# waterproofing stud wall?



## ASIinc. (Jun 4, 2008)

Went to look at a job today end unit town house. side and front are block and back wall(walkout level) is wood framed. Sheating is that 1/4 cardboard crap with vinyl siding(side is parged). The grade on the corner well above the siding and water gets in and rotted most of the studs, plate and sheathing. So I priced taking out a lot of dirt, good grade away from house. What do you guys think the best way to waterproof the wall with out getting it too thick(1/4" sheating). I was thinking thin concrete board, parged then tar coat?


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## ASIinc. (Jun 4, 2008)

i also thought about digging deep on the side an filling with crushed and putting in drain tile.

heres a couple pics


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Start by reading your code book. Positive drainage is more than a good idea, it's the law. Once you touch it, you bought it, now it's your responsibility to comply with code. That means, wood framing must be 6" or more above finish grade AND that grade must provide for water to flow away from the structure.


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## ASIinc. (Jun 4, 2008)

thom said:


> Start by reading your code book. Positive drainage is more than a good idea, it's the law. Once you touch it, you bought it, now it's your responsibility to comply with code. That means, wood framing must be 6" or more above finish grade AND that grade must provide for water to flow away from the structure.


Well I dont think the HO has the funds to excavate and regrade the entire back yard so either I waterproof the wall or walk away I guess.


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## jmiller (May 14, 2010)

Can't you grade it 6-8" below the sill, pitching 1/4"/foot (or whatever code is) 10' out from the wall (or whatever code is) leading to a small retaining wall to get back to existing grade? 

Don't put crushed stone on the top layer next to the house, it needs to be packable dirt so water is carried away from the house. Do you have someplace to drain the drain tile if you did install it?


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

ASIinc. said:


> Well I dont think the HO has the funds to excavate and regrade the entire back yard so either I waterproof the wall or walk away I guess.


Building code does not include the phrase "if the homeowner can afford it". You are the professional. The code does not allow you to do anything less than code. If you do, you are fully responsible for any failures. It really doesn't matter what the HO can afford, nor does it matter what your contract says. The real issue is, whatever work you do must meet building code. If you can't do it to code, you shouldn't do anything. 

The reality is, a HO could hire you to do a cheap patch, you do the work, then they sue you for the entire cost of getting the job done properly, by someone else. Why would you put yourself in that position?

Now, it gets worse. Someone else acquires the home (purchase, gift, inheritance) and finds you did that work. The statute of limitations starts running when they discover the problem. You are on the hook for the full costs of fixing the problem to code.

As for the specifics of waterproofing the wall, you just can't. The moisture will wick up from the concrete into the framing. The concrete must project above grade where it can dry. The framing must be where moisture can get out. Trying to "waterproof" a below grade frame wall will only result in trapping in moisture, allowing the wall to continue rotting. The rule is, all framing in contact with the concrete must be rot-resistant. Either a species that is rot-resistant or treated lumber will pass. This is specifically because the moisture will wick from the concrete into the adjacent lumber. In the case of wood foundations (which is what you are attempting to do) all the framing that is below 6" above grade must be decay resistant.


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## jmiller (May 14, 2010)

Somebody probably just buried a dog right there where the dirt's high. This really doesn't look like that extensive of an excavation, and I don't think there would be any liability to grading the back wall and replacing that rotted framing.

Doesn't the neighborhood association take care of all the grounds/maintenance?


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## ASIinc. (Jun 4, 2008)

Part of me wants to just let this one go b/c its one of those "I can do some digging" " I can finish drywall" " I dont want to spend too much, its only 1 day of work right" I was thinking of overdigging side then stone then packed dirt. So if I got some ground contact 2x4's maybe a 12" strip of plastic on the bottom then finish as I stated before?


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