Hello
Im updating a 1973 home. My local city uses 2012 residential building codes.
Im building some new interior walls. Im using non PT 2x4's for bottom plates. I walked thru a new home construction this afternoon, and I noticed all the walls, interior and exterior have PT bottom plates. Is this code per the code book, or are these builders just going over and beyond the code.

Also all the wall bottom plates in this 1973 home are NON PT.

Just trying to understand the codes. Thanks for any knowledge on this subject.

 

Current codes specify pt on concrete.

 

Thanks. If I add 6 new walls with PT. The other walls in the house still have non PT. Is this the way the remodel should look for code? Doesn't make sense to have so few walls non PT. Am I missing something?

 

Generally the inspector will just be concerned with the working being done and won't cite violations that aren't included in the work that is being done/permitted. Concrete attracts moisture which can be absorbed by lumber attached to it. Non treated wood when it gets wet can attract bugs and is more apt to rot from the moisture. It's a non issue if the house has a wood subfloor versus a concrete slab.

 

As X said, use PT plates and you can't go wrong.
The building inspector will not make you replace every plate in the house, that's not the way it works.
They will inspect your new work and approve it.

 

As the others have said, all work that was done previously to what you are doing would be grandfathered in to the codes that were enforced at the time they were constructed.

 

Thanks folks. I wanted to be sure I'm getting this right.

 

Talking about the same walls. I cant shot a nail into the slab with a Ramset gun. So I will be buying "red heads" anchor bolts tomorrow to start attaching walls to the slab. Any input on the size anchor I should buy? 3/8"or 1/2" interior walls.
Also should i use a coated anchor because of the PT bottom plate or is that even necessary for interior walls. Thanks

 

You always want to use an approved for PT wood fastener on PT wood. The chemicals used will corrode regular fasteners. It should say on the box if they are approved for PT. I only have a passing knowledge on Ramset

 

IF you can't shoot nails why can you use drilled anchors? IMO - 1/4" red heads will be just fine. Other option is glue it down using construction adhesive. That is done a lot when floors have heat tubing in the floor.

 

Yeah, a few 1/4" x 2 3/4" tapcon anchors would be sufficient. Interior walls dont need big drop in anchors. Put in enough screws to keep the plate straight on your chalk lines. A little PL doesn't hurt.

 

Just a thought. Not all PT lumber is created equal.....make sure yours has the correct PTing for your application.

 

thanks folks. thats what i was looking for

 

another question. I didn't think of this before. I put up several new walls with a Pressure Treated bottom plate, the studs are regular non PT, and I used some tapcon 3/8x4 bolts and some 1/4x2 3/4 screws to anchor the bottom plates to slab as suggested below.
When I was attaching the studs I was using the same nail gun for everything. Regular nails non coated for the studs to the top plates and bottom plate. I didn't change nails to coated type for the attachment of studs to PT bottom plate.
I was so concerned about attaching to the slab and not the attaching regular wood to PT wood..

Is this a major issue?? Thanks

 

Might not be as bad on the interior but the chemicals in the PT can corrode the non approved nails.

 

marksr
Thanks. I only have 2 more small 4ft walls to build and Im done. I dread taking all the walls down to use different fasnters.
I have a chemical company caming by wednesday to give me a quote on spray treating all the old non PT lumber bottom plates to make them treated.

 

The chemicals in PT wood are injected under pressure, not sure that can be done after install. They might be planning on coating the wood with a preservative [something you can diy] but that won't get any on the bottom side where it would need it the most.

I'd consider toe nailing the bottom of the studs with galvanized nails and hope/pray it will be ok.