Finally broke ground a while back on a two level garage/workshop 24 x 32. The ground is sloped so that the shop floor is even with the yard and the driveway is sloped so that you enter the garage below. The front wall (yard level) is cement filled block about nine feet high. The rear wall has two courses of block on top of the footer. Last week I placed a pressure treated sill plate on top of the rear wall block and built a 2x6 wall with sheathing. Just yesterday I read something about the need for a capillary break to avoid wicking moisture up to the plate. I did not do that. Am I going to be an unhappy camper 10 yrs down the road? Also, is there a need to put a capillary break under the remaining sills. The 24' floor trusses arrived today and I plan to set them this weekend. I would surely appreciate hearing from someone out there that knows about it. Thanks
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Sill plate capillary break
- Thread starter wliggett
- Start date
jkeyser14
Well-known member
With pressure treated wood you will probably get more than 10 years out of it. However, they sell rolls of thin foam that you are supposed to put down between the sill and block (or concrete). A 50' roll is only a few bucks. I would definitely use it for the rest of your walls. The existing one is up to you, but if it were me, I'd re-do it.
Long ago galvanized sheet metal was used. Also serves to prevent termites entering. Later on I've seen tar paper. Don't know what is out there now, but either of these would still work. Would not use aluminum as salt from sill and reaction with cement will corrode it quickly.
Rich720
Active member
Sill Sealer is what is recommended today, similiar to a thin roll out foam material. Comes in 6" X 50' rolls.
Rich
Rich
How high is the sill plate above the nearest ground level?
That is where any wicking is going to come from.
If it really worries you, you can probably still jack up the wall enough to slip in some plastic between the block and the wood.
Anything waterproof will work. Poly sheeting, the sides of old antifreeze jugs, what ever will fit.
But if you do that or not, I would pay a lot of attention to the water before it gets to the block.
You need a good trench drain on the up hill side going to drain tile down the side walls.
And you need to put on good sized gutters going to downspouts that will catch all the roof runoff and aim it away from the building.
That is where any wicking is going to come from.
If it really worries you, you can probably still jack up the wall enough to slip in some plastic between the block and the wood.
Anything waterproof will work. Poly sheeting, the sides of old antifreeze jugs, what ever will fit.
But if you do that or not, I would pay a lot of attention to the water before it gets to the block.
You need a good trench drain on the up hill side going to drain tile down the side walls.
And you need to put on good sized gutters going to downspouts that will catch all the roof runoff and aim it away from the building.