Anchor bolts in poured concrete stemwall
When I build stemwall forms, I build them to the height I want the wall. I nail 1×2 stakes across the top with 3/4″ holes thru them, hang my anchor bolts to the depth I want, and pour. The stakes also serve as spreaders. Works great.
The concrete guy I am now using forms with panels, which are generally somewhat above the desired wall height. They tack a grade strip inside the forms at wall height, and pour/finish there. They do great work and I am going to keep using them.
I like hanging bolts as described above, but it’s a b1tch to do down inside wall forms. If I leave the bolts for the sub, he will wet set them. My experience is that wet set bolts sink into the mud. At least some of them.
What do you concrete pros do with your ABs in this situation.
Replies
All thread and epoxy... after framing.
It all depends on when you set your bolts. I've seen ( and done) hundreds of bolts set wet. if you set them right away they often will settle a bit. but if you old off just a touch you will be fine.
What do you concrete pros do with your ABs in this situation?
Feed the bitch.
It's not that much harder. Prestart a 6d in the top of the template, in each end about an inch from the edge, angled at 45*.
If you're by yourself when you're setting them, drive home, say, the outside nail in every anchor template, then move to the inside and hammer in all the inside nails.
If you do this very often, it can be cost effective to cut the claws off an old hammer or regrind the face of a small ballpeen.
Another handy concrete tool you may want, but won't find in any store is an 18" - 24" length of heavy wall 9/16" or 5/8" ID black iron tubing.
To keep the bolts in place during the pour, buy a stash of cheap sacraficial nuts to put on the bottom of the template, then sandwich the template tight between the nuts. You can find really cheap ones at a chain link fence supplier. Being heavily zinc plated, they also help with corrosion.
SamT
with scraps of foam (i've used 1.5" blue foam board) cut the scraps as wide as the form maybe a hair over... with a drilled center hole... put bolt with nut & washer through the hole... and place your bolts & foam together...
the foam will keep them center and threads clean... you can reuse these blocks many times... maybe a little over kill but every bolt will be at the exact height, centered and clean....
p
But how do you do that when the top of the wall is 8" down inside the form? Just lay it in there to float on the crete? Might work...
yes... just push them down inside the form... we cut our foam to be tight inside the form... a friction fit... with the washer and nut on the bolt and the foam the same thickness as the plate... everything should work out... once the crete is placed... you can place your bolts without them sinking..
overkill for most... but then most that i do is way overthought anyway
p
ponytl,
That trick sounds like a winner. I have used foam myself for a lot of temporary jigs but never that way .
Thanks for sharing."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
It sounds as if the concrete is rather on the wet side if anchor bolts are sinking. I have set my share of bolts, always after striking the pour off to grade nails, and don't generally have a problem with them sinking appreciably.