New Exterior Wall - No existing anchor bolts

xd2005

xd2005

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As I mentioned in another post, I am in the process of converting approximately half of a 14'x20' detached garage into living space. The garage is old (according to the county website, it was built at the same time as my house - 1924) and is built with 2x4 framing (rough cut, actual size). The garage has a concrete floor with no foundation wall. From what I can tell, there are no anchor bolts along the exterior.

My project will consists of sistering 2x6's next to the existing 2x4 studs and rafters. I will also need to replace existing wall headers and sole plates (sole plates have evidence of rot/insect damage). I know it won't necessarily be an easy task, but I'm confident doing all this is within the abilities of me and those helping me.

My main question arises around the lack of anchor bolts around the exterior. If I understand correctly, they are required at certain intervals and at each board-end. What are the solutions for dealing with this situation?

Thanks!

Brian
 
Think I've told this story before, but interesting, anyway.

My brother-in-law worked for a big company's mechanical engineering group. They were having a factory built in China. They kept getting calls from there saying that their cement anchors were breaking (anchor bolts to cement...i.e., same thing we are talking about here). Well, it took a few times back and forth, but finally they figured out what was going on...they had had a craftsman make a mold, and were making 'bolts' out of cement - they were casting them! Needless to say, when they put a nut on them to tighten the framing up to the foundation, they broke! After finally understanding, they got them to use steel bolts, and (as far as I know), the bulding hasn't blown or shook off of the foundation.

I was in China on vacation way back in the early 80's. Brand new hotel. Not yet even fully finished. My room's door had trouble closing because the foundation had shifted, and the chrome was peeling off of the sink's faucet, and we were lucky to have one of the four elevators working...quality is a tough sell there, but they're learning fast.
 
They make anchor cement and even better but fussy to apply anchoring epoxy to hold the anchor bolts in the holes you drill.
 
Buy or rent a rotary hammer drill and appropriate sized bit. Buy anchor bolts that expand when tightened in the hole. Grizzly Industrial has the drills for $70 and that includes a good assortment of bits. HD for one has the bolts you'll need. This is not a major job. That hammer drill will drill a 1/2" hole 8" to 10" deep almost like it was going into wood.:D
 
anchors

Wedjits, RedHeads, etc. drilled into the concrete will anchor the plate. But what has kept the garage from blowing off the foundation all these years?
 
You're lucky!

My garage was put up before 1930. Also with no anchor bolts. And as the sill plate rotted on one side because grade is too high, the garage eventually ended up sliding/moving a bit so about 1/2 of it is no longer sitting on the foundation, but on the ground next to the foundation. It's racked a bunch, too. Solution from previous owner was to put in jack posts and a 6X6 beam across the middle of the 20X20 garage to hold up the hip roof. It's keeping 1/2 of the garage from racking further.

It needs to last another 18 months or so, and then I can afford to replace it, as long as the city will let me. :rolleyes:

My house doesn't appeared to be anchored either. (~1915) But it hasn't moved, fortunately.
 
My house doesn't have them either
And it would be a PIA to add them with the short distance between 1st floor & sill plates
The addition has them, as does the sunroom off the back
Plus I even anchored the greenhouse & shed
Front 3 season porch has them too as will the new front wall
So only my West side will be "loose"
 
Dave, your house is too big to move.

Just what could move it?

A direct hit from a nuclear bomb?
 
Ian Gills said:
Dave, your house is too big to move.

Just what could move it?

A direct hit from a nuclear bomb?
Click to expand...

A near miss...just like hand grenades & horshoes

This is our friends house: (ours is tiny by comparison)

kathieshouse002.jpg


kathieshouse072.jpg


kathieshouse011.jpg
 
That clearly was not built by a licensed professional.

Someone has taken time and care with that construction.
 
There's no end of ways to anchor the wall. The simplest for you would probably be concrete screws. Go to your local building supply (lumber yard, NOT Lowes, HD etc; there's a reason contractors use these guys) You can find probably a minimum of three different anchoring options there and probably a guy who can give you some good advice about why to choose one over the other.

On the other hand... It hasn't gone anywhere in the last 80-90 years; what makes you think it's going anywhere now? What happens when a force powerful enough to move your building comes along, is that your building moves. If it's "anchored" then part of the damage is the destruction of whatever your "anchoring" is going through.

Old wood frame buildings (or for that matter, new ones) aren't designed to be anchored and, if you think about it for a while, would be designed significantly differently if they were.
 
Sorry I went a little AWOL on this. As for what's kept it in place thus far? Is luck a good enough answer? Looking at the sill plate, it looks like there's a bit of rot occurring, as well as insect damage, so I will need to replace the whole thing.

The reason I need to add them now is that I'm converting half the space to living space, thus the city requires the space to be up to code, which requires anchor bolts (1/2" diameter, minimum 7" into cement/masonry).

The thing that may be my biggest problem is the fact that I am not sure if my "footing" is 7" thick. I need to look closer, but I'm guessing (hoping I'm wrong) the slab is one thickness of less than 7", without a thicker footer. Thus, basically eliminating my ability to meet the 7" requirement.
 
house

What would move the house? How about a gale wind, tornado, hurricane, typhoon, etc. IF you live in tornado country, just move a mobile home next to the house and see how long it takes one to find it.
 
In Washington State, all homes are anchored.

Either for wind, or for earthquake.
Entire roofs can lift off in a wind.

They also are designed for shear.
That twisting force that can happen.
 
Cheaper Alternative

Simpson makes bolts you just screw in a drilled hole. They are called "Titen" bolts. There's the epoxy ones, but have you seen the price of the epoxy? :O
 
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