Anyone have any ideas where I could get a hold of 30′ long 6X8 or 8X8 beams and a load of cribbing for jacking my house??
I’ve tried every rental place around, the railroad, city works dept., and some structural restoration contractors, and no one seems to know where I can get the stuff to use for a couple of weeks. I have tried calling demolition Companies, but they haven’t returned my calls. I have no use for any of the materials beyond the time the house is raised. I have already bought a set of 20 ton Jacks.
BACKGROUND: I’m raising the house 18 inches, having a mason put 2 rows of cinderblock in to raise my mudsills out of the mud, and putting in a support beam down the middle of the place resting on the foundation at the ends and on a pier on the middle of the house. The house is only 22 ft X 27 ft all stickframed with insulbrick siding, and asphalt shingles (Read – pretty light in terms of construction), Loated in Southern Ontario (Brantford) Canada.
| View Image | And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave, Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada |
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House movers will have the materials. I don't know if they will want to rent them to you. Rental places that have big jacks may have or know where to find timbers and cribbing. Dumpster diving at construction sites may be a source of cribbing. I've found remarkable quantities of 4' and shorter Microlam. No 30' beams, though. Are there sawmills around you? You might be able to afford new timbers if you consider resawing and selling them as boards when you're done. Would it make sense to look for a demolition job that you could do yourself to get the timbers? Have you considered steel I-beams instead of timbers? There may be a better chance of finding used steel in acceptable condition than finding wood.
Thanks for the ideas. I have asked at rental places if they know of anywhere I can find the stuff I need. I mostly get shrugs. Mebbe I'm asking the wrong people. I had thought of using I-Beams. Thought I could bolt it to the underside of the house, but I'm not sure exactly what size I'd need. (Guessing about a .5" web and 4-6" flange) of course I could look that up in machinery's handbook. Thanks for the ideas, Keep em coming. I gotta get this elephant in the air.
Wish I could post pics of the project, but my scanner is being retarded lately. See you all later,
JAG
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And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave,And Let My Canoe and My Paddle, Be the only Mark over my Grave
Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada
hey justy- what do you have underneath that insulbrick siding? Redwood clapboards?
Yeah we do.
The plan was to remove the insulbrick and bring the siding back to life this summer, but we are going to be raising the house instead since it has proven to be the more pressing issue. I have found a new source for the siding. (Actually it's one of the demolition guys I approached for beams - only I was talking siding with him back in the winter when things were slow.)
JAG
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And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave,And Let My Canoe and My Paddle, Be the only Mark over my Grave
Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada
jag- you know that old growth redwood siding will sand down to a nice natural finish with a rich violet tint to it. Is there sheathing underneath the clapboards?
Hey Rez,
The buildup on the walls is clapboards, tarpaper, 2X4's, Lathe, Plaster. I wish there were some kind of sheathing. as racking is a bit of a concern as the house is lifted. I am hoping that the plaster and the siding are strong enough to prevent this.
Honestly I will probably strip the insulbrick once the house is raised (Possibly not till next year, possibly this fall, take a good look at the siding then and decide at that time whether or not I should go for paint or stain on the wood. Its too dangerous to speculate on a finish without knowing what is going on under the insulbrick. I speculate that there will be alot of damage to the siding around windows and doors. I took the plaster off the exterior wall of our master bedroom and found that the tarpaper was wet all around the window. Not a good sign.
JAG
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And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave,And Let My Canoe and My Paddle, Be the only Mark over my Grave
Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada
Might consider a lumber mill, for rough sawn lumber I live in upstate NY. if I needed 30ft. 8x8,s I,d order them from the mill then use them in a retaining wall sometime.
I am considering that as a last resort Joe, I really don't want to be stuck with the beams though if I can help it. A friendat work asked why don't I figure out the whole process and make a business of it since I'll be stuck with all the equipment anyway. I just laughed at him and pointed out there is a little more experience required than a one time deal.
Thanks for the ideas - keep em coming...
Today I cruised around town noting demo sites, tomorrow I;ll go back to the promising ones and talk face to face with someone.
Here's hoping...
JAG
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And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave,And Let My Canoe and My Paddle, Be the only Mark over my Grave
Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada
JAG,
I made my own cribbing by scouting for collapsed or demolished barns. I was able to get all of the cribbing I needed from a barn that had deteriorated and was being demolished. Too bad you aren't closer, I would give it to you.
wsf
How long are your cribs? (Thinking of the size of my trailer as I ask...) I will be in Alleghany in July sometime to pick up the Jacks I ordered, and it may not be such a stretch to pick up the cribs. I wonder what kind of import tarrifs I would have on bringing them into Canada. Anyway, let me know what you have and I might be interested in getting some off you. Then you'd HAVE to come to the Pig Roast in the fall!
JAG
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And When I must Leave the Great River, Oh Bury Me Close to its wave,And Let My Canoe and My Paddle, Be the only Mark over my Grave
Zone 5b Brantford Ontario, Canada
I didn't need a lot, I had enough to stack two cribs about 6' high to jack up my barn and no longer have all of them. Logs were pine, 20 - 22 inches long by about 7". There are a lot of sawmills around here. It may be possible to round up a lot of stuff, perhaps log-home cut-offs?