I am looking at fixing up my old barn this summer and have a few questions. The sill plates are rotted out and it leans slightly. I need to jack iy up and put in new sill plates all the way around it. How do i do this? Do i need to square it up first? also studs are rotted on bottom in some places. do i need to cut out old and replace, or nail new one right next to it. Mainly i just need to know how to go about getting the structure sound again without getting killed trying to do it. did a search on net and found nothing on it. Thanks for any help.
Construction guys, Help needed please.
- Thread starter sledneck84
- Start date
What is the length and width, on the inside. Is it sitting on a concrete footer, or just dirt?
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Go invest in a cheap laser level 20 bucks, now they are not accurate enough for house building but plenty good enough for your job. Place it in where you can get a shot at all you studs, you may have to set it on a raised platform to do this. You will know how much you have to lift each stud to raise it up to the longest stud. You will have to get a lifting device (a jackal maybe). Cut a hole in each stud so you can jack it up. Take out the rotten sill underneath it and place some shimes or cut short wood underneath each stud to bring it up level. Maybe you can get an uninpeaded shot at each stud with your laser this would save some time. Now scab a stud along side of each one you have added wedging underneath. Instead of running you sills underneath the studs fasten them in between the studs and toe nail them to the studs
If there is a large amount of rot on some that makes it hard to just put a new bottom plate on then either double them up or think about cutting out a bit more of the studs and add a course of block in there.
Huh??
It is sitting on concrete footings. Sorry guys i am really confused at the replies. Can you better explain what you mean. Don't put a whole new plate under it? Put them between each stud instead? I am confused here.
It is sitting on concrete footings. Sorry guys i am really confused at the replies. Can you better explain what you mean. Don't put a whole new plate under it? Put them between each stud instead? I am confused here.
size
I would say it is probably 20' x 30'. Sitiing on concrete footings. middle of wall is saging down because sill is gone there,but still on outside edges. Can i take four bottle jacks and beams and lift every 5' till it is level. Obviously it will take more in the center and less on ends. Then knock out old sill, set new in, bring back down to level,repair studs and lower and attach to sill. Then anchor sill to footing. Or is that not a good idea? Can i do this 1 wall at a time. Also it is slightly bowed out. after i repair it can i pull it in and attch permanently? do i need to anchor wall so it doesn't fall out before jacking?
Thanks for the help guys.
I would say it is probably 20' x 30'. Sitiing on concrete footings. middle of wall is saging down because sill is gone there,but still on outside edges. Can i take four bottle jacks and beams and lift every 5' till it is level. Obviously it will take more in the center and less on ends. Then knock out old sill, set new in, bring back down to level,repair studs and lower and attach to sill. Then anchor sill to footing. Or is that not a good idea? Can i do this 1 wall at a time. Also it is slightly bowed out. after i repair it can i pull it in and attch permanently? do i need to anchor wall so it doesn't fall out before jacking?
Thanks for the help guys.
You really do not have to run the sill under the studs, it will be too difficult. Just cut the blocking to fit in between the studs. So some of your wall will have sill under (solid wood) and some with your wall will have sill in between (rotted wood) when your finished. You will have to jump around a bit and do the lowest spots first and then fasten the studs in spots as you go that way it will not get away on you. Now there are a lot of concrete fasteners out there, the ones you drill in tend to hold a little better than the ones you shot in, but any will work a couple of pins in your 2 foot blocking should be enough. Just do one stud at a time and then fasten it in place, you can run a string line on the inside of the wall and allow an inch space that way you can make it straight and level at the same time, with no danger to you. One stud at a time, no long heavy lifts. Once you have it level i am sure it will square up. Cut out the rotten portion of the stud and take out the rotten sill . You will be surprised how much lift you can get pounding in just 2 simple wedges, although you may need more than two to get the desired height. Now if you find it to hard to fill in the blocking as you go, just screw a 4" metal angle gusset to the scabbed stud and fasten the gusset to the footing, no sill plate need, it can't go anywhere because each stud is fasten to the footing. Then after your done fill in with the 21" blocking or what ever it is. Sorry to ramble on an on but repeating it over and over may help you understand.
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i think i get it
So some of your studs will be longer because it will be on the footer. some shorter because they will be on the sill. That's what you mean right? Then toe nail the sill inbetween the studs. Will this effectively hold in high winds? It sounds way easier and safer if it will work. thanks for your help thus far.
So some of your studs will be longer because it will be on the footer. some shorter because they will be on the sill. That's what you mean right? Then toe nail the sill inbetween the studs. Will this effectively hold in high winds? It sounds way easier and safer if it will work. thanks for your help thus far.
You have got it now, the ones with the blocking will actually hold more in a wind storm than the ones sitting on the sill plate. Just reread my other post i have added a bit more.
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Good to Go
Banned
uhhhh, sounds like a whole bunch of advice for a whole lot of monkey business for an end result
that will look like a hack job.
KISS principle, and do it right will be easier in the long run. This stuff really isn't to hard. Yes,
the sill really does need to run under the studs. No, sistering on little pieces is bad, yes,
stacking more plate is ok.
Couple of ???'s... Do you have sheathing on the outside (steel siding and cedar is not
what I mean). Assuming you do... and that you have access to the studs inside, you
can rack the thing back in line fairly easily. Laser's are great, but string lines are easier
and cheaper. Measure down a random distance from your top plate, at both ends on
one wall. Two nails and a string and you have a measuring point across the whole wall.
Nail on a 2x across several studs. You can jack/wedge against that to raise that section.
i.e. on the 20' wall, I'd probably suggest 4 lifting points. A 4x cut long and a sledge
hammer will raise the wall; so will a jack. Bring it up until the top plat measures a hair longer
than your base measurement (to the string). Let's say you got a max of 2 1/2" of rot.
Mark out (get that chaulk line out, leave the laser in the box) and cut out 3" of studs (the
ole' sawzall works). Lay your plate down (just one), anchor it to the foundation. Don't shoot
it. Wedge's work, the Titan's work great.. Mark out and notch the second plate to fit over
the first. Put it down. It doesn't go on easy??? Raise the wall some more, notch the plate
a bit more. Git it on there. Nail it down, lower the wall back down, toe nail it, use them fancy
A35's, whatever. If you have easy access from your sheathing outside, nail through it into
the new plates. You be done. Did I write to much? I bet the whole thing takes less than a
couple of hours max per wall section.
But hey, what do I know.???
that will look like a hack job.
KISS principle, and do it right will be easier in the long run. This stuff really isn't to hard. Yes,
the sill really does need to run under the studs. No, sistering on little pieces is bad, yes,
stacking more plate is ok.
Couple of ???'s... Do you have sheathing on the outside (steel siding and cedar is not
what I mean). Assuming you do... and that you have access to the studs inside, you
can rack the thing back in line fairly easily. Laser's are great, but string lines are easier
and cheaper. Measure down a random distance from your top plate, at both ends on
one wall. Two nails and a string and you have a measuring point across the whole wall.
Nail on a 2x across several studs. You can jack/wedge against that to raise that section.
i.e. on the 20' wall, I'd probably suggest 4 lifting points. A 4x cut long and a sledge
hammer will raise the wall; so will a jack. Bring it up until the top plat measures a hair longer
than your base measurement (to the string). Let's say you got a max of 2 1/2" of rot.
Mark out (get that chaulk line out, leave the laser in the box) and cut out 3" of studs (the
ole' sawzall works). Lay your plate down (just one), anchor it to the foundation. Don't shoot
it. Wedge's work, the Titan's work great.. Mark out and notch the second plate to fit over
the first. Put it down. It doesn't go on easy??? Raise the wall some more, notch the plate
a bit more. Git it on there. Nail it down, lower the wall back down, toe nail it, use them fancy
A35's, whatever. If you have easy access from your sheathing outside, nail through it into
the new plates. You be done. Did I write to much? I bet the whole thing takes less than a
couple of hours max per wall section.
But hey, what do I know.???
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Good to Go
Banned
Good to Go nailed it, what we do is run the 2x12 all the way down the wall about 4' from the bottom on both sides of the building, the go across the building with 2x12 and under the 2x's on the wall in a couple spots, get some good cribbing,(blocks,) and you can lift the whole building with just a couple jacks. Put it up one blocks and you can replace what ever you want, the right way and the safe way.
Well it is good to hear you have a concrete footing, i bet it was shot in with a building level so you just have to cut the studs one length in stead of the laser level. Now you can decide how you want to tackle this job the easy way or difficult way. But i bet you are going to do it the easy way. Oh and by the way fix your water problem
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Just keep in mind, no matter which way you decide to do it, use treated plates or you are going to be doing it again someday.
Thanks for all your help x-it. I think it will be easier to put a whole new sill in than cutting each one for my particular project. Any more info you have is very much appreciated as i may change my mind on how i do it when i get going. And i think the reason it rotted is because the lower 1' of the siding is about gone, rotted away. The roof should be good as it is only a few years old. Thanks again. Appreciate it.
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Good to Go
Banned
I was just speaking hypothetically; You actually only need one plate, but it's better to stack plates than sister on little pieces of stud if the rot goes further up...to a point.
I assume that the rot only goes up a few inches max.. If you find the worse rot is under 3", then two plates would do it. If you've got problems that run 4", 5", then you might need 3 or 4 plates. And just treated on the bottom, not the others.
When I speak of notching, after you bolt down the first treated sill, you're going to have the bolt and washer (say a 2"x2" x 1/4" plate probably) sticking up. You can't just nail the next plate on top (it'll look funny, yes??). But it isn't surgery either. You can set the plate on top, lined up where you want it and whack it with a hammer...that puts the bolt marks in the plate. You can over drill them (like a big 3" auger for 1/2 the plate) or just run you saw through it on either side of the mark; knock the 1/2 block out with your claw hammer. The point is, it needs to fit flat onto the first plate, but you ain't building a clock.
And you don't have sheathing?? When I was done lowering it back down, I'd probably sheath a full sheet in either corner (4x8 vertically) tying in the new plate to the studs to the top plate. I wouldn't go overboard, as the thing has stood for how long with siding acting as the lateral protection...???
but it obviously works.
Piece of cake..
hahahahaha amazin how many professional carpenters come outta the WOODWORK on a thread like this...................too funny.
some of yalls posts r good info..............................some not. good luck
some of yalls posts r good info..............................some not. good luck
