Code is explicit, any wood in contact with cement/masonry surfaces must be of W/T stock - this doesn't just apply to structural issues.

I agree, have Ken7 check with what is required in his area but I already assume that this is required, it is crucial to avoid rot and that was the intent when the codes were enforced many years ago! Whether you agree with it or not, this is a mandatory requirement.

Just trying to help!

 

Like I said, ask the AHJ.

 

Thanks for all the help. I will keep you informed of my project. I know I will have more questions.