WRB overlap to sill plate

[Brandon Whitmore]

Has anyone seen any installation instructions allowing housewrap to not overlap the sill plate?

The new construction home I inspected today had wall sheathing extend down to the top of the sill plate and that is where the WRB ended.

I am going to throw it in my report as questionable, and not likely allowed unless anyone has any info. to the contrary.

My concern is that moisture that gets in behind the siding will run down onto the sill plate instead of draining beyond the top edge of the foundation.

Anyone have any easy repair ideas for this?

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

Has anyone seen any installation instructions allowing housewrap to not overlap the sill plate?

The new construction home I inspected today had wall sheathing extend down to the top of the sill plate and that is where the WRB ended.

I am going to throw it in my report as questionable, and not likely allowed unless anyone has any info. to the contrary.

My concern is that moisture that gets in behind the siding will run down onto the sill plate instead of draining beyond the top edge of the foundation.

Anyone have any easy repair ideas for this?

Shouldn't the sheathing be nailed to the sill plate to resist racking?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

I would have thought so, but haven't found a code reference requiring this-- yet. (there are so many issues with the home that I got permission from the buyer to withhold the report for an extra day while I do more research.

Do you have a code reference by chance?

Also, I can't be sure the sheathing is not nailed towards the top of the sill plate. I had to get into a pretty precarious position to be able to see the sill plate. That is one thing I would hope would have been caught during the framing inspection..... on second thought......

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

I would have thought so, but haven't found a code reference requiring this-- yet. (there are so many issues with the home that I got permission from the buyer to withhold the report for an extra day while I do more research.

Do you have a code reference by chance?

Also, I can't be sure the sheathing is not nailed towards the top of the sill plate. I had to get into a pretty precarious position to be able to see the sill plate. That is one thing I would hope would have been caught during the framing inspection..... on second thought......

Well, the tables in 602.3 require the sheathing to be nailed into something at the perimeter.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

I could see a good inch of the sill plate in areas.

They could have run their nails at an angle (not ideal). Also, they could have nailed through the subfloor , sill plate together. '

It is joist construction, with joist hangers run off of the sill plate (subfloor at sill level).

I know this is a questionable installation.... how would you word this concern in the report?

[Brandon Whitmore]

R602.10.8 is the closest code reference so far. It does not specifically state that the sheathing needs to be secured to the sill plate.

So, if the subfloor is properly secured to the sill plate and the sole plate is properly secured to the subfloor.... shouldn't there be resistance to racking whether or not the sheathing is nailed into the sill plate?

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

R602.10.8 is the closest code reference so far. It does not specifically state that the sheathing needs to be secured to the sill plate.

So, if the subfloor is properly secured to the sill plate and the sole plate is properly secured to the subfloor.... shouldn't there be resistance to racking whether or not the sheathing is nailed into the sill plate?

Probably. I must admit that section 602 confuses the heck out of me. I have never been able to get a good grasp of the details surrounding brace panels and alternate brace panels.

When I actually built stuff, back when the earth's crust was still warm, the muni inspectors were very concerned that the sheathing be properly nailed to the sill.

In addition to racking, there's the risk of uplift. Though I suppose that we use all kinds of hardware now that addresses uplift. Perhaps there's no reason to connect the sheathing to the sill?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

Probably. I must admit that section 602 confuses the heck out of me

Jim, your wording is always easily understood. It is not just 602 that confuses the heck out of me. Maybe if the code books were written in a way that were easily understood, builders would not have so many violations due to ignorance of the code, and we wouldn't have so many problems in construction nowadays

If you get a chance, will you meet up with the ICC and give them some pointers? Or heck, if you will re- write the code book, I'll buy the first copy.

[Brandon Whitmore]

I contacted Richard Rogers , the structural program chief for the state of OR. He says that the sheathing should NOT be nailed to the sill plate, because the sheathing will just rip apart (be destroyed in his exact words) if it is.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

I contacted Richard Rogers , the structural program chief for the state of OR. He says that the sheathing should NOT be nailed to the sill plate, because the sheathing will just rip apart (be destroyed in his exact words) if it is.

???

I'm guessing that he means: nailing the sheathing to the sill won't provide adequate resistance to uplift or racking from seismic forces or winds. There are better ways to resist these forces.

But that's not what he actually said, is it?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Chew]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

Has anyone seen any installation instructions allowing housewrap to not overlap the sill plate?

The new construction home I inspected today had wall sheathing extend down to the top of the sill plate and that is where the WRB ended.

I am going to throw it in my report as questionable, and not likely allowed unless anyone has any info. to the contrary.

My concern is that moisture that gets in behind the siding will run down onto the sill plate instead of draining beyond the top edge of the foundation.

Anyone have any easy repair ideas for this?

I think your concern is valid. State your concern and let common sense prevail.

At the link: Tyvek Install Instructions

Step 2

Roll should be plumb. Bottom roll edge should extend over sill plate interface at least 2â€

[Brandon Whitmore]

But that's not what he actually said, is it?

He may have just not been very specific with that since I had several questions for him. He probably just meant that it does not need to be secured to the sill.

[Brandon Whitmore]

Brandon, those install instructions from Tyvek are pretty much the same as I read from all the different manufacturers. It is pretty much like they all copied each other's wording, or are all owned by the same company.

In R703.1 the code states that there must be a means of draining water to the exterior--- water will not drain to the exterior in this instance, so it looks like I can base it off the code. I know manufacturers installation instructions trump the code, but I prefer to use the code since I do not know how manufactured the housewrap.

There is no band joist on this installation. There are joist hangers run down off of the sill plate. If they built the wall with sheathing extended down about 1" below the sole plate, that would explain why the sill plate is exposed (1" subfloor). In that case, end nailing requirements would have been met.

Brandon and Jim--- thanks for the assistance.

[randynavarro]

Also, I can't be sure the sheathing is not nailed towards the top of the sill plate. I had to get into a pretty precarious position to be able to see the sill plate. That is one thing I would hope would have been caught during the framing inspection..... on second thought......

I've seen many sills that were 4 x 6. Not sure why they double the size. The bottom of the sheathing could be nailed to the top 1- 1 1/2" of the thick sill. . .

[Brandon Whitmore]

I've seen many sills that were 4 x 6. Not sure why they double the size. The bottom of the sheathing could be nailed to the top 1- 1 1/2" of the thick sill

In this case it was a 2x sill. It is just not required to nail the sheathing to the sill if the sheathing does not extend that far down from what I have gathered.