Hi all,
long time subscriber but never post. I have a framing issue related to excessive rain during construction of my own retirement home in the White Mountains. Current situation is a wall which was framed on deck and then left for 4 weeks or so, usually covered if it were going to rain (which it has way too much for winter time) and uncovered to dry as weather permitted. Due to late season huge snow storms (and massive rain storms) the wall sat and the 6′ and 8′ LVL headers which make up a large amount of wall space have swollen 3/16 to 1/4 inch on width. to put it another way…… The jack studs and LVL stand 3/16 to 1/4 in taller than most of the wall studs.
from 1 pile of lumber yard studs to the next the precut heights varied by 1/16″ which further adds to my wall height issues so there are actually a few spots where the deviation is 5/16″.
The wall is 16 oc. 2×6 with a double top plate. It is to have floor trusses and rim boards installed for the 2nd floor. 2nd floor walls will have trusses on top.
I am trying to get a real framer to take over the 2nd floor and trusses portion (me solo small time remodeler) so do not want to hand him a pile of crap framing to deal with.
The opposing wall has zero LVL and the deviation is only 1/16″….It sat for only a few weeks before standing.
Will the LVL headers shrink back to original width and the house will just “settle”?
Or should I shim between the double top plates?
thanks for any advice, I really need it.
Replies
I do not think they will shrink back down the full distance in height. If it was just one unattached board laying outside then maybe it would shrink back closer to original size. I assume you have 2 or 3 LVL's nailed together and then the lower top plate is nailed down into the lvls with 2 or 3 nails at 16" OC ? I doubt all the fasteners are going to let things get back to size as well as the glue and plywood in the in the LVL changing shape.
If it was for a customer I'd recommend spending a couple hours cutting them out and replacing with new.
If it was my house I'd leave everything connected, snap a line on the top of the LVL and rip off the top 3/16" with a circular saw and sawzahl. Then nail the lower top plate back into the LVLs.
thanks windwash,
you confirm what I was thinking.....doing nothing is not an option....
I may remove the entire top plate....sections of 1st plate and power plane the top of the LVL to get it back down to size.
That way I can work from the 1st floor deck (9' walk out basement below some of these areas....so it is a bit high)
Because this is the first of a double stud wall system....there is also a 11" gussett plate to be installed to connect and fire stop the 2 walls under the rim and floor joists,. this may help add strength back to a top plates with excessive splices.
The reality is that the LVL will likely dry out and shrink back to close to its original dimensions. HOWEVER, that is going to take time and very dry conditions - a long time if it's fully enclosed with drywall/finishes.
Shaving it down to give you the correct wall height now may very well cause problems in the future as it slowly shrinks.
If it were me, I'd just replace it with dry LVLs and keep them dry until the home is weathertight.
I had the same.concerns about it srinking back dow. I spoke with factory rep today and he felt it would not shrink completely back to original with. He advised planing it down. Google search found other LVL mfg. Stating the same theory that I won't shrink back much as they are produced with abnormal low moisture content and normal humidity levels likely not low enough for it to shrink back.
I think I have spent more time researching and consulting than actual labor pullingvtop plates and planing the LVLdown...ha ha
The most concerning unknown is: Exactly how much WILL it shrink as it dries?
Obviously it will not behave like sawn timber (which I have more experience with). I know particleboard (that cheesy filler in aluminum storm doors) never returns to its pre-wetting dimensions. LVL is a combination of thin sawn lumber layers with adhesive between the layers. I'd be more concerned about the microscopic tearing of wood fibers in those layers as the wood expands and the adhesive not so much.
Which is why I would replace the LVLs.