I have a problem forming on my foundation.

[phalynx]

My posts are starting to lean on one end of my house.  1 corner has shifted/angled 3/4" and it's pair has shifted about 3/8".  The next post in line of the 3/4" one hasn't moved much, only about 1/4" and the middle one is plumb.  On the 3/8" one, the next one is about 1/4" and the next one plumb.  

I need a plan of attack.  I have several hydraulic jacks (one air powered which I am in love with).  All of them are 12 ton jacks.  What does everyone think is the best way to a) shore it up b) correct it and c) keep it from happening again.  Let's use the Countryplans member's wealth of knowledge and get me happy again.  

The problem seems to have happened over the last year.  I have stared at it several times over the last year and thought I may be imagining things.  Now, I know otherwise.  I don't believe it is in serious danger at all but it will over the next year or so.  Better to fix now.

Here are some pictures.

This is the back one that is 3/4" out.  The post is also warping a little so it looks worse.  There is about 1/4" of warp on it.



This is the front one which is about 1/2" out.

[glenn kangiser]

It looks like it is hinging on top of the post.  Maybe a 1/2 x 3 steel plate about 2 feet long with 4 bolt holes - 1/2 or 5/8 bolts and big washers to pull that all straight and stop the hinging.  At least 2 bolts in the joist and 2 on the post.  Then once that is secure you could possibly pull it with all thread turnbuckles - or clamps hooked to angle brackets and again a couple big washers - may not pull it back but it should not go any farther.  Just an idea.

[Redoverfarm]

I am like Glenn in that it appears that it is hinging on top of the post with the beams.  First question is were your post accurately plumb? Is the post out of plumb now or just the beam?  If you are using a level from the house bottom against the post to determine any drift then you could be reading it to be out of plumb when in fact what might be seeing is a out of plumb reading caused by the beam.  I agree with steel plates and bolts.  There is also a possibilty to pull the beams back into place by using a heavy comealong prior to plateing.  Although there is a lot of weight sitting on the beams I think you could pull them back and secure because you are not trying to lift the weight only redistribute on it's axis.   

[Don_P]

I had the truck up on jackstands on dirt one time and it looked stable, Had both wheels off and was redoing the brake lines. Came out from under it for a break and while I was standing there a light breeze just tipped over the stands and it landed on the axle. There was alot of weight on top of those tiny stands. The first thing I'd do before playing with that is crib up under the beam tight. Honking on something under load can cause it to let go forcefully. There are three hinges the way I see it. The post is rotating from some point below grade, the post to girder is rotating, the girder to joist is rotating. If I'm understanding the pics and description correctly the entire structure is drifting in one direction, is that the direction of the prevailing wind or downslope? At any rate if it is all drifting one way the bracing is inadequate. Also the post needs to be connected to the girder and the floor system to make that all one column rather than a stack of columns. A section of C channel comes to mind. Or concrete block corners. I wouldn't put this off. The further things go out of plumb the more lateral force there is which makes it go out of plumb more, and faster which puts more rolling force into it... you get the idea.

[MountainDon]

Get a bunch of timbers to make a sturdy temporary support to hold that up while you make a solid permanent foundation support. Something like this, but probably not quite so high.  

[UK4X4]

Looks to me like the posts are shifting, the beams are trying to stay with the house and the weak point / less nails is between the beam and the post, and the hinge effect you can see.

To do it properly I think you have to jack the corner up take the weight of the post, dig out arround the post let it shift back vertical- or persued it.

Then re-inforce the beam to post connection and backfill with concrete.

But I'm an Instrumentation engineer by trade not a builder !

[JRR]

We have a garden "canopy" that I put together maybe 20 years ago.  The idea was for immediate shade and, over the years, to be covered in ivy, etc.  The unpainted PT structure sits atop a concrete patio/slab ... the post bottoms are not anchored in any way, free to "walk" ... and walk they have.  Today the canopy still works well for summer meals, is well covered in vegetation and the original shade fabric is still in place ... no sun-rot or tears.  But the four unrestrained posts, though not very loaded, have twisted much more than yours...especially near the ground, where they are not restrained  ... they are so gnarled, I have considered cutting off the bottom portions and replacing (but that's too much like work).

If you look at your posts, they are pretty free to move on the top end.  I would consider making them stiffer by adding a sister post, maybe two, to each existing post ... bolting through both sister and original the full height, and letting the sister splice go up and cover the joist assembly.  By using long all-thread rods through out you may staighten everything pretty well ... and it would be a fairly safe process.  No lifting required.  You may have to temporarily remove the angle braces.  I would work one corner/post at a time ... then go around for final tightening/shimming/etc.

Be sure to paint everything after repairs are complete.  In my neck of the woods (hot, sunny and wet) unpainted PT wood doesn't last as long...at least not straight.

[cmsilvay]

Seems as though the connection between the beam and support are moving and I do not see any kind of real mechanical connection between them. I would use the jacks and relieve the pressure at the connection and see it the post beam shifts. I would not jack on the beam but rather a temporary cribbing on the joists behind the beam. I think you are going to wind up using steel plate as Glenn said. One suggestion I have is replacing the posts with 8" concrete block if the footings are large enough to support them. These can be dry stacked with rebar inside and then filled with concrete. I would set the re bar into the footings with a hammer drill and then hydraulic cement to bond them.

[phalynx]

There are the metal T nailing plates connecting the beam to the posts.  They do not appear very strong at all.  It looks as though this one side of the house is shifting over to the front.  I was thinking of building up a beam using 4 2x12's about 14' long.  I could place that perpendicular to the main beam and using cribbing on each end to support the temp beam.  This would give me 8' of clearance where the existing post is.  I could then dig out the existing post to the concrete footing and perhaps replace the 6x6 post with a poured concrete pier.

That is what I am thinking at this point?  What do you think?