Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
(OP)
Encountered a 2" thick strip of wood within a 2-wythe bonded brick wall (party wall) right above basement floor level(3 Story Above). Basically, the brick wall was constructed to a certain height, a 2" wood board was placed down and then the construction of brick continued on top of this wood board. The wood is all the way thru the wall. I've heard of this before...does anyone know the purpose and/or have heard of a tried/true technique to shim/repair/replace?
Highly appreciated.
Highly appreciated.





RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
I have similar horizontal wood strips, laid flat and embedded within the walls of my house. The walls of my house are 2-1/2 ft. thick fieldstone so the wood strips do not continue through the entire thickness of the wall. The wood strips are on the interior face of the walls and are spaced every 2 or 3 ft vertically. Their purpose is for use as nailers for the interior wall construction, typically rough sawn 2x4's covered with lathe and plaster.
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Phased removal defintely does sound like the proper approach. For added protection during the phased reapir process, I was thinking of installing a few steel shim packs every 2' and then phase the removal and grouting of the wood strip area every in thirds. Repair 2' strip every 6ft apart and then repeat the process two more times.
To add complexity, the neighbor side, who has been uncooperative in the rehabiliation (opp side of wall), is furred and finished. We have access to only one side.
Many Thanks for the Responses
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Dik
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
If the depth of the wood strips were only partially through the depth of the wall, I fully agree that masonry grout, with similar properties to the existing mortar, be used. However, if as suggested the wood strip is the full depth of the wall, would the choice of grout become less important, i.e. why could one not consider a hard, non-shrink grout or portland cement grout? Through the depth of the wall at the repair locations, there would not be any differential material properties to create hard points. Comments/thoughts?
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Check for my article on Sliderule's site...
Dik
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Check the quality of the brickwork before you make the assumption that the wall is better off without the timber.
RE: Historic Brick Load Bearing Walls with Rotted Out Wood Strip
Kieran