Unlevel CMU Stem Wall

[UnneutralAxis]

I have a job that has a ridiculously unlevel (or more correctly, not straight) stem wall. Three courses high. Supporting wood shear walls. Seismic Design B. 90 mph wind. Shear flow around 400 plf. Corrective action is needed.

I call for the cells to be grouted. Fortunately they have not been yet. I was thinking of forming off the top course about 4 inches and when pouring grout, pour on up to the top of the form and trowel off. Then puddle in anchor bolts and hold downs. Of course, longer anchor bolts will be needed now.

Anyone see a problem with this?

 

[UnneutralAxis]

I'm glad that everyone else is enjoying it. I know I would be if I didn't have to deal with it!

You are exactly right, it's like a saw tooth roof. Perfect comparison.

 

[ToadJones]

"Laser Level" = 3 Parts White Lightning + 2 Parts Wild Turkey + 3 Tbl spoons of Tobaccy Juice

 

[msquared48]

Actually, this looks like the alledged journeyman mason left his to be sure is existing apprentice to finish the job so he could go to the nearest bar and get a Long Slow .....

You know the rest.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[a2mfk]

Just to reiterate something you said in your OP, I would not wet set anything, especially anchor bolts with nuts on the end. You can cause small voids to form around the bolt and nuts and thus affect your bond with the grout. Plus from your description of who is doing the work, you should have everything in place prior to the grout and have it inspected then. They can trowel around these elements well enough to provide an even surface for what I assume will be a base plate...

This reminds me of when I had some old bricks laying around that I was going to make an outdoor fireplace out of, but I was moving and had to do something fast, so I hired a random guy off craigslist who "did brick work". Despite my better judgment on several aspects of this operation, I mocked up the wall on the ground dry and then coordinated on the phone as I was out of town. The result was similar to your photograph, as if he forgot his level at home and just said "aww, F it, it'll be close enough..."

Luckily all it was doing was separating my driveway from a landscape bed, and in the end it gave it a rustic look!

 

[UnneutralAxis]

a2mfk. Good point. I am calling for them to be in place prior. I have no confidence in them at this point.

I'm not really going for the rustic look here.

Not kidding... my grandpa was nearly blind in his older age. Couldn't even write checks. He did some masonry work that looked much better than this. BLIND I TELL YA.

 

[RacingAZ]

Is this a commercial project? Where is the Architect? That wall most likely would not meet specs, if there's one from the architect. Recommending a fix when the architectural specs are not being met would probably subject you to a liability. Get the Architect to reject or approve before you come up with a fix.

 

[a2mfk]

Siding and stucco will fix that