Garage Tilting

House Repair Talk

Help Support House Repair Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

biddlecom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2013
Messages
127
Reaction score
7
My garage is tilting to the left towards my house. It is about 16 feet wide and 35 feet long. Is there a way I can fix this so it doesn’t fall over during the Maine winter?

unnamed (1).jpg

unnamed (2).jpg

unnamed (3).jpg

unnamed (4).jpg

unnamed.jpg

garage.jpg
 
Is there any rot causing this garage to rack? Having two garage doors front and back is taking some rigidity out of the structure. Do you need both doors? If not, I might try to unrack it and install a cross brace across the door you don't need on the inside. Going from the bottom side closest to the house and the top side away from the house. Closing in the door and installing plywood or OSB sheathing once you unrack the garage should keep it from leaning. Any rot issues would need to be repaired.
 
I actually would be willing to do that but how do I get the garage square again before I cover the door and add sheathing?
 
A couple of ways come to mind, hopefully one of the contractor types will weigh in before too long.

You could use a hydraulic jack and a 2x4 or 4x4 to push on the top plate from inside to push it out to vertical. Assuming the thing isn't going fall in on you. A second way could be to attach a come-along to the top plate from outside and pull it up to vertical.
 
Is the inside open studs so we can see whatrs going on and what is it sitting on.
A concrete foundation in main I think should be 4ft below ground level.
So we need to know what you have.
 
So I attached a few more photos. I apologize that they are not the best. The garage is on footings (photo attached) that are 4 ft I’m pretty sure. The rafters are kind of weird, there is a block between them for some reason. My main goal is to get it as straight as possible easily and secure it so it will last another 5+ years.

IMG_20150918_061548.jpg

IMG_20150918_061643.jpg

IMG_20150918_061652.jpg

IMG_20150918_061715.jpg

IMG_20150918_061741.jpg

IMG_20150918_061755.jpg

IMG_20150918_061807.jpg

IMG_20150918_062554.jpg

IMG_20150918_062610.jpg

IMG_20150918_062647.jpg
 
The blocking looks like it is trying to transfer the load from the ridge to the joist.

The garage has solid lumber (as opposed to plywood) sheathing on the diagonal. Absent the two garage doors this would be very strong. The two garage doors take away all the structure allowing the garage to rack.

Another thought on pulling it up would be to use the come-along inside going from the bottom of the wall away from the house diagonally to the top of the wall closest to the house. Kind of like a turnbuckle used to strengthen a gate or door.
 
Sparky; Good thoughts but you're ahead of your self, first we find out what is wrong and figure out hiow to tackle that problem.

biddlecom; It appears that it is out of level. Tie ceiling ties below the rafters should be level from side to side. If it is just a leaning probem they will still be level.
So do a quick check of those and then measure the width between walls at the ceiling and at the bottom of the walls.

What is the floor surface, concrete?
 
its an asphalt. I can do the level check when I get home today. I see it just being a leaning problem because the footings are still solid and in place. And it seems the only reason the garage isnt leaning over even more to the left is because of the side area and the awning on my side door.
 
I suspect it is leaning because you have two garage doors cut out one on each end. With plywood sheathing on the inside you may be able to keep both doors and get it standing vertical. I'm not sure if sheathing the back wall alcove will be enough to keep it from racking but it would be my first effort. If you can live without the back overhead door framing that out once you get it unracked and putting in sheathing should keep it from racking in the future.

The pictures aren't great but it doesn't appear that there is any rot on the sill plate or studs. It appears to be racking in the direction that solid wood sheathing is running. Cross bracing would help. The diagonal bracing was a good idea, but with the big hole cut out of it for the overhead door that wasn't enough structure to keep it from racking. Had the overhead door been over a few feet and the sheathing between it and the current narrow side been plywood it probably would have not racked.
 
If I do the come-along method. What rating coma along should I get, 2,000 lbs or 4,000 lbs? Do you use chains with come-alongs?
 
I can't tell by the pictures but are all the walls secured to the footing through the bottom plates?
 
yeah it has a piece of rebar or something along those lines that goes through the wood.
 
If you can prove that the foundation is stll level from side to side and the walls are the same distance apart top and bottom the full length f the garage, then you can lean it back with (spring braces)
spring braces are nothing more than a 2x4 on the flat, one end against the floor and foundation on one side and high against a stud on the other wall. One person bend the 2x4 by pushing down in the center and another person nails it to the stud. Now you have it jammed in there with a big curve, just pull the center back up so the 2x4 is straight and you have moved it 1/2 to 1". do that in 4 or 5 places as well as at or near the doors. Once you have done that leave it sit for a day to allow things to move and settle again. If the 2x4 don't want to stay straight put a leg in the middle between the floor and a rafter then nail the 2x4 to it.
The next day start with a new set of 2x4s and do the same thing with studs close to the first ones. On the third day you will bwe able to re-do the first 2x4s and so on.
I do see a problem in photo 6 of post 6 where the foundation and the wall look strange at the door and that will have to be watched cloosely will moving the structure..
If the walls are not secrurely bolted down then nail a 2x4 from bottom plate to bottom plate near where the spring braces will be used so the bottom dosn't kick out.
What was suggested about the plywood on the inside of the wall around the garage doors is called a stress wall. 1/2 plywood or osb screwed or nailed every 4" around the perimter and the studs and solid blocking where the sheets meet between the studs.
 
Could be the photos but I don’t see it racking. The front view looks like the right side is out but the left side looks straight. If it was racking a level on both front corner would read the same. The roof looks to have a dip also.
 
Could be the photos but I don’t see it racking. The front view looks like the right side is out but the left side looks straight. If it was racking a level on both front corner would read the same. The roof looks to have a dip also.

That's why I thought it might be foundation issue.
 
That's why I thought it might be foundation issue.

Could be foundation, but OP said all was solid I believe. Could also be the roof is starting to buckle down drawing the one side in. Cell phone cams have almost a fish eye lens though and can cause things to look off. He does show the garage up against the awning so I don’t think it was built like that. Most likely a combination of all the above.
 
OP says the floor is asphalt, and it looks to me that the wall is kicking out instead of the whole structure leaning. So I'm doubting that there are real footers involved.
 
You really need to clear out everything you have stored in there and then get a framing contractor out to inspect it and tell you what your issue actually is. I think it's a foundation issue and it's foolish, and dangerous, to just attach a come along, trying to square it up. At least until you figure out the cause.
 
You really need to clear out everything you have stored in there and then get a framing contractor out to inspect it and tell you what your issue actually is. I think it's a foundation issue and it's foolish, and dangerous, to just attach a come along, trying to square it up. At least until you figure out the cause.

We are still waiting for measurements and levels.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top