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Sealing Shed Sill Plate

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garagelogician

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Blaine, MN
Previous owner (he's originally from Russia) built this shed 9 years ago. It was over the property line, so I jacked it up, set it on some pipes, and rolled it forward on the concrete apron...then cut off the back of the pad.

The siding was right down to the concrete, and moisture was wicking up through the OSB sheathing. The sill plate is treated, but he didn't have any sill seal, just a crappy caulking job. The concrete pad has a very rough broom finish, and is not very level. It is also a little low on the side pictured.

The shed is still sitting on the pipes, but I really need to get it fixed up and set back down...but I don't want the sheathing to rot out from continually getting wet.

I plan to remove about a foot of sod, and replace with mulch or crushed stone to keep the yard from draining on top of the pad. There are gutters (which need to be cleaned), so that should help as well.

Should I just put down some regular sill seal, caulk it and call it good? Or should I spring for the expensive sill seal that has the EPDM layer? Other ideas?
 

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ducksface

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What's the price differential between the cheap way and the best way?
I'll bet it's not 75 bucks....
 
OP
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garagelogician

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strutaeng

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So the interior elevation and the exterior grade are at the same level? Since you broke it lose and lifted it, I would form and pour a concrete stem wall, some 8" high. You'll have to lift it more. Apply a heavy bead of elastomeric sealant prior to pouring the concrete to act as a water stop. Take the opportunity and put some cast-in-place anchor bolts while you are at it. Then put some sill sealant and drop her home.

Do you have the shed currently braced? It is on "rollers" which can literally roll off.
 
OP
G

garagelogician

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Blaine, MN
strutaeng said:
So the interior elevation and the exterior grade are at the same level? Since you broke it lose and lifted it, I would form and pour a concrete stem wall, some 8" high. You'll have to lift it more. Apply a heavy bead of elastomeric sealant prior to pouring the concrete to act as a water stop. Take the opportunity and put some cast-in-place anchor bolts while you are at it. Then put some sill sealant and drop her home.

Do you have the shed currently braced? It is on "rollers" which can literally roll off.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is just a 12x16' backyard shed on a flat concrete slab, was just attached to the slab with the powder-actuated pins...which is how I will be fastening it back down.

That may be the "right way" to do it, but is way more involved than I have the time/funds for at this moment. I'm already dropping north of $15k for a privacy fence and other backyard/deck/patio amenities. I don't want to be reframing doors either.

It is braced with four 2x6's across the width to keep it from spreading. I just lifted the shed with bottle jacks under them. Has held it together very well, and it would probably take sustained 80+ mph winds to make it go anywhere...she does not roll easy at all.
 
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strutaeng

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garagelogician said:
Yes, it is just a 12x16' backyard shed on a flat concrete slab, was just attached to the slab with the powder-actuated pins...which is how I will be fastening it back down.

That may be the "right way" to do it, but is way more involved than I have the time/funds for at this moment. I'm already dropping north of $15k for a privacy fence and other backyard/deck/patio amenities. I don't want to be reframing doors either.

It is braced with four 2x6's across the width to keep it from spreading. I just lifted the shed with bottle jacks under them. Has held it together very well, and it would probably take sustained 80+ mph winds to make it go anywhere...she does not roll easy at all.
Click to expand...

Understood. Then how about using some pressure treated 4x6 or 4x4 to raise it? It will be cheaper and much less work. I just don't think having the sheathing down at the ground is going to give you a good result. OSB loves to absorb moisture.
 
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tcianci

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Walpole, Ma
The sill sealer no matter what type is designed primarily to stop air infiltration. This would be a good time to reinforce the reality that "sealers", with the exception of materials designed specifically to work with/on roofing materials, have no place in stopping water intrusion into building. The reason buildings don't leak is gravity... water is re-routed by building features until it runs to the ground. If the OP utilizes a sill sealer, there' no guarantee it still won't leak and caulks and other stuff you can squirt at it are temporary at best. And even if the sill sealer worked, it wouldn't do anything to get the building up out of the water. The best possible course of action here would be a masonry "stem wall" even if it is only one course of block high. This will get the wood structure out of the water but, if the masonry forms an exterior "shelf" between it and the slab, the masonry should be flashed in such a way that water contacting it would shed over the flashing and off the slab. Any other form of repair will leave him open to further water intrusion.
 
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wasfuzz

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Mn
Build a sill out of pressure treated 6 x 6 set down on top of that, with a sill sealer. Add a filler strip under the door and call it good!
 
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