The joint between the strip and the wall shall be caulked full length prior to fastening the strip to the wall. Other coverings appropriate to the architectural treatment may also be used. The polyethylene film shall extend down to the bottom of the wood footing plate but shall not overlap or extend into the gravel or crushed stone footing. Get Started. Grow Your Business. Show Menu. While traditional basement walls are made from masonry materials such as concrete or stone, inspectors should be prepared to encounter permanent wood foundations PWFs.
The permanent wood foundation is constructed of load-bearing walls built with pressure-treated lumber and sheathed with pressure-treated plywood. Wood foundations are built with wood that has been treated to resist rot. These foundations may create a warmer basement in cold weather and may be more cost effective for isolated building sites where concrete is unavailable or would be expensive to transport.
However, wood in contact with soil in never a great idea. Basements, crawl spaces and slabs are the three main foundation systems used on houses. In wet and coastal areas, it is sometimes common to put houses up on posts as well.
The slab is probably the easiest foundation to build. We don't know exactly how long a wood foundation will last, but we know that the most common options to wood are poured concrete and concrete blocks, and I have seen those foundations fail in homes ranging from 10 to 50 years old.
Should you buy a house with foundation problems? Contrary to what you would think, buying a house with foundation issues isn't always a bad idea. Many buyers are not keen on having to deal with major repairs before they can move into their new home. However, if you play your cards right, buying a house with foundation issues can save you a lot of money.
Do I really need foundation repair? Foundation repair is necessary when your foundation is sinking, settling or cracking. Nail deficiencies are just one problem. There are many variables that affect the final outcome of the design and ultimately the construction. Attempts to simplify the design were made by publishing manuals with tables, diagrams, wall sections, and other details. While these attempts were admirable, they could only cover some of the more simple situations, and then not all the time due to the many variable that affect the final outcome.
None of these manuals can be used exclusively as a design manual for wood foundations. At best, they are good guides to construction to give the builder an idea of what the wood foundation is all about. The manuals have led to complacency by builders and building inspectors as well as owners.
Many mistakes are being made every day because of the complacency. Making the assumption that wood foundation can be designed using these manuals is the mistake. The lack of knowledge on the part of engineers, architects, and designers of how to properly design wood foundations. When more people understand why PWF's need proper designs, and there are more competent designers; there will be fewer problems with foundations and PWF's will be better recognized as the best answer to dry and comfortable basements at lower costs.
It is the best choice. Permanent Wood Foundation. Clark There More! Permanent Wood Foundation System Acceptances The Permanent Wood Foundation System is accepted by the following major regulatory bodies and underwriting agencies, as well as by a growing number of states and local building codes and lending agencies. Note: The system is custom design by woodbasement. We were not used to thinking of wood products exposed to the weather as having a useful enough service life to be used as foundation material where a long life expectancy is prerequisite.
However, there are many examples of wood all around us that are used for structural purposes that have lasted over years. Wood piles have been used for over a century to support skyscrapers and bridges, marine pilings for piers and docks, railroad ties and bridge timbers; and in colonial times virgin timbers were used as the foundations for homes, churches and other structures.
The use of wood for wood foundations is a good proven idea whose time has come. In a research study was begun, initiated by the Forest Products Laboratory, to explore the utility of a wood foundation for a house.
A creosote-treated timber foundation was built in Madison, Wisconsin. Creosote in not an acceptable preservative for residential uses today, but back then, that was the most used preservative with an excellent track record. This building has given good service to date and is still being used as an office structure. Approximately 15 years after it was built it was moved, foundation and all, to its present site.
The move presented an excellent opportunity to observe the condition of the treated wood foundation after a period of time in actual use. No degrading because of decay or insect attack of the treated wood was noted. The foundation performed as expected and still is. Both houses were built at the R. Station, Rockcliffe, Ottawa, Ontario. The wood in the Mark III foundation was pressure treated with 8 lbs. The Mark III walls are on a footing of light concrete; and the Mark IV walls rest on a 2 x 8 footing which in turn rests directly of the bearing soil.
The Mark IV has an untreated wood floor made of 2 x 8 floor joists nailed to studs and resting on a center bearing pony wall. These foundations are performing well and became the basis for the Permanent Wood Foundation System as we know it today. After extensive research and development, the All Weather Wood Foundation emerged. Since specially treated wood lumber and plywood has been used commercially in the United States for wood foundations in light frame buildings such as homes, office buildings, churches, shopping centers, apartment buildings, and condominiums.
A block foundation was also constructed on a nearby site, using the same tradesmen, for comparison purposes. The idea was that if a true cost comparison was to made, the same tradesmen would have to be used. At the outset, one of the many advantages of the PWFS became apparent. The block foundation had been scheduled to be built first, but in March the site was too wet and muddy.
Under these conditions it was easier to move lumber and plywood than to move blocks and concrete, so the PWF's were built first. It was also learned that rain did not stop work on the PWF's, but did cause some delays in completing the block foundation. In the same year Hurricane Camille drenched the area with 12" of rain in 24 hours. All three PWF's remained dry while the block basement and many other conventional basements in the area leaked or were flooded.
The National Association of Home Builders Research Foundation continues to monitor these original PWF's houses for horizontal and vertical movement, leakage and humidity levels, and any evidence of decay or insect attack. To date no problems have been found in these original wood foundations. Internal passages have wet walls with water literally running out of them. Remember for a moment how we all got to this continent: on ships. They crossed the ocean, the ocean is made of water, and ships were made of wood!
A well-designed wood foundation will remain warm and dry regardless of the groundwater issues. There are some things we need to check, however, so always call Comfort Home Inspections, Inc. Remember, a properly designed wood foundation will provide a warm, dry, inviting living space and is nothing to be concerned about.
Learn more about Permanent Wood Foundations here. Click to verify.
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