# Adding brick ledge to foundation



## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

imagine a 3' x 3" piece of angle iron bolted to the conc wall w/lag bolts & sketch it :thumbup:


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## mrgins (Jan 19, 2009)

I did an estimate for a young couple a few years ago who had just bought a house that I would have demolished! The previous owner had done this at grade level and then put in a 4' high brick veneer. Because the foundation was concrete block, the weight of the bricks had forced the foundation inwards.
Oh yeah, and the inspector they hired told them it wasn't a structural issue!


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## ecb3 (Dec 1, 2010)

*Thanks, Itsreallyconc*

With your userid I'm guessing you might be a concrete pro. 
So I don't need to add conc to the footer - great!
Would that be 1/4 or 1/8 inch angle iron? and the vertical side of the angle iron would go down from the ledge?
And only 3"? I suppose brick-width cinderblock would work from the ledge up to ground level/first course of bricks.
Regards, ecb3


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## mrgins (Jan 19, 2009)

The angle iron can be ordered predrilled. Remember to put roofing felt against the existing wall and use wall ties to hold the bricks


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## ecb3 (Dec 1, 2010)

*Thanks, mrgins*

I'd get the angle iron from a welder in our congregation. If he doesn't know this application he'll ask for the thickness of the iron, the spacing for the lag bolts, and the diameter for drilling the holes.
I would need to know what length lag bolts to use.
I've seen the wall ties you mention during a demolition - I recall it was every 3rd or 4th row and simply nailed to the plywood in line with the studs, but I don't remember how far apart they were horizontally.
Regards, ecb3


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## mrgins (Jan 19, 2009)

ecb3 said:


> I'd get the angle iron from a welder in our congregation. If he doesn't know this application he'll ask for the thickness of the iron, the spacing for the lag bolts, and the diameter for drilling the holes.
> I would need to know what length lag bolts to use.
> I've seen the wall ties you mention during a demolition - I recall it was every 3rd or 4th row and simply nailed to the plywood in line with the studs, but I don't remember how far apart they were horizontally.
> Regards, ecb3


Generally, poured conc foundations are 8" thick, plus the steel thickness, plus a plate or washer and a nut. 10" sounds about right


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## stubborn1 (Oct 24, 2008)

I would want an engineer to look at it to size the number, size, spacing, and pullout strength required for the quick bolts.

Also, if you are in a climate subject to freeze/thaw, hold any soil away from the angle. I've heard of the frozen soil heaving the angle and causing the brick to crack.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Don't plan on lag bolting the angle iron to the wood wall, sorry to say but that's not going to be suffice.

I've done these before, and although I'm typically in favor of "seat of the pants" engineering, this isn't a project that you just tale a stab at. I can honestly tell you that I wouldn't do the job like it's been mentioned in any of the posts above, except for the individual who suggested a professional opinion.

There's a myriad of potential issues here, and there is no "boilerplate" table or chart that I know of to handle this. It really needs job specific engineering IMO.

An alternative that I can guarantee would be to access the footing (yes, I know that's a lot of work) and bring up 4" CMU.

An easier option would be to look into a thin, light weight veneer like cultured stone or thin brick.

Good luck.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

ecb3 said:


> I've seen the wall ties you mention during a demolition - I recall it was every 3rd or 4th row and simply nailed to the plywood in line with the studs, but I don't remember how far apart they were horizontally.
> Regards, ecb3


You'd want to check your local code, but it's typically 1 wall tie for every 2 sq. feet of wall. On 16" centered stud walls, about every 16" in height, which is 6 courses of standard or mods, 5 courses of queens, 4 courses of jumbos or bed face brick. :thumbsup:


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## ecb3 (Dec 1, 2010)

*Thanks, jomama, stubborn1!*

I'm not bolting the angle iron to the wall, I'm planning to go down to the footer, below the frost line. True, no fun, but neither is a frost heave destroying the masonry later on. 
I am having a general contractor who attends my church expand our sun room to include a dining room (and get the windows/doors/insulation tax credit), and his foundation mason will be here Sat - I'll run it by them, too, since I'm having the mason do a brick ledge on the new footer.


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