lslapshot

Guys - Brand new here and hoping I can get some solid advice. I've replaced several exterior studs (balloon construction) due to rot and sill plates due to termites/carp ants. I used 6d 2.5 inch exterior screws to hold everything in place. Is this acceptable (I'm in NY) and is there any acceptable limit for wood spliting when toenailing? If not, can you toenail above the split with a longer fastener?

Thanks for any responses!

oldognewtrick

to House Repair Talk! can you post some pics of the area you are talking about?

BridgeMan

Your question is confusing. First you mentioned using screws, then immediately jumped to toe-nailing. Could you be more specific about what you are really wanting to know?

I personally think 2-1/2" long screws are too short. If used perpendicular to the new sill plate, that means you're only getting 1" of grab in the studs. Worse yet if used in a diagonal orientation, from the opposite direction (like toe-nailing, but with screws), because the effective depth of penetration into the sill plate is reduced by the cosine of the penetration angle, less the normal distance from the interface to the point of entry. For example, 2.5" x cosine 45 degrees, minus 1" +/- = 0.77". Meaning just a bit more than 3/4" of effective penetration.

lslapshot

Sorry - like I said, I'm new to all of this and maybe didnt explain very well. I'm replacing several exterior2x4 studs due to rot and insect damage. I used 6d 2.5 inch exterior grade screws. To hold the stud in place, I followed the original fastener pattern. Two on the flat side at an angle to the sill and one on the end (like a toe nail). Some of the end screws split the wood a bit. Should I remove all the studs and start over or just remove the screws and replace with 12d or 16d 4" nails? what about the splitting, is any splitting acceptable?

Once again I'm sorry for being confusing or not talking the proper language. Just trying to learn as I go.

BridgeMan

You don't have to apologize for being new to DIY work. We all had to start at one point, and most of us with any knowledge and experience aren't afraid to continue learning as often as we can.

Without seeing pictures of the splitting, it's difficult for anyone here to make a judgment of its performance. A minor amount is normally not a problem, but if the splits are large enough to appreciably weaken the connection, you've lost the battle and should start over. If the splits are borderline, you could strengthen the connection by prefabricating L-shaped assemblies using short 2 x 4s and long nails or screws, set them into place against the best face of each stud bottom, and then screw into the studs (above the splitting) and adjacent sill plate with multiple screws. The 2-1/2 inchers you like to use would work well for that.

asbestos

sometimes to beef things up a bit I cut 2x4 blocking to fit between the studs. I set these on the bottom plate nail them straight downinto the bottom plate and then nail through the stud into the blocking. And for rot/termites think of using a product like bora care or tim-bor

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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts

nealtw

In the future when running into this problem with old dry lumber, try predrilling holes for nails or screws. The blocks that asbestos suggested are a good idea and while your at it add those blocks between the studs at the floor above. It's a fire stop thing.