Securing the Bottom Plate to the Foundation

Securing the Bottom Plate to the Foundation

When it comes to construction, many people put all of their confidence in the foundation. The foundation is very important, but if the structure is not properly secured to the foundation, then what good is the foundation? In the event of a high wind storm or a tornado, a house can be swept off of its foundation if it is not anchored properly. So how do you anchor a house to the foundation?

First of all, make sure you have some good masonry drill bits. The number of holes that you are going to have to drill in the concrete is quite a lot. Some people use a special tool called a shotgun to shoot a nail through the wood into the concrete. This can be effective to stop the wall from moving horizontally, but does not really help with the wall not being able to lift off of the concrete pad. In today's economy, too many people are interested in earning the fast dollar and are not really concerned about the long term outcome. If you are interested in making sure it that your home will be less likely to lift in the event of a tornado, you are going to want to use bolts and concrete anchors.

What is especially good is to have some threaded rods coming out of the concrete foundation itself. These are normal in the outer walls and are easy to install. Simply bend the threaded rod at a 90 degree angle and put it into the concrete when it is wet and setting up. If, for some reason, the threads get messed up in the construction process and you are not able to get a nut onto the bolt simply, use a tap and die set to rethread the rod. This method of anchoring is extremely strong and durable. Now, all you have to do is drill holes in the bottom plate and the rods you installed are bolted through these holes.

While this will work for the outer walls, you will have to use another method to secure the inner walls. This is where masonry drill bits become your biggest asset. The typical size of the masonry drill bit needed for this is 3/8 or of an inch. Drill your holes with caution. Use all safety precautions and safety equipment. Never take for granted that you will not get hurt or that it is not that bad of a job. Next, thread the bolt you are going to use just a little bit into the anchor. This gives you a grip on the anchor and allows you to sink it all the way into the concrete. Now, you can use a hammer and lightly tap the bolt and anchor in to the hole in the concrete. When it will not go any further with the light force you are putting on it, you have reached the bottom of the hole.

All that is left is to simply screw the bolt with a ratchet into the anchor. The bolt and washer need to depress a little into the wood. If this method is used, it will be almost impossible for the house to lift off of its foundation in the event of a storm.

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