How to Install Sill Plates
Order your wood., Cover the wood with a tarp., Measure the distance for the sill plate with a tape measure. , Cut the length of board - use a handsaw or a circular saw. , Place the cut board into position on top of the J bolts., Get the board secure...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Order your wood.
If the framing for the building will be 2x6, allowing fewer members and deeper insulation, you will need a 2x6 sill plate.
Since sill plates have an indoor application, 'pressure treated' wood is not necessary.
For almost half the cost you can get a termite-treated board called 'borate'.
It's apple-green, but will eventually weather to gray. -
Step 2: Cover the wood with a tarp.
The sun will warp and twist your boards all over the place
- especially something as wet as borate. ,,, Typically, sill plates are laid flush with the outside edge of the stem wall or slab.
This is so water will not collect on an exposed lip of concrete and migrates into the dwelling.
However, if it seems counterintuitive to you to put the full weight of the building on the outside of the stem wall, rather than the center of it, just make sure the sheathing and siding that goes on above will fully overlap the foundation. , Marker is better than pen, because it's awkward to draw around the bolt at this angle, and a marker will give you a nice line to follow. , Go a little bigger with the holes.
If the bolts are 1/2"
drill a 5/8" hole.
This will make it far easier to get the board down over the bolts.
Washers beneath the nuts will cover any gaps. , This is a strip of foam that goes down beneath the sill plate.
It makes a better seal and provides insulation, and further protects the board.
The foam is cut to fit and pressed down over the bolts. 'Seam sealer' is inexpensive
- a 50' roll will be around $4
- $5. , As long as you left exposed at least 2 1/2" of J bolt above the block, or your boards happen to be perfectly flat, the bolts should stick up beyond the sill plate enough to get the washer and nut on.
However, if your boards are warped, you're going to have to weigh down the board on either side of the bolt. , A flathead screwdriver will do the job. , Since treated wood is wet, don't over tighten.
It's easy to start grinding down into the board.
Tighten it so it's hard to screw down any further, but it's not driving down into the wood. , -
Step 3: Measure the distance for the sill plate with a tape measure.
-
Step 4: Cut the length of board - use a handsaw or a circular saw.
-
Step 5: Place the cut board into position on top of the J bolts.
-
Step 6: Get the board secure (have someone hold one end of the board
-
Step 7: or prop it up with objects)
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Step 8: and use a marker to trace around the top of the bolts beneath the board.
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Step 9: Drill the holes for the bolts.
-
Step 10: Lay down seam sealer.
-
Step 11: Install the board down over the bolts.
-
Step 12: Gouge around the bolt into the board if you still can't get the nut on.
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Step 13: Tighten the nuts down over the washers and board.
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Step 14: Here the board is installed
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Step 15: and you can see the roll of seam sealer beside it:
Detailed Guide
If the framing for the building will be 2x6, allowing fewer members and deeper insulation, you will need a 2x6 sill plate.
Since sill plates have an indoor application, 'pressure treated' wood is not necessary.
For almost half the cost you can get a termite-treated board called 'borate'.
It's apple-green, but will eventually weather to gray.
The sun will warp and twist your boards all over the place
- especially something as wet as borate. ,,, Typically, sill plates are laid flush with the outside edge of the stem wall or slab.
This is so water will not collect on an exposed lip of concrete and migrates into the dwelling.
However, if it seems counterintuitive to you to put the full weight of the building on the outside of the stem wall, rather than the center of it, just make sure the sheathing and siding that goes on above will fully overlap the foundation. , Marker is better than pen, because it's awkward to draw around the bolt at this angle, and a marker will give you a nice line to follow. , Go a little bigger with the holes.
If the bolts are 1/2"
drill a 5/8" hole.
This will make it far easier to get the board down over the bolts.
Washers beneath the nuts will cover any gaps. , This is a strip of foam that goes down beneath the sill plate.
It makes a better seal and provides insulation, and further protects the board.
The foam is cut to fit and pressed down over the bolts. 'Seam sealer' is inexpensive
- a 50' roll will be around $4
- $5. , As long as you left exposed at least 2 1/2" of J bolt above the block, or your boards happen to be perfectly flat, the bolts should stick up beyond the sill plate enough to get the washer and nut on.
However, if your boards are warped, you're going to have to weigh down the board on either side of the bolt. , A flathead screwdriver will do the job. , Since treated wood is wet, don't over tighten.
It's easy to start grinding down into the board.
Tighten it so it's hard to screw down any further, but it's not driving down into the wood. ,
About the Author
Alexis Palmer
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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