replace sill plate in basement

[Limp Arbor]

Darn termites!

I need to replace 40' of sill plate from the 7' basement of a two- story house. Replacing it from the outside is out of the question because of brick veneer and a solid-pour concrete porch.

28' of the replacement should be fairly straight forward because the floor joists are perpindicular to the sill plate. Jack the house 10' at a time by the floor joists enough to get the old sill out then slide in a new PT sill.

The last 12' however will be a PITA. The floor joists are parallel to the sill plate There is a floor joist about 4" from the concrete wall limiting access (maybe removable) The end joist (above the sill and under the outside wall framing) is damaged The sewer pipe, water line and meter, and gas line and meter all are on this 12' Lots of HVAC ducts here as well to make things fun And to make it even more fun the building inspector wants anchor bolts installed

Any ideas on how to jack/support this 12' span (No its not a gable end wall)

[Robatoy]

You MUST be talking 10"? Even that seems rather excessive.

[Robert Allison]

Sure, but nothing I am going to try to describe over the internet. Especially without having seen the entire situation up close and personal. Too many variables in this equation.

[DerbyDad03]

I believe he means 10' along the horizontal, not 10' (or even 10") up.

[Limp Arbor]

I mean to jack 10' of the length at a time not lift it 10". I only plan on lifting it a CH just so I can get the old wood out and new wood in.

[ransley]

Where do you have to put in the bolts, in the foundation wall?

[Limp Arbor]

I assume so, this isn't that much of a problem since there are no bolts there now and the cinder block is not filled. I could drill the new sill and install the bolts then fill the holes in the block with mortar put in the sill and shove the bolts down into the wet mortar. Tighten them up when it dries. Kind of silly but this is required since a new building needs them so a replacement of that part (sill) requires them.

[DerbyDad03]

Would that be an RCH?

[Limp Arbor]

Gentlemen prefer Blondes

[Robatoy]

That makes more sense... sorry, I tend to ask questions when I don't 'get it'.

[Robatoy]

SCH... Swedish... indeed.

r---> who thinks the Limp Arbor name is a good one.

[Ivan Vegvary]

This might not help you, but I replaced the sill and the 'rim joist' from the outside. (I know you said you have a brick facing). In my case I removed about 2 feet of siding from the bottom, nailed on a 2"x6" ledger all along the face of the house and jacked against the underside of the ledger. My plate was so full of dry rot that I simply used a bench brush and brushed it out.

Ivan Vegvary

[ransley]

To fill the block with mortar it will go to ground level. It sounds nuts. Talk to the head inspector there has to be an easier way that will pass. I replaced 2, 25 ft 6x6 sills, You wont jack up the house with screw jacks and if you have a concrete floor it will be hard to not ruin it. My beam was so rotted jacking was not necessary but I used jacks to hold up the house then I cut down a beam to fit in place. Bracing to the foundation done right should pass. Get bids to get ideas, maybe the inspector is off.

[J. Clarke]

Jacking without ruining floor, something to try is a couple of 2x10s under the jack, with an Ipe 1x8 on top of it--the 2x10s distribute the load and the Ipe 1x8 keeps the jack from punching a hole in them, which it would otherwise do if it has any real load on it.

At least it worked for me.

[raymondjiii]

A jack is going to punch a hole through two 2x10's? I just removed the primary steel support column on the bottom floor in the middle of the house and it did no such thing.

[J. Clarke]

Depends on the 2x10s and the jack I presume. Mine was making good progress toward going through the first one until I put the piece of ipe under it.