# Repairing rotten wall studs on exterior wall



## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You can repair the studs and plate from the interior. It will be easier if the ceiling joists are perpendicular to the wall so you can build a temporary stud wall to support the load while you remove the bottom plate.
Support the wall.
Remove the damaged plate and replace it.
Cut out the damaged section of the studs (as square as possible)
-Put in a new stud next to the damaged one(put construction adhesive where the stud hits the exterior sheathing)
-Fill in the replacement piece and screw it to the stud next to it.
-Attach all the new framing to the new plate
While the plate is out, you can replace the bad subfloor.

You can sister a new section of floor joist if the damage is just on top.
Ron


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## croms (Feb 26, 2011)

Thanks a bunch Ron,

You've affirmed what I was thinking as well.

A couple of follow up questions:

The photo doesn't show it, but this is a shower stall with an opposite wall 32'' from the wall shown (just behind the camera). I was thinking that this should add sufficient support to the wall while I repair it. What do you think?

Also, how far back must the sister joist go? I obviously can't go the length of the other, but I'd like to make it meet structural code.

Thanks again for the tips.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

croms said:


> Thanks a bunch Ron,
> 
> You've affirmed what I was thinking as well.
> 
> ...


Before You could be told if the shower wall was adequate, you would need to tell us the way the ceiling joists run.
Are they parallel to the damaged wall?
OR
Are the perpendicular to the damaged wall?
AND
Is the back wall a load bearing wall?
AND
Does the shower wall extend past the damaged area and by how much?
-It needs to extend at least one joist on either side of the damaged area.
AND
What is the size of the ceiling joists?

With the floor joist, what you do depends on the extent of the damage. With slight(about 1" or under) All you need to do is extend the joist past the damaged are 12-18" and bolt them together. The joist should be sitting on the sill plate to bear the weight and extend back to good wood.
Ron


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## croms (Feb 26, 2011)

The ceiling joists are 2x4 (part of the roof trusses) and they do run perpendicular to the damaged wall. Since I'm cutting slightly beyond the damage, it will be about a foot beyond where the shower wall ends, so I guess that wall by itself won't do. I don't know if it's intended to be load bearing or not, but I do know it goes up to the ceiling joists with a double top plate. So it's probably as good as any temp I could build.

The main problem I have is trying to envision how I would even construct a temp stud wall that wouldn't get in the way of installing the new sub-floor which has to go in before replacing the bottom plate and wall studs.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

croms said:


> The ceiling joists are 2x4 (part of the roof trusses) and they do run perpendicular to the damaged wall. Since I'm cutting slightly beyond the damage, it will be about a foot beyond where the shower wall ends, so I guess that wall by itself won't do. I don't know if it's intended to be load bearing or not, but I do know it goes up to the ceiling joists with a double top plate. So it's probably as good as any temp I could build.
> 
> The main problem I have is trying to envision how I would even construct a temp stud wall that wouldn't get in the way of installing the new sub-floor which has to go in before replacing the bottom plate and wall studs.


With a 2x4 truss system, I'd do it differently.
This scenario would be based on a single story or a second story not directly on top of the bathroom.
I'd lag bolt(1/2x5") a 2x10 to the back wall extending well past(12-18") the damaged area. Bolt it to every wall stud between the ends of the 2x10. Put 2x4's on the flat(1/4" longer then the height of the level 2x10), and put them under the 2x10 and hammer them in place. Screw them to the good wall studs as close to the damaged area as possible.
This should take the weight off the bottom plate so you can remove it.
You might have to replace the subfloor in sections to work around the supports. Blocking the edges should give you a stable base.
Ron


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## croms (Feb 26, 2011)

Thanks again Ron. That sounds doable and a much better solution than what I had in mind. :thumbup:

I went and got the materials today and will probably go to it this weekend. 

I'll feel much better knowing there's more support there. Any way to test how it's holding before I actually remove the plate?

Another question I had was, (for anyone familiar) does anyone know anything about PC Rot Terminator and PC Guardian? I want to apply something that will kill any remaining fungus that may be left in the wood that's not getting taken out (like on the discolored wood and the slightly soft part of the joist that's staying in) and this stuff claims to work. 

Any thoughts?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

croms said:


> I'll feel much better knowing there's more support there. Any way to test how it's holding before I actually remove the plate?


If you've taken the weight off the wall, you should be able to cut along the base plate with a recipricating saw right through the stud nails and not have the blade bind under the stud. If it binds, cut additional studs a little longer then the prevoius and knock them into position.
If it still binds, there is more load there then this method can compensate for and reqiures a "Plan B".
Ron


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## croms (Feb 26, 2011)

Ron,

Your suggestion is working out quite well. I was able to get the rotten stuff out no problem and the wall is holding up great while I treat the remaining wood.

Thanks again. You are this DIY'ers hero. :thumbsup:


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

croms said:


> Ron,
> 
> Your suggestion is working out quite well. I was able to get the rotten stuff out no problem and the wall is holding up great while I treat the remaining wood.
> 
> Thanks again. You are this DIY'ers hero. :thumbsup:


My wife say's I'm like a stopped clock, right twice a day.
You just got lucky.
Ron


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## Crazy_Legs (Dec 28, 2011)

*Retaining wall pictures?*

Hi Croms, I was wondering if you had any pictures of the wall support you built to allow you to replace the bottom plate and the sub floor? :confused1:

This would help me greatly.

I have a very similar situation to repair. In my case the cause was due to a leak from from the chimney flashing (at least thats what I think, so I re caulked it). I believe water flowed through the building paper until it reached the floor in a 2nd storey bed room and rotted the floor and bottom plate. My damage looks very much like your picture. 

Please post any picture you may have of your support wall. Thanks


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