I have a 15 yr old 24×36 garage. Two car bays, and a storage area along the long side. It is built on a flat slab which extends a few feet beyond the building in the front, forming a sidewalk. There are gutters, but since the roof doesn’t overhang the sidewalk (and no headroom to extend it), water tends to pool along the front of the building. The bottom 2×4 of the sill is pressure treated, but the T-111 siding is beginning to rot. Also the water sometines runs under the wall and into the storage area.
In an ideal world, the front of the garage would have had a low concrete wall as part of the slab. I guess it could be added retroactively, but that would involve a lot of jacking, bracing, and reframing. I am trying to come up with an easier fix, and have a few ideas…none of them perfect.
1. Simply replace the rotted siding, and be prepared to do it again in 15 years.
2. Cut a straight line 5 1/2″ up, remove the siding below (but leave the framing), and replace it with a 2×6 PT (with flashing)….sort of a mop board along the front. Possibly caulk under it with construction adhesive (suggestions welcome)
3. Do the same as above, but making a low wall with cement bricks. The issue here is that I haven’t had good luck in the past with trying to mortar 1 or 2 tiers to the slab, especially short walls between the doors. (I once tried this on the inside to block the water seeping in.) Perhaps there are better methods or special mortars?
Any recommendations or DIY solutions I have overlooked would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Is it detached?
If so, bite the bullet, jack it up (garages aren't very heavy) and put a row of 8" block around the perimeter.
The hardest part is rehanging the door(s)
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Thanks,
Yes, it is detached. The only problem area is in the front. The other 3 walls overhang the slab, and the ground is pitched away so there is no wood-to-ground contact. One of the 24' ends has a woodshed built off of it ( 24x7 shed roof, PT 4x4 supports sunk in ground) This might complicate jacking. I was thinking more in terms of bracing walls while I cut off the sill and rebuild it shorter, then sliding in cement blocks or pouring a wall.
There is an interior wall with shelving , also to support overhead storage, I have shored up the (24') joists with a post and beam. I'm suspecting that jacking the whole building could get me in over my head. Sure would have been better if it was built right to begin with.
Your plan will work -- I've done it on a few storage buildings, and one house. If it looks wierd when you're done with the one wall, you might want to think about doing the other three.
Just be certain that when you're done, the bottom edge of the T111 will never sit on a wet surface, or in a puddle. There needs to be a gap between the bottom of the T111 and the flashing -- about 3/8".
And of course, make sure that the flashing is properly incorporated into the moisture barrier, so that there is no chance of water intrusion.
And finally, be sure that you put a slope on the top of that 2X6, so that it also sheds water. Even thought its treated, it will eventuallyl rot if it holds water.
Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.
Whatever you do as far as reducing exposure to water, don't reinstall T-111. It's not an exterior material as you found out, it's a cheap disposable material for temporary service. There are many alternatives, of course, including vinyl or Hardie siding.
Instead of caulk, you can build up a fillet (about an inch high) with thinset mortar. If you clean the concrete real well (maybe acid etch) it will adhere. Of course, anything you do in this regard will also tend to "trap" moisture behind it, so it might be wise to drill some weep holes through the bottom plate.
Or, since the problem is only with the front, just hack off the bottom 4" or so of the front wall and put block under it. No law says that the front wall plate must be even with the other plates.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
[QUOTE]Whatever you do as far as reducing exposure to water, don't reinstall T-111. It's not an exterior material as you found out, it's a cheap disposable material for temporary service.
Yeah, that describes the construction of my garage.