Does anyone do foundation or framing work?
Short version of problem: basement wall is tiliting in; garage floor (on the outside of the tiliting wall) is being excavated so wall can be pushed back into place.
I’m trying to figure out why the wall moved. No signs of hydro pressure. It’s a fairly long span of wall and there are two pilasters on the outside of the wall. It also has an extra course and a half to allow for ceiling installation, so it’s even taller than a standard foundation. The sill plate has moved along with the wall in places, but the floor joists/header remained in place.
I thought that the sill plate was supposed to be anchored to the block with j-bolts (it isn’t though). I think that’s why the wall moved.
Is anchoring the sill plate part of the building code? Is it standard building practice? Or is it typically not done that way at all?
matthew’s wall anchor service
I don’t know the facts . . . just sharing a past experience when I had a garage and second story addition put on.
Done right, J Bolt placement should be at every sill plate spice and within 18" of each corner.
Depth is also important, most recommend two blocks deep. (I had to argue to get this)
Nailing ties should be every third joint and at the base of corner(hurricane) straps. But this might have been because my top course was 8" solids.
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch4/sld033.htm
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch4/sld036.htm
I’m well past that point already.
Good links.
I’ll be retrofitting bolts. The blocks are wide enough that the sill plate doesn’t cover it all, so I can get concrete in there from the garage side now that it’s dug up. I’ll probably stuff some newspaper in so I only have to pour a couple blocks deep. And use a right angle drill from the basement side to put the bolts in. Might try to sneak j-bolts in from the garage side from under the sill plate, otherwise I’ll have to use all-thread. Then some kind of ties for the joists to the sill plate.