I need to replace some of the 2x4 studs in an exterior load-bearing wall in
my garage. Drywood termites have invaded and chomped the insides of
several of the studs. (I think the studs are redwood) Even though I had a
termite control company treat the studs with Cy-Kick, the studs look pretty
bad from over 40 years of various holes and termite treatments.
The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure the
wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
nails without damaging the stucco? At best I might be able to get a
hacksaw blade behind each stud, but it's going to be slow-going. If I cut
the nails, will I somehow weaken the stucco wall?
Also, does anybody know of a source in the SF Bay Area for pressure treated
DRY lumber for interior applications? All I see are soaking wet pressure
treated stuff for outside use. It's so depressing:-(
Ask this question in alt.building.construction
General practice in earthquake zones is, sister new studs next to the
damaged ones, if there is enough mass left in the old studs (if as you
mentioned, Redwood, there should be) then you can attach the sister stud to
the top and bottom plates AND to whatever is left of the existing stud with
construction adhesive and screws/nails.
Separating the stucco mesh from the studs will weaken the stucco
considerably.
Dave
"Hate Kalotermes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to replace some of the 2x4 studs in an exterior load-bearing wall
in
> my garage. Drywood termites have invaded and chomped the insides of
> several of the studs. (I think the studs are redwood) Even though I had
a
> termite control company treat the studs with Cy-Kick, the studs look
pretty
> bad from over 40 years of various holes and termite treatments.
>
> The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
> putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure
the
> wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
> nails without damaging the stucco? At best I might be able to get a
> hacksaw blade behind each stud, but it's going to be slow-going. If I cut
> the nails, will I somehow weaken the stucco wall?
>
> Also, does anybody know of a source in the SF Bay Area for pressure
treated
> DRY lumber for interior applications? All I see are soaking wet pressure
> treated stuff for outside use. It's so depressing:-(
>
>
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My first thought is to sister new studs next to the existing ones and leave
everything in place as other have already suggested. However, instead
of wood how about using steel studs?
If you absolutely have to get the old studs out you could try the method
I observed a carpenter do once in Tucson. Fit a hacksaw blade into
a sawsall and slip the blade between the stud and the wire mesh of the
stucco. Hook a strong bungee cord to the free end of the hacksaw blade
to provide tension as you cut and to keep the blade from kinking between
the stud and the saw. You'll need a helper to pull on the bungee while you
make the cut. There are usually galvanized staples holding the mesh to the
studs and they are easily cut with a hacksaw blade.
You will need to secure the wire mesh to the new studs. If you use nails or
pound anything in place you risk damaging the stucco. You're better off using
construction adhesive or screws.
Art
"Hate Kalotermes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to replace some of the 2x4 studs in an exterior load-bearing wall in
> my garage. Drywood termites have invaded and chomped the insides of
> several of the studs. (I think the studs are redwood) Even though I had a
> termite control company treat the studs with Cy-Kick, the studs look pretty
> bad from over 40 years of various holes and termite treatments.
>
> The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
> putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure the
> wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
> nails without damaging the stucco? At best I might be able to get a
> hacksaw blade behind each stud, but it's going to be slow-going. If I cut
> the nails, will I somehow weaken the stucco wall?
>
> Also, does anybody know of a source in the SF Bay Area for pressure treated
> DRY lumber for interior applications? All I see are soaking wet pressure
> treated stuff for outside use. It's so depressing:-(
>
>
Hate Kalotermes <[email protected]> writes:
>I need to replace some of the 2x4 studs in an exterior load-bearing wall in
>my garage. Drywood termites have invaded and chomped the insides of
>several of the studs. (I think the studs are redwood) Even though I had a
>termite control company treat the studs with Cy-Kick, the studs look pretty
>bad from over 40 years of various holes and termite treatments.
>
>The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
>putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure the
>wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
>nails without damaging the stucco? At best I might be able to get a
I suppose you can cut the stud at the sill and top plates with a sawzall,
then section the stud into 18-24" pieces with the sawzall. Unless they used
ring-shank nails to nail the mesh to the studs, you should be able to pull
the stud sections straight away from the stucco.
You may also need to support the top-plate with a hydraulic jack
to prevent any settling while the stud is being replaced. (you can bore
a suitably sized hole in the end of a 4x4 that a bottle jack will fit
into - the 4x4 should be short enough to reach the top-plate with the
jack sitting on the sill plate).
Do this _before_ removing the old stud.
>
>Also, does anybody know of a source in the SF Bay Area for pressure treated
Why replace with pressure treated? Wouldn't it be more effective to address
the path the termites used to get to the stud in the first place?
scott
"Lyndell Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just a thought but............could you put new studs next to the damaged
> studs (treated obviously) and leave the old studs in place. Not trying to
be
> a smart aleck......
That was exactly what I was thinking.
On 20 Apr 2004 01:57:19 +0200, Hate Kalotermes <[email protected]>
wrote:
>The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
>putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure the
>wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
>nails without damaging the stucco?
Trying to understand better... if you have to run a putty knife behind
to find the nails, then they don't go through the stud, or you'd see
them. So what is the worry about? Just remove the studs and the
nails should hold.
If the nails do go through the stud first, then place a support
material [a square of wood] on the side where the heel of your
wrecking bar will exert pressure. This distributes the pressure over
a larger area, like a snowshoe. There will be some touch-up in any
case. This is how I removed wood door framing in an old house that
had lath and plaster walls [and we still live in it.]
Dan.
Just a thought but............could you put new studs next to the damaged
studs (treated obviously) and leave the old studs in place. Not trying to be
a smart aleck......I am sure you have reasons for removing the old studs.
With good termite control, there should not be a problem with leaving the
damaged studs in place. You will have to use long nails or srews to attach
the new studs to the old loadbearing joists, driven at an angle to make a
good attachment. Just my two cents worth.
Good Luck Lyndell
"Hate Kalotermes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to replace some of the 2x4 studs in an exterior load-bearing wall
in
> my garage. Drywood termites have invaded and chomped the insides of
> several of the studs. (I think the studs are redwood) Even though I had
a
> termite control company treat the studs with Cy-Kick, the studs look
pretty
> bad from over 40 years of various holes and termite treatments.
>
> The challenge will be to remove the old studs one at a time. In running a
> putty knife behind the studs, it appears that nails were used to secure
the
> wire mesh, which is a backing for the stucco. How can I cut through these
> nails without damaging the stucco? At best I might be able to get a
> hacksaw blade behind each stud, but it's going to be slow-going. If I cut
> the nails, will I somehow weaken the stucco wall?
>
> Also, does anybody know of a source in the SF Bay Area for pressure
treated
> DRY lumber for interior applications? All I see are soaking wet pressure
> treated stuff for outside use. It's so depressing:-(
>
>
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 00:20:37 GMT, "Lyndell Thompson"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Just a thought but............could you put new studs next to the damaged
>studs (treated obviously) and leave the old studs in place. Not trying to be
>a smart aleck......I am sure you have reasons for removing the old studs.
>With good termite control, there should not be a problem with leaving the
>damaged studs in place. You will have to use long nails or srews to attach
>the new studs to the old loadbearing joists, driven at an angle to make a
>good attachment. Just my two cents worth.
Yes, many people are suggesting the same thing. And perhaps this is what I
will do. One of the reasons for my wanting to remove the old studs is that
I'm not quite sure all the drywoods are gone. I had a "localized"
treatment, which consisted of the exterminator drilling small holes into
the wood, until he hit a pocket where the drywoods existed. Then he
injected the Cy-Kick. It's a very random thing. The only real way to know
that all the drywoods are killed is to tent the entire house and fumigate
with Vikane. Very expensive. And tenting will probably be the next course
of action in a few years.
Drywood termites have a very limited area of the country where they attack
wood. Unfortunately, I happen to live in that area. Drywoods do less
damage and aren't as aggressive with wood as the more familiar
subterranean. According to my exterminator and all the literature I've
read, there is little one can do to protect and prevent against drywood
termites, other than to use California redwood, Southern Yellow Pine, or
pressure treated lumber. And even then, these bugs have been known to
munch on this stuff too. Even the tiniest entry point is enough for them
to get to the wood. The only thing about drywoods is that it takes them a
long time to do real damage, unlike the subterranean or the dreaded
Formosan, which can turn a whole house to sawdust in a month's time. Here
are links to the wall in question, and a closeup of the "pellets" the
drywoods produce:
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/v40/Hreodbeorht/wall.jpg
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/v40/Hreodbeorht/closeup.jpg
In article <[email protected]>,
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Lyndell Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Just a thought but............could you put new studs next to the damaged
> > studs (treated obviously) and leave the old studs in place. Not trying to
> be
> > a smart aleck......
>
>
> That was exactly what I was thinking.
>
>
Yes, particularly with the expectation of quake "disturbances" it would
be best to leave as much "fixing" from the wall covering to the framing
as possible. Abatron's "Liquid Wood" in the old studs would also
maximize what the termites have left you.
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