Don A Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 So this is not actually blacksmith related, except that I need to get the job done so that I can get time to get back to the forge... major time consuming honey-do project in the works. I ask this here because it seems like this group has the collective experience to trouble-shoot about any problem. I originally built my house with pine lap siding on the exterior. After about 16 years, I have torn it off of three side and am going to have it bricked. I had the foresight to have the basement laid with 12" block and then stepped down to 8" slightly below grade to insure a ledge for brick... all except one small section. On my carport end, the whole wall of that one side was originally fully exposed to basement floor level. Over the years I added a retaining wall and poured a slab for the carport. Here's my problem: there is a 68" section between the corner of the basement and the back of the retaining wall that has no ledge for brick. There is about six feet of packed earth between the grade line and the footer of the basement. It would be a huge undertaking to dig down and build a ledge up from the footer, so I don't even consider that possible. Here's a couple things I have considered: - Simply attach a thick piece of 4" angle to the block wall to act as a bridge between the ledge on the back of the retaining wall and the ledge on the back wall of the basement. This would be easiest, but my biggest fear is that the steel below grade would eventually rust and fail. What do you think? - I have also entertained the idea of protruding some rebar from the block wall and making a cantilevered form about 2' deep and pouring concrete. Remember, this ledge only has to be 4" wide, but I need to be as sure as possible that it never sags or collapses so that I don't end up with a big crack through my brick wall... even if it is many years from now. Please let me know what you think... I won't make you sign anything Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Don; Your brick foundation need only be as deep as the frost line, which in your location I'd guess is about 30" or maybe only 24" below grade. Forget about the 6 feet of dirt. BUT do dig your footer trench wide enough to pour a wider base and drill rebar into the wall to attach the shelf so that it cannot tilt away from the building. You can check your local codes but around here they'd likely ask for a 12" footer with a little rebar in it and 6" deep or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Don, While 4" is a bit lean, whatever you do if you want to prevent/reduce long term cracks you can create a 'brick lintol' in the lower part of the wall by adding 2x6mm round bars into the mortar for 8 courses this stifens the wall and creates a beam effect. With the angle iron(wich is a stucturally sound principle) one needs to "pack out" the bottom by 2mm to create a level edge! many neglect to do this and there can be 'slip' as hot rolled steel sections have a taper to them. Better still, if it can't be seen then invert the angleand then the leg will also be bearing and will last mutch longer that the toe! Good luck on the project. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Don, In commercial construction both those options are used. The most common form of brick ledger is the 1/4" thick angle attached to the wall. Usually a weld plate is fastened to the wall. If it is a concrete wall the plate is cast into the wall, if it's masonry (like yours) the plate is grouted into a cutout in the wall (in both cases the plates have studs on the back for anchoring them to the wall). Then the angle is welded to the weld plate. Usually it is galvanized. The welds are then touched up with zinc-rich paint. The cast-in-place corbel is also a viable option. Holes are drilled in the wall and rebar dowels are epoxied into place (epoxy capsules are available where you place the capsule in the hole then hammer the dowel in-this punctures the capsule and epoxies the dowel in place). The corbel is then cast in place. Ideally you would also prep the the wall with a bonding agent before casting the new concrete. This would give the block-concrete interface additional adhesion. For both of these options to work, you would probably want your existing block wall to be grout filled. When the basement was built were all the cores of the block filled with concrete? Usually structural load bearing walls are core filled, but you never know. If your blocks aren't core filled I would be leery of fastening load bearing structures to one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knots Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 If the existing foundation wall is grouted and reinforced per code, you should be able to use bent rebar embeded into the grouted cells using epoxy adhesive bonding. Hilti also has an epoxy bonding system which uses stainless steel screen tubes to contain the epoxy adhesive in un-grouted cells for anchoring. You can consult the factory rep and determine if your application is an appropriate use. In any circumstance the new ledger needs to be securely fastened to the existing foundation wall. Epoxy bonding is most frequently used of this application in below grade applications. Either way there are a couple of other things that you can do. Bear the ends of the new concrete ledger on the existing block ledges on either side. If you are prone to a belt and suspenders approach you could install a steel angle lintel above grade and hidden inside the brick masonry to relieve the load on the ledger. This last suggestion would be in addition to the concrete ledger, If you are not secure in your confidence of your new ledger this could be considered as an additional measure . Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 Thank you all very much for the input. I hope to get this thing laid to rest by this weekend and get my masons to work by next week. I appreciate it. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I have seen metal brick ledges installed on buildings in Baltimore, where there is a window topped by a metal brick ledge, topped by bricks, topped by a window, etc, etc, etc.http://www.polysteel...000m133-138.pdf http://www.construction-resource.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-4361.html http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/remodel/msg1022542531925.html http://www.icfmag.com/how-to/ht_alternative_wall_finishes.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 I finally got this project completed thanks to all of the advice offered above. I appreciate the help. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I finally got this project completed thanks to all of the advice offered above. I appreciate the help. Don You didn't tell us how you did it? Maybe a pic or two also would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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