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swimmer_spe

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While redoing my siding 2 summers ago I noticed something scary. I also ignored it as the possible cost would be prohibitive.

Picture this the board that my floor joists on my first floor is nailed to, the one that also sits on my concrete block foundation is.... eaten away.

When I moved in, I had carpenter ants. I quickly laid out traps and have gotten rid of them.

However, the damage is done.

It is so bad, that my sliding door screws are not in any firm wood.

The wall is about 17 feet long.

I do plan on fixing this, but the cost of replacing it is worrying me. How much work is it to fix this? I am guessing they need to brace the joists in the basement, and brace the second floor as well. I am guessing they might be able just to cut the rotten part out. I think it is about 6 feet long.

Until finally open this can of worms, what should I pay attention to so that I know if it is getting worse?
 
The door "threshold" screws too the floor sheating and the door "jambs" screw too the trimmers or jack studs in the walls.

The floor joists, which rest on the sil plate , support the floor sheating and walls, so you should be able to support and lift the floor joist from the basement and remove and replace the damaged sil, without supporting the 2nd floor.
 
The door "threshold" screws too the floor sheating and the door "jambs" screw too the trimmers or jack studs in the walls.

The floor joists, which rest on the sil plate , support the floor sheating and walls, so you should be able to support and lift the floor joist from the basement and remove and replace the damaged sil, without supporting the 2nd floor.

It's not just under the door. That board extends beyond and the section is not just under the door.
 
I understand that the damage and the migration are not necessarily localized, but the concept for the repair process is the same, "so you should be able to support and lift the floor joist from the basement and remove and replace the damaged sil, without supporting the 2nd floor."
 
I had to do this last year. It's kinda scary to think about but wasn't so bad to do. Short summary: you build a temporary wall in your basement a few feet away from the problem area to support the floor joists while you make the repair. Using a couple of bottle jacks, you raise the floor joists a fraction of an inch, just enough to get out the damaged board. You replace the board, nail it to the ends of the joists and lower the floor back down into place.
of course, this is a very short version of the process and the devil is in the details, but it is a do-able project
 
A screw driver or awl or ice pick. poke some good solid woo and see what you should expect.
You need to know what is bad. Most times just jacking the floor would be fine but you want to be sure the ends of the joist and the rim joist are in good shape before you do that. If they are question able then best you build a temp wall above the lower one first. Then you plan on fixing from the bottom up, and that may include some floor sheeting too.
You can also poke studs right thru the drywall to get an idea of how bad things are.
 
A screw driver or awl or ice pick. poke some good solid woo and see what you should expect.
You need to know what is bad. Most times just jacking the floor would be fine but you want to be sure the ends of the joist and the rim joist are in good shape before you do that. If they are question able then best you build a temp wall above the lower one first. Then you plan on fixing from the bottom up, and that may include some floor sheeting too.
You can also poke studs right thru the drywall to get an idea of how bad things are.

What is the rim joist?
I know that a good chunk (about 6 feet or more )of the board the floor joists are named nailed into are rotten.
 
What is the rim joist?
I know that a good chunk (about 6 feet or more )of the board the floor joists are named nailed into are rotten.
The rim joist is the size of a joist and goes all around the perimeter under the outer edge of the floor. the floor joists butt into the rim joist and are held up straight with nails thru the rim.
 
The rim joist is the size of a joist and goes all around the perimeter under the outer edge of the floor. the floor joists butt into the rim joist and are held up straight with nails thru the rim.

That is the one that is rotten.

As far as the joist themselves, I won't know till I poke. I ain't poking till I am ready to know. I am not ready to know.
 
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