I need to replace the sill of an exterior wall (load bearing wall that faces the outside the home). I ripped the sheet rock off and noticed some very old termite which was apparently treated years ago and there's no sign of new termites/damage.
There's a couple caveats though. The section that needs replacing is about 3ft of damage and its a corner. The section around the corner is only about 12 inches long before I hit the garage door (see pics).
What's the best procedure for replacing this? Can I just nail a support across the studs or should I support it vertically from the ground when I cut out the sill?
Also, this came right after I just built a full loft and put new anchors in….
Best Answer
You need to set up a temporary wall under the ends of the ceiling joists of the garage, bearing onto the floor of the garage. Since the section needed is so short, you will only need 5 or 6 2X4s or 2X6s to hold the ceiling and lift the wall for the short time while you replace the bottom plate. If you need 10 ft studs to hold everything up, cut 2 of them in half to double up as top and bottom plates, then use the other 3 to use as studs cut 1/4 longer than needed for a snug fit to lift the existing a little. Get one stud jammed in, set another and with either a hydraulic jack, or by "bowing" them in, as in pushing in the middle of the stud to bow it so it in essence gets shorter between the 2 points until you release it, which will lift the wall a little. work all the studs together one at a time, one will help the other. Or 2 bottle jacks can do it all too, if you have 2 handy. 7 ton, maybe even 2 1/2 ton would work too. That corner, if there is no more than a roof over the garage, is pretty easy to lift up. You wont need much, an 1/8" will do.
This is all on the premise that the loft is contained under the roof with no 2 story bump out to house it, that the roof rafters bear on the top plate of the same wall that has the destroyed bottom plate.