My leaning garage fix

[OldGarageChris]

Hi everyone,

My name's Chris and I live near Toronto, Canada. I've got a 50+ year old garage that's in need of repair. I encourage you to take a look at my previous thread here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138624

I know I shouldn't have started a new thread...but I didn't want to bury my actual work and progress pictures 3 pages deep. I also want to track material lists/costs and to do it neatly, I wanted to start a new thread. All of the info posted in the other thread was appreciated and has led me to where I am now. Actual repair. Special thanks to bczygan who gave over the top advice and insight.

Here's the situation:

Front wall - Corners have started to do the splits and have come off the concrete pad:

Front left corner - notice sill plate rotted - ALL sill plates require replacing

Back Wall - Leaning 8 inches:

Reason: No horizontal bracing:

Left wall lean - Bowed a little bit in the middle - Will need tweaking once back wall lean fixed:

Right wall - Lean much more evident - Tree is a problem:

Rafters - Some rot - Maybe 2 or 3 spots drip down to bottom level - Needs new roof+sheeting - No bracing in rafters:

Damaged joist - 1 or 2 joists completely compromised:

Foundation - half a dozen stress cracks:

Front right corner slab crack is the only major issue - separated and raised by an inch - Cuts off corner 30sq ft from slab - Likely caused by root from tree:

Goals of this repair:
- Obviously fix the lean.
- Remove safety concern. Reinforce/secure structure. There are things like replacing the entire concrete pad that I could and probably should do, but thats way too much work and/or starting from scratch. Both further than I want to take this repair. The garage hasn't fallen in 50 years, the pad is fine. This is still going to be an old garage.
- Curb appeal. I'm selling the house next year...but don't get the idea this is a quick fix to make a buck. I will not cut corners and I want to do this right.

Plan of attack:
Before the move:
- Double up all joists.
- Support the peak of the rafters and brace rafters to joist
Move prep:
- Build temp wall inside - not sure which side to build this?
- 2x6 horizontally on the exterior of leaning side wall with 2x4's under board and into the ground (against my cement walkway) for support.
- Find a way to strap rafters to tree - pure safety, not using to pull or take on any weight.
- Build up corners with 4x4's to strengthen before move.
Wall lean + sill plates + front corners:
- Follow Hammerzones great article of pulling walls square.
- 2x4 temporary bracing
- lift walls to replace sill plates and fix minor bowing.
- Use T bracing AKA wind bracing as permanent fix. Then OSB/plywood to add even more strength
- Rebuild front corners. If I replace the garage door, I'll widen the front walls and shrink the door for more support.
Curb appeal:
- I haven't looked into whether I can buy similar siding. If I can, I'll replace whats needed, strip and repaint. The other option is new siding.
- I haven't decided on the roof. TBD

I think there are only 3 things I haven't talked about in detail:
- I'm hoping to not touch the tree. Fingers crossed I have enough room. If I'm too close, I'll pull the right wall in and rebuild the left wall in on the pad to essentially bring the walls under the roof. I'm still going to call the city and hope its their tree as I think its on the property line. Then convince them to cut it down. Otherwise I'll leave it.
- The major crack in the concrete slab cutting off the front corner: My plan is to cut this corner out, bash the heck out of the root and re-pour concrete. There's a company close by called U-cart that has a yard of concrete in a towable trailer. Cheap and easy to use...but still need to look into this.
- Grading: This is something I'm struggling with. I've seen the block method Falcon67 used but I'm wondering if I can do this without putting 4x4's 4ft into the ground. Will filled concrete blocks ontop of the slab move at all without the 4x4 posts? I guess I could drill holes in the pad and use rebar/anchors before filling the blocks. I cant fix the slope of the ground because my neighbor is too close and it would then slope to my neighbors building.

So that's it. I need to stop planning and just get to work. All comments and support appreciated.

 

[OldGarageChris]

For future reference:

Too much bracing while crocked, will not allow you pull it up straight. The braces will want to push it back to the current angle.

If building is strong enough to stay together during shifting the walls back straight, brace afterwards.

Day 1 & 2:

I decided to double up all joists. I didn't need to, but for <$100 I might as well. Not being able to use 20+ft 2x6's forced me to use 2 pieces. I staggered the seams where I could and used 2ft pieces as overlap. I didn't know how long to make the overlap pieces...so hopefully 2ft is good enough. Maybe should have used those metal brackets, but at ~$5/pc I didn't see the gain over another piece of wood:

Braced the peak of the rafters - Not sure if I went low enough...but it'll do the job:

Attached rafters to joists:

I've got a few more pieces to go but this should do it for the top half. I probably shouldn't have been doing this during hurricane weather...but it wasn't all that bad where I am near Toronto.

Next is to build up the corners, temp wall and other safety supports before the move. More to come...

 

[Zeke]

"Before the move." I missed something somewhere. You're moving this garage?

 

[dragonballz]

You did all that for nothing. Should have just gotten a big hammer and hit it until it's straight.

 

[sickjuice]

A trackhoe should fix that up in short order

 

[OldGarageChris]

"Before the move." I missed something somewhere. You're moving this garage?

Move as in pulling the building back straight...bad word choice I guess

A trackhoe should fix that up in short order

Wish I had one...I'll be using come-alongs as its all I have

You did all that for nothing. Should have just gotten a big hammer and hit it until it's straight.

I probably didn't need to reinforce the top half...but I'd rather go over the top then not far enough. Labour is free and materials are cheap so might as well. I also dont want the roof to move and leak more then it already is when I pull the building straight

 

[Big-Foot]

I admire your dedication to that poor structure...

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I don't think you're following the logic of the responses-

What everyone was politely insinuating- tear it down and build a new one. That thing is beyond reasonable repair. And if you don't get rid of that tree, the problem will only get worse.
Don't put good money on top of bad things!

 

[RVDan]

I liked it better crooked. I would have left it like that and added what I needed to keep it looking like a cartoon.

 

[happy]

Your on the right path. When I did mine many years ago I lifted the building and started at the foundation and worked my way up. Finally putting in the collar ties once the building was where I wanted it. Good luck and keep up the good work.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Your on the right path. When I did mine many years ago I lifted the building and started at the foundation and worked my way up. Finally putting in the collar ties once the building was where I wanted it.

+1 !

Too much bracing while crocked, will not allow you pull it up straight. The braces will want to push it back to the current angle.

 

[kbs2244]

All the retired people sitting on those balconies behind you are going to be remembering why they sold the old place.

But then their life is kind of boring.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Falcon67]

If the slab has a good footer, just hammer drill the slab and epoxy in some bars, then put your filled block on that. I would have just made a deeper footer and used block without the 4x4s, but that method was a quicker way for me to get the shop off the temp supports. The block was more for water control and getting the plate above grade than wall support. More than one way to skin a cat, as they say.

And if your slab edge is just a slab with no real footer - well, just dig under and make one LOL.

From my manufacturing days: There comes a moment in every project where it's time to shoot the engineers and start production. Or as a guy from Turkey, Texas used to say "Let's do it, then talk about it!"

 

[ctb]

That garage should be condemned. If you want to list your house for more next year, pull that pos down, fix the foundation properly then put a new stickbuilt on it. You'll get that money back when you sell the house. You're opening up a can of worms by trying to fix something in such bad shape, and will make prospective buyers wonder what terrors the main house holds.

 

[scab]

I admire your passion for righting that ship, but demolition seems to be the only answer. The headaches are never going to stop with that structure. It's just going to be an endless sea of battles to a war you'll never see the end of. Just cut your losses and haul it to the landfill. Build something new that works for you.

But, if you insist on staying the course, keep posting pics. I love looking at them, I just wouldn't want to be involved.

 

[jamesc]

keep going, I like to see this kind of stuff. I hope the straightening goes well for you.

 

[luvit]

my grandfather lived during the depression and this was a way of life. -- people saved and maintained what they had & used it well.
as long as you save a mint and have a building to enjoy, i would do it too.. and i have.
.

 

[OldGarageChris]

I'm taken back by the number of people saying to rip it down. It's not that bad. I didn't make this thread asking whether or not I should tear it down...so please don't toss negativity at me for trying to take on a project like this. Not what I'm looking for.

Thanks to those that have given constructive input.

+1 !

Too much bracing while crocked, will not allow you pull it up straight. The braces will want to push it back to the current angle.

This totally slapped me in the face. Of course! I guess I got ahead of myself trying to do the work I can do by myself before calling in help to fix the lean. Do you think the overhead bracing will still be a problem if my walls aren't anchored and I am lifting the walls to replace the sill plates? I agree the top half will want to go back to the position I braced it, but will lifting the walls remove the tension? I also thought the walls were doing most of the moving when leaning a building back straight...? I wondered if I was doing this in the right order and of course, I shouldn't have copied another persons order of events.

 

[luvit]

i'm not too sure the bracing in the attic was a total waste.
you could take measurements to determine how true your angles really are for everything above the rafters.

from the pics, i would add 2x4 or 2x6 along the length of the wall fastened to every stud.
when you jack on the building to raise it, these 2x6s would help keep your wall studs in-line. (I assume you will be pulling the walls inward with come-alongs).

 

[CreekWV]

I'd make the repairs in the same order you would build the building. Start at the bottom and work your way up, squaring and re-inforcing as you go. I'd also ignore the "tear it down" guys, and I'd strongly disagree with the get your money back premise on tearing down and building new. (Unless you live in a mid to upper six figure neighborhood)

If you do narrow the garage door opening, you could always redo the front siding in a contrasting material, if you can't get an exact match. Keep an eye on craigslist too. Might be able to get used material form the same era.

 

[e-tek]

You did all that for nothing. Should have just gotten a big hammer and hit it until it's straight.

A trackhoe should fix that up in short order

I admire your dedication to that poor structure...

What everyone was politely insinuating- tear it down and build a new one. That thing is beyond reasonable repair......Don't put good money on top of bad things!

That garage should be condemned. If you want to list your house for more next year, pull that pos down, fix the foundation properly then put a new stickbuilt on it..... You're opening up a can of worms by trying to fix something in such bad shape, and will make prospective buyers wonder what terrors the main house holds.

I admire your passion for righting that ship, but demolition seems to be the only answer. The headaches are never going to stop with that structure. It's just going to be an endless sea of battles to a war you'll never see the end of. Just cut your losses and haul it to the landfill. Build something new that works for you.
But, if you insist on staying the course, keep posting pics. I love looking at them, I just wouldn't want to be involved.

("scab" is a perfect handle for someone who would think that ^^ is useful advise...)

I'm taken back by the number of people saying to rip it down.

I'm not. Check their post-counts....they likely haven't caught on to the "jist" of this forum....which is DOING stuff - like building and fixing things.

The OP asked for ADVICE on REPAIRING the structure, not for your crappy OPINIONS to tear it down! Sorry, but I am getting tired of the new crop of ***-holes with nothing but "Why" and "Don't" for advice!

I didn't make this thread asking whether or not I should tear it down...so please don't toss negativity at me for trying to take on a project like this. Not what I'm looking for.

EXACTLY. Too bad the lot of them couldn't get that....

Here's a successful save you need to check out:

view-source:http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74942&highlight=derelict+garage

 

[Outlawmws]

("scab" is a perfect handle for someone who would think that ^^ is useful advise...)


I'm not. Check their post-counts....they likely haven't caught on to the "jist" of this forum....which is DOING stuff - like building and fixing things.


The OP asked for ADVICE on REPAIRING the structure, not for your crappy OPINIONS to tear it down! Sorry, but I am getting tired of the new crop of ***-holes with nothing but "Why" and "Don't" for advice!


EXACTLY. Too bad the lot of them couldn't get that....

Here's a successful save you need to check out:

view-source:http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74942&highlight=derelict+garage

Ignore the arm chair QB's that think thread crapping with unwanted, Specifically unwanted, advise is constructive.

Nothing wrong with fixing something on a shoe string as long as the approach is sound. there are plenty of guys that know how to do this type of job that can help you out. It's to bad all those guys looked at the pictures and skimmed the detailed information you laid out, if that, before responding.

 

[Outlawmws]

This totally slapped me in the face. Of course! I guess I got ahead of myself trying to do the work I can do by myself before calling in help to fix the lean. Do you think the overhead bracing will still be a problem if my walls aren't anchored and I am lifting the walls to replace the sill plates? I agree the top half will want to go back to the position I braced it, but will lifting the walls remove the tension? I also thought the walls were doing most of the moving when leaning a building back straight...? I wondered if I was doing this in the right order and of course, I shouldn't have copied another persons order of events.

I think you are fine as long as you have not started cross bracing into the supporting walls, The roof along with the rafters are a separate structure that sits on top of the walls. The walls have a tilt, but they are still basically parallel. once you get then pulled vertical that is when you need to be able to keep them that way. an interior sheer wall can accomplish that. you have the entire back wall to work with.

 

[ctb]

("scab" is a perfect handle for someone who would think that ^^ is useful advise...)



I'm not. Check their post-counts....they likely haven't caught on to the "jist" of this forum....which is DOING stuff - like building and fixing things.

The OP asked for ADVICE on REPAIRING the structure, not for your crappy OPINIONS to tear it down! Sorry, but I am getting tired of the new crop of ***-holes with nothing but "Why" and "Don't" for advice!

EXACTLY. Too bad the lot of them couldn't get that....

Here's a successful save you need to check out:

view-source:http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74942&highlight=derelict+garage

Who shat in your wheaties this morning? I don't like being called an ******* for giving an honest opinion. What gives you the God given right to start calling people names on a forum?

And you know where you can stick your post count ********!

 

[Jimmy Knight]

agreed. Tear that **** down and start fresh.

 

[darkk]

agreed. Tear that **** down and start fresh.

Some people just don't have as big a checkbook as you and find it necessary to repair what they have. I'd straighten it my self, it ain't that bad...

 

[54FordPanel]

The thread that e-tek linked is not working, but there was a guy on here that saved on in worse shape than yours. His might be the same thread I am thinking of. I thought it was hopeless, but the guy saved it and made a nice garage out of it.

Edit: Here it is. I would have given up on this one, but he saved it. And notice there were negative posts in that thread, but he ignored them and pushed ahead.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74942

Hang in there Chris, I know it can be done. Keep your thread going and don't get discouraged by what some are posting.

I agree with e-tek and others that if you don't have something constructive and helpful to post, keep it to yourself.

This forum is a little different than maybe what you're used to. I wouldn't be surprised if our mods come in here and clean this one up

 

[Big-Foot]

In my own defense, I really did mean that admired his dedication to this poor structure.. As someone who is wrapping up the 2 year long renovation of a 100 year old house that has seen little care / maintenance over it's life - I truly know what he is facing.. I even had to rebuild much of the foundation under the house. Had countless feet of rotted wood to replace as well. I did all this while still working a 12+ day job and living in the house at the same time with my wife..

Hang in there buddy.. You can do it - just be careful and know that there are those like you and I that will not be told we "CAN'T" do something...

I am an AmeriCAN not an AmeriCAN'T...

 

[54FordPanel]

In my own defense, I really did mean that admired his dedication to this poor structure.. As someone who is wrapping up the 2 year long renovation of a 100 year old house that has seen little care / maintenance over it's life - I truly know what he is facing.. I even had to rebuild much of the foundation under the house. Had countless feet of rotted wood to replace as well. I did all this while still working a 12+ day job and living in the house at the same time with my wife..

Hang in there buddy.. You can do it - just be careful and know that there are those like you and I that will not be told we "CAN'T" do something...

I am an AmeriCAN not an AmeriCAN'T...

 

[Perrorojo]

I don't think the bracing in the attic is going to hurt you. I doubt the "triangle" portion of the garage is out of square. If that makes sense. It looks like everything is just leaning. I do think you are going to have to get creative with the tree. You may have to notch that overhang. You also need to make sure the roots on that tree aren't pushing up your foundation. Do you have access to equipment? Skidloaders can be pretty handy when you need to nudge things.

 

[MoparTrucks]

You may want to reconsider taking out the tree even though it would be painful. Its just too close to the structure and besides the roots constantly causing a problem with your foundation/floor those are some big branches that could come down and damage your roof. We had to make that decision on our farm house remodel and ended up taking down two large shade trees that we found out once they were down had significant rot in the middle.

For a couple hundred bucks we replanted some nice 20 foot tall trees a bit farther away and after the visual shock of the large trees being gone wore off we really like the look and feel much better about the whole thing.

I have a similar garage that has no rafter bracing (oak rafters) and a previous owner (probably the original builder) tied the walls together with cable and a turnbuckle anchored to the top plate on opposing walls to square everything up. I dont know if that would work in your situation but as strange as it sounds it has stood here since the 1940s.

 

[W650Mike]

Chris,
Years ago, my brother and I straightened a racked barn bigger than your garage with just cables and turnbuckles. Once the prep work and pulling anchors were in place, it only took a few hours of cranking until we were ready to add the shear sheets. Another day of re-positioning the cables and we were done and ready for bracing and doubling. (Yes, you did get the cart a little ahead of the horse. )

We started the project by sitting in lawn chairs to discuss how we were going to safely tear it down without big equipment. One thought lead to another...he still uses that barn today.

Subscribed - and I'll buy the first round.

 

[miketyler]

We did something similar to my dads old garage. It was built in the 40's. We used a comealong to right the structure. Once righted we added bracing as you did. The bracing helped but the real rigidity to the structure came after we sheetrocked it. This was over ten years ago and the garage is still standing up straight today.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Chris,
Years ago, my brother and I straightened a racked barn bigger than your garage with just cables and turnbuckles. Once the prep work and pulling anchors were in place, it only took a few hours of cranking until we were ready to add the shear sheets. Another day of re-positioning the cables and we were done and ready for bracing and doubling. (Yes, you did get the cart a little ahead of the horse. )

We started the project by sitting in lawn chairs to discuss how we were going to safely tear it down without big equipment. One thought lead to another...he still uses that barn today.

Subscribed - and I'll buy the first round.

Ditto! I agree with Mike here. And most barns are alot bigger than your garage. That garage can be straightened and saved. It can be done.
You might want to check out Reiferman's thread on his barn, it had some leaning and foundation issues:
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36316&highlight=rustic+furniture

 

[fergus]

Hey bud...ignore all the haters. You can do it...I had the exact same situation with my garage. I knew nothing and eventually I figured it out. Check the thread in my sig....

 

[little d]

Chris,
As far as the others saying tear it down, as my Dad was good at saying, "Please (ok, he didn't say please but kids might see this) don't get in my way telling me I can't, while I am."


As Outlaw and others have said, you didnt jump the gun on the roof, separate issues and will not be affected by moving the walls to plumb.

On the bracing when ya do plumb the walls, I dont know what you will be using to cover the walls but they make a strapping (wind brace). I've used it on jobs and it works pretty damn good, what ever you cover the walls with, you'll never know its there.

On your door opening, don't know what the width is but consider framing it in as much as you can and again using the strapping for a wind brace.



On using a come-a-long to straighten the walls, I have a coupla pieces of chain I lag screw to the top plate and sill plate (under a stud), this gives ya something good and sound to hook your come-a-long to. Take your time and pull it plumb, add your wind brace (I advise ya to go at least 45 degrees) from the corner top plate to the sill plate (under a stud) on both (opposite) sides of the wall.

Theres plenty of help on here so feel free to ask, D.

 

[Maura]

Wow! It seems you have done some great work getting this all re-enforced I'm excited to see it when its finished!

 

[KULIWOBBY]

Some people just don't have as big a checkbook as you and find it necessary to repair what they have. I'd straighten it my self, it ain't that bad...

X2 on this, this is how I did my shop and people told me to tear it down and I fixed it anyway with a lot less money and it is just as good as a new structure would have been.

 

[OldGarageChris]

Thanks for the support guys.

I'm regretting bracing the top half before fixing the lean and what you've said about that makes sense. I read through fergus's fix and that's what drove me to brace the top before fixing the lean. I wondered about the order...but I had a new nailer and a bunch of wood that I wanted to play with

I don't think it's a show stopper doing it this way. The lean is in one direction, so the top half should have moved together. Even if it did move, I think its minor and I know I over braced the top so it wont move. Would the tension be pushed to the walls...? The walls aren't anchored and can flex if needed. I have to lift all the walls to replace the sills anyways, so I just wont anchor them until all walls are lifted to ensure there's no tension on them.

Not sure if I mentioned that the building beside me(right side) is city owned. I've already got them to remove a dead tree in the front that was on my side of the sidewalk (thought this would make it my tree), so maybe I can convince them to take this one out too Will call today and work my magic.

Regarding the footers and drilling into them for concrete block support, thats a good idea. I've dug under the left side and it looks like there are footers...but I need to dig more to see if it spans the entire perimeter:

 

[OldGarageChris]

On the bracing when ya do plumb the walls, I dont know what you will be using to cover the walls but they make a strapping (wind brace). I've used it on jobs and it works pretty damn good, what ever you cover the walls with, you'll never know its there.

On your door opening, don't know what the width is but consider framing it in as much as you can and again using the strapping for a wind brace.

Yes, these are great. I found them at Home depot. I will also sheet with OSB to add extra strength to the back wall.

Front walls around the door are roughly 2' wide. Definitely not wide enough. Widening them means a new garage door or cutting the current doors. I haven't decided what to do with the front yet.