# Material between brick and studs



## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

The brick will have ties to the studs in some order. The distance between the brick and the sheeting is a drain plane for water that goes thru the brick. I would do my best to put tar paper in to direct water out and away from the sill plate. So inside at the top and outside at the bottom.


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## Ember Stevens (Sep 11, 2018)

This innovative gypsum purple board drywall allows for construction of high STC wall assemblies that are thinner, cost-effective and more reliable than traditional solutions.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

The board you are seeing maybe a Gypsum Sheathing which in most cases would be 24 inches wide 8 Ft. long with a "V" T&G along the long edge it is very dark brown in color and the core is also a light brown color. Also used in that time period was a Fiber Board that was Asphalt impregnated these type of sheathings were nailed to the studs than you should see a felt paper over the exterior side of the sheathing than the brick.
If your brick is structural it would be two or even three courses in thickness this type of construction would not have used a exterior sheathing as you have described. Also as Neal has stated Brick ties would have been used if it is a Veneer brick.


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## ex-Khobar Andy (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks for your replies. I appreciate the drawing from NealTW - so what I had assumed was the absence of any join between the brick and the stud is really just that I haven't found it yet. Makes sense. But how do I get tar paper between and existing stud wall and an existing brick wall? Do I try to chop out the fibrous material which is in good shape for much of its extent and just replace it everywhere? And if the idea is to drain water, where does it drain it to? There is no obvious (at least not to me) drain, so won't the water just end up at the sill plate anyway? I was planning to drywall and then put in maybe a kitchen type base PVC cove mold with sealer to make sure that water from the garage floor does not get to the sill plate.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

Your existing brick should have weep holes at the bottom or at the level of the finished floor elevation.
As for water proofing the existing you can use a brush on type water proofing like STO CORP water proofing for Brick Veneer systems. Remove all damaged sheathing & Felt do this so as to leave a stairstep or lapping of felt & sheathing than apply the water proofing so it covers the felt & the sheathing edge & up to 2 inches of the back side of the sheathing you may need two coats to make sure it is water tight.


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## ex-Khobar Andy (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks Clarence - gypsum sheathing is what I was looking for and yes it appears to be nailed to the studs. I am used to a fibreboard or plywood sheathing which obviously has more structural strength than this material. 



My original intent was to remove just the termite affected studs (3 or four in a approx 20 x 20 double garage) and replace them. One or two at a time is fine and I am sure the structure is strong enough to withstand this for the hour or two it takes me to cut and place the new stud. Do you think that maybe I should just remove and replace all the studs a couple at a time and put the new gypsum sheathing between the stud and the brick? If I just get some foil faced insulation board, cut it into 14" widths so it fits between the studs and glue it in pace, will that achieve the same 'drain plane' effect? I could then just leave the gypsum sheathing in place. Where it is still good it will continue as before; where it is damaged the insulation board will pick up the slack.


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## ex-Khobar Andy (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks again Clarence - my last post overlapped with yours so I'll take the time to understand all the replies.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

There should be weep holes on the outside bottom.
You might find that the sill plate is either treated lumber or is siting on a thin foam sill gasket, most times the drywall is purposely left 3/4" off the floor and left like that, no floor molding.
Between the brick and the wall board, should be a gap for the water to fall to the bottom, the tarpaper would just be tucked in the bottom to deflect the water out and down, and keep the structure dry with out blocking it's path.
You said you will be changing some studs, any structure that looks like it has water damage but not enough to change, I would paint some end grain treatment on it to kill rot or mold spores that might be there.
http://nisuscorp.com/wood-preservation/contractor-diy/
https://www.google.ca/search?q=bric..._bLdAhWpsVQKHUJqAFkQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=940


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## ex-Khobar Andy (Aug 26, 2007)

OK there are weep holes - never saw them until you told me where to look. About every second brick in the lowest course has a 1/8 or maybe smaller hole in the mortar about 2 inches above the concrete foundation. I poked a fir needle into some of these and it went in no more than 1/4 inch - do these get plugged up over time? (The brick is not painted.) Should I drill these out from the outside? 



Yes to the 3/4 gap at the bottom of the drywall - I was just going to put a 3/4 inch plank there on the floor while I place the drywall. the cove molding was just going to be added to prevent any water intrusion from the garage floor - I think I maybe lived too long in Buffalo NY where for four months of the year your car brings in an iceberg every time. 



I want to make sure I understand - if I just cut say 12 inch strips of tar paper and insert it along the bottom between the studs and the brick in such a way that water is guided to the weep holes, that would work? Hold the paper in place say with duct tape as of course I cannot get at it from behind to nail it in place.


Thanks for all your help, everyone - I always learn a lot when I come here.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

http://my.fit.edu/~locurcio/14-Civi...Concrete/Ch5-Masonry Construction.pdf#page=30
Check page # 164 it may help you understand the brick construction.
The weeps may have a cotton wick installed to prevent bugs from entering.


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## ex-Khobar Andy (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks everyone. Because I could not replace the sheathing without tearing out the whole wall I used a hard foam insulation board which I could slide in between the studs and the brick. Where I had to cut it to get it in I taped the joints so its pretty impervious and should shed water, if any, down to the weep holes. The roof had been replaced in the last year or so, and i am pretty sure that the water issue is no longer a problem.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

ex-Khobar Andy said:


> Thanks everyone. Because I could not replace the sheathing without tearing out the whole wall I used a hard foam insulation board which I could slide in between the studs and the brick. Where I had to cut it to get it in I taped the joints so its pretty impervious and should shed water, if any, down to the weep holes. The roof had been replaced in the last year or so, and i am pretty sure that the water issue is no longer a problem.


 The brick absorbs water from the outside and then it wick thru and drain down the back. It is not about a roof problem.:wink2:


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