Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 28, 2000 03:16am | #1

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   Ginger, when we're working in a situation you describe, we go to the lumber yard and hand pick the Pressure Treated pile, if you need 5 two x sixes , pick 7 or so, site them for the grain, examine for checks, knots, buy more than you need, find a dry garage, or warm basement and sticker them,.. when they are reasonably dry, fabricate your sills...

   prime and paint before you install, and then give a coat of finish after installation...

   if 5/4 x 6 Trex is big enough, i would use that instead......

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   Guest_ | Mar 28, 2000 04:09am | #2

   *Mike's hit the nail on the head into the pressure treated wood sills...And I would not worry about the pond...PT is pretty safe so far...for the last fifty years or so...Oh and Mike forgot to tell ya to predrill your nail holes in the dry PT so as to avoid splitting.near the stream, having built dozens of PT docks along the Lakeside,aj

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   Guest_ | Mar 28, 2000 04:14am | #3

   *There is a relatively new treated product that is called ADQ treated lumber. Contact Your local lumber yard for a source. It is safer than the older stuff. Any other considerations such as cost of the project are up to you. Good luck Skip

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   Guest_ | Mar 30, 2000 08:16pm | #4

   *Ginger,Absolutely was treated lumber. As added protection you might think of having them wrapped as well.David

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   Guest_ | Mar 30, 2000 08:17pm | #5

   *Ginger,Absolutely use treated lumber. As added protection you might think of having them wrapped with aluminum as well.David

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   Guest_ | Mar 30, 2000 11:47pm | #6

   *If you're asking how to do this, here's what I'd do.Lag bolt a 2x8 or 2x10 or something similar across the wall inside or outside and lagbolted to each stud. This is what you will be using to lift the wall.If you have access to a crawl space, it may be easier to put some sort of beam under the floor joists near the wall and lift this beam.Lift only enough to take the weight of the wall off the sill. Sawzall the nails between the sill and studs, or between the sill and joists. You may have to strip off some sheathing to free the sill. In fact, there's about a million little things that might need to be tweaked to make this work. Just think it out.Slip out the old sill and slip in the new. Anchor to foundation with epoxy bolts or threaded rod set in anchoring cement. nail everything, fix sheathing and you're done.do one wall at a time.I wanted to include a picture but my server is down again. so I'll just add the link.

3. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 2000 06:26am | #7

   *Ginger - You didn't say how rotten the sills were or how elaborate the boathouse is. You also didn't say if you meant the sill plates or the window sills (confusion in posted replies?). I think from the sound of it you might have meant the window sills, noting that the windows are fine "not rotten"? If that's correct and if it's just the top of the sills rotted and not too badly, a wood restoration product we commonly use is a 2-part epoxy by Applied Restoration Technology. After removing any brittle / loose rotten areas (thus the caveat above, if it's all rotten you should replace - a judgment call), you use a 2-part caulking gun (can be ordered from the company) to apply the epoxy to the sill, then press a pre-cut piece of plexiglas into the material (epoxy filler doesn't stick to plex). Tape in place and the next day pop the plex off - the epoxy will be as smooth as the plex - you'll want to rough it up to take paint. The material is bullet-proof as far as moisture is concerned - it's not cheap but far less costly than pulling out the old sills. It also paints well, unlike PT wood.Of course if you meant the sill plates like the other posts thought - nevermind! I hope you respond - it would be nice to know which it was. Jeff Clarke

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 2000 03:17pm | #8

   *David,I've wondered if wrapping in alum is such a good idea; won't that tend to trap moisture? PT is good stuff, but it isn't rot proof, just rot resistant, depending on degree of application and penetration.Just a thought, not a final position.Bob

5. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 2000 03:20pm | #9

   *Ginger,In addition to the advice already given, give some thought as to why they rotted in the first place, i.e., how did they get moist/wet enough to rot?Be sure to take appropriate steps to prevent the same condition in the future.Bob

6. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 2000 08:03pm | #10

   *If it was the exterior windowsills (not sill plates) that rotted - deferred maintenance (painting) and/or poor choice of wood species are the usual culprits.BTW Bob, my vote for best built buildings in our 'neck of the woods' is 1895 - 1928. Jeff Clarke

7. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 2000 05:24am | #11

   *Jeff,In the thread title, Ginger specifies "[not windows]".Rich Beckman

8. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 2000 07:06am | #12

   *Rich - Right, but it can be read 'only the sills are rotten, not the windows themselves'. Ginger, it's your turn - Jeff C.

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   ginger_edmiston | Apr 03, 2000 03:01pm | #13

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   Ryan C., your message was the closest to what I am looking for, I want to be able to preserve the building as much as possible due to codes which protect distance from water for existing buildings. I have crawl space room and access to joists and studs. Damage was due to build up of pine needles and debris, plus trees which were quaint as saplings but grow quickly in the North Woods. Thanks Ginger E.

3. 
   ginger_edmiston | Apr 03, 2000 03:39pm | #14

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   I have to fix rotten sills on an old boathouse within six feet of a pond. Am I crazy? How do I get started and what is the best wood to use? Would treated lumber leach into the pond? Any suggestions or good reference books would be appreciated.

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 2000 03:39pm | #15

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   Oh those sills - like I said, nevermind.