Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 01, 1999 04:10pm | #1

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   Ricardo,

   I do not believe you will be able to replace a part of the stud with steel. You will need to cut off the old stud at a point where it is good. put one piece of 2x4 (or whatever the wall is) directly under it. then sister a piece on the side to span the knuckle point. Trying to mix steel and wook is going to give you no end of headaches.

   Rick Tuk

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 01, 1999 06:56pm | #2

   *The steel studs at HD that are used for interior walls are no good for loadbearing exterior walls. Do what Rick says and splice pressure treated lumber to the studs. If the damage is more than a few inches from the sill plate, make sure your "sister" stud is a few feet longer than the splice.I don't know how old the house is but if it's a newar platform framed house, just jack the floor joists from below in the basement. If it's an older house, watch out. Even though most of the older houses are baloon framed and the standard procedure is to lift the wall, sometimes carpenters built things their own way. Tear appart enough finish material to see how this thing is put together before you lift something you didn't want to lift.

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   Guest_ | Dec 01, 1999 09:37pm | #3

   *I would do it with wood, Ricardo.The technique is fairly simple. Remove the sheathing. Nail several blocks or a 4x4 onto the studs above the sill. Place several bottle jacks under the block and gently bring them taut. Don't try to raise the building or the studs, just tight enough to take the pressure off the sill, so it can come looseThen sawzall the sill from the studs. Fabricate a sill plate, and re-insert it. It may take some hand or power planing to fit, and you may need to pound it in with a sledge.One it is in place, lower the jacks and re-nail the studs. If any need replacing, then do it.If some are only partially rotted, you can try some spot repairs by brushing on some wood preservative, and filling the damage with bondo. You might also want to sister additional studs from the sill along side the rotted one to a point above the rot, for structural integrity.I have also simply cut off the damage in mid-stud, attached a new one (cut to the damage line), inserted it butted up to the old one, and added long scab blocks on either side of the cut line. Good Luck.

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 03, 1999 10:29pm | #4

   *Don't forget to repair the cause of the rot.

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   Guest_ | Dec 04, 1999 04:58am | #5

   *Ricardo,Ron Schroeder's point would be my main point also. I apprreciate your wanting to go back with steel to avoid rot in the future.As Ron says, find the reason that the rot happened in the first place. Fix that for sure. Then replace the mud sill and stud damage like has been posted above. For peace of mind.....use pressure treated lumber. Good luck,Ed. Williams

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   Ricardo_ | Jan 04, 2000 11:53pm | #6

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   I believe when I open up the exterior wall sheathing I will find a rotted mud plate and the bottom ends of the studs.
   I think I want to cut off the bottoms of the studs and splice a steel stud to them. Also, replace a section of wood mud plate with steel track. Does any one have any advice?

   Thanks, Ricardo