Sill Plate Replacement
#1
10-20-03, 07:23 AM
Sill Plate Replacement
Was wondering if someone has some advice on replacing a sill plate that has rotted. The house is only 10 years old and the original builder did not use pressure treated lumber for the sill plate. A wall leak has allowed water to soak into the sill for 10 years and now a 10 foot section is rotted. The sill is a 2x4 (not 2x6) and supports the family room/2nd floor via the floor joists.
My thought was to rent 4-6 screw jacks to be placed under about 6 floor joists and carefully lift the pressure off the sill plate (about 1/8"), remove the rotted wood and replace with a pressure treated 2x4.
Is this the right approach? Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks
My thought was to rent 4-6 screw jacks to be placed under about 6 floor joists and carefully lift the pressure off the sill plate (about 1/8"), remove the rotted wood and replace with a pressure treated 2x4.
Is this the right approach? Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks
#2
10-20-03, 08:55 AM
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tripower65,
Sounds fine! Don't forget to consider other things might move with the removal. This is existing sheathing, siding nails. Look for any anchor bolts that might be present. Carefully do the removal process so as not disturb, at least to any major degree these areas.
Good Luck!
Sounds fine! Don't forget to consider other things might move with the removal. This is existing sheathing, siding nails. Look for any anchor bolts that might be present. Carefully do the removal process so as not disturb, at least to any major degree these areas.
Good Luck!
#3
10-20-03, 11:21 AM
Be sure to put a decent piece of timber under the jacks to spread the load. I would use only 2 jacks and make up a double header the same size as the joists to run between them. Have a sawzall with nail cutting blades ready to free the sill plate, and be sure to remove back to solid wood by a few inches. You may need to either notch around tie downs, or put in multiple pieces of sill plate instead of a single piece.
Ypu do not really want to lift the joists off the sill plate, just take off the load. Test with a putty knife or other thin blade. As son as you can detect any movement you have taken off the load. The less you can move things the less other damage you will have to repair.
Ypu do not really want to lift the joists off the sill plate, just take off the load. Test with a putty knife or other thin blade. As son as you can detect any movement you have taken off the load. The less you can move things the less other damage you will have to repair.
#4
10-20-03, 08:10 PM
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i would agree with all that was said, with a couple of
points to stress:
1) it's likely that more than just the plate is rotten.
be sure to check before you start jacking, otherwise
your little job will turn big in a hurry.
2) I like having a couple of extra jacks around. even though
you can do it with two, it's nice to have a couple of extra.
you'll see why when you start (you'll need them in strange
places)
3) BE VERY VERY CERTAIN TO GET A GOOD BEARING SPOT
FOR YOUR JACKS!! YOU DO NOT WANT THEM TO TIP OVER
WHILE THE HOUSE IS JACKED UP!!
4) be sure to fix the source of the water too.
good luck and write back w/any other questions.
I recently leveled a house, similar issue, where it had to
be lifted 4" at one point. easy!
points to stress:
1) it's likely that more than just the plate is rotten.
be sure to check before you start jacking, otherwise
your little job will turn big in a hurry.
2) I like having a couple of extra jacks around. even though
you can do it with two, it's nice to have a couple of extra.
you'll see why when you start (you'll need them in strange
places)
3) BE VERY VERY CERTAIN TO GET A GOOD BEARING SPOT
FOR YOUR JACKS!! YOU DO NOT WANT THEM TO TIP OVER
WHILE THE HOUSE IS JACKED UP!!
4) be sure to fix the source of the water too.
good luck and write back w/any other questions.
I recently leveled a house, similar issue, where it had to
be lifted 4" at one point. easy!
