Getting the stem wall back to level

[MikeT]

When I built my forms, I checked and double checked them and they were level.  Then came the pour--I was not there because of jury duty.  It was a damp, dark early January day on the Oregon coast, and I think the crew had to hurry through the pour--at least that is what I am guessing.  The top of the wall looks like it has hardly been screeded at all.

Now I am trying to set my sill plate, and it looks like the top of the wall has lots of bumps and some dips.  So much so that over 28 feet of stem wall, it looks like the highest point (which occurs in a few places) is 3/4-1" higher than other spots.

Should I take a rock hammer and hack away at the high spots (potentially a lot of them)?
Should I shim the mudsill with PT shims (site cut, I assume from PT lumber)
Should I take some cement and apply a layer and then set the sill plate on top of it and level it (using the bearing plate and nuts and all that).

Your thoughts, as always, are most appreciated.

[glenn-k]

Might depend a bit on what other problems elevation change will cause you but if no problems then I think I would just mix up some mortar mix - maybe a coat of concrete bonder ( like Elmers Glue, but now they have official stuff) and slap the plate on it.

[desdawg]

It has been a while but I used to get sheet metal shims to use for this, the advantage being that they won't compress as the weight of the building is added. They can be stacked up to add height as needed. 3/4"-1" is quite a bit though. Will your anchor bolts be long enough to reach through the plate? I think I would shoot it in and snap some chalk lines before deciding. The answer may be in the middle somewhere, shimming some and grinding some. I don't think I would chip. then as Glenn said grout between the shims.

[MikeT]

The anchor bolts have room to spare, so no matter what I do, I will be able to get the nuts on the bolts.  I have a bag or two of mortar mix in the garage and some concrete bonding glue.  Where would I get sheet metal shims?  The other walls are fine-- it is just this one that seems to be problematic.

[glenn-k]

The shims would be handy but if you have a day or two to let the mortar set that should work too.

[MikeT]

I would have plenty of time for any mortar mix to set good and hard--I can only get down there for a day or two over the coming few weeks.  Maybe that is a job I can task my kids with next Saturday.

[PA-Builder]

1. I would first find the highest point on the wall.

2. Then put steel shims every 16" (shims about 2" x width of wall) to bring the low spots up to the high spot.

3. Then fill in between shims with mortar or a bonding cement.  Allow that to cure.

4. Then do your sill plate.

5.  How old are "the kids" ?   (I see some more problems developing here LOL ! ! !)

[hobbiest]

Put down pt and crank the nuts tight, then nail regular plate on top of that.  Nail every 16 inches, one nail.  Go through with a water level, transit, or laser level and find the highest point...that is your control (make a big visible mark there).  Lightly pry the two plates apart with a flat bar, and shim in between them right next to the nails.  Once shimmed to the proper height, nail with 3 nails.  Go back to your control point every now and again to double check the accuracy of equipment.  Sometimes the transit or laser can get out of alignment and you won't know it.  After floor is framed and sheathed, fill gaps between plates with medium expanding foam.  Really high bumps in the wall can be knocked off with a hammer (wear goggles), but don't worry about too much.  A level start can be crucial, but don't try to get perfect.  Once all the framing is added, there is likely to be more discrepencies from the length and width of lumber to add to your foundation.  The house we are building right now was 2" out from high to low.  It is also 3200 square footprint.  two days of leveling!  In the rain!  I feel your pain.

[peg_688]

Good tip Hobbist's , next one is hire a different concrete sub

[jraabe]

This is great!  

We're getting the real inside skinny here - from people who actually build this stuff!

(Thankfully, not just from people who, sort of, draw pictures of it... )

[hobbiest]

Nice on PEG.  It wasn't up to us.  That wasn't the only problem though.  The anchor bolts were too low, and not enough.  In one of the garage stems, we had 3 bolts for 36'!  Some smaller stems had none at all.  My partner (who has been building longer than I) didn't want to do it my way either, just used one plate.  It worked, but not as well.  He also didn't want to do as much squaring as I would have.  We have a six sided turret that had only four sides poured on the foundation, and some walls were not as much as 3" away from where they should have been.  couple this with three plan revisions, a structural engineer who things we are building the new world trade center, and a general contractor who doesn't even know what fascia is, and you can see that we have been having a swell time!