Bet ways to put wood Top Plate on ICF wall
Last Post 11 Sep 2009 09:40 PM by ICFconstruction. 2 Replies.
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retiring2texasUser is Offline
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10 Sep 2009 08:28 AM
Shucks, shoulda been "best ways..."

Hello,

I am the homeowner. ICF walls are poured with j-bolts spaced along the top horizontal edges.
My 2x10 and 2x12 pressure treated top plates are stacked down on the slab.
They used them as walk-boards during the pour.
Walls are 9" reward wall and some 11" reward wall.

I have several roller scaffolds and ladders and a big box of nuts and washers.

I have wood  trusses coming in soon.
Roof is gabled.

Questions.
1. What is the best way to match up holes in top plates to bolt threads?
I used a rubber mallet and pounded the plate to get the impression for drilling a hole. OK?
2. Should I use sill seal between top plate and concrete?
3. Should I also liquid nail them?
4. Should outer edges be flush and any overlap be on inside? I will stucco exterior...
5. How do you best do joint between 2 plates? Just as is butted together or some kind of notch or what?
Do you fill the joints with foam?
6. This one is hard to explain, Should the gable end be continuous boards and then another board start out with the 90 turn to the new wall? i.e., should the 20' gable truss sit down along 1 or 2 continuous top plates or its ends touch down on the start of the top plates that go out perpendicular or maybe it doesn't matter?
7. How much to tighten the bolts? Til washer slightly crushes into top plate?

I did a small guest house in ICF and installed the top plates and had some minor problems but this is our main house so I want to ask and check the pros.

Thanks
wesUser is Offline
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10 Sep 2009 04:13 PM
Here are my suggestions.
1. Your good.
2. Yes to the sill seal.
3. I don't.
4. You may want to rip to fit. It depends on the interior finishing. If your trusses bottom chords are to serve as ceiling joists, the overhang will create problems with drywall installation.
5. Butt joints are the norm. If you want, you could use metal mending plates to tie together, but I don't think its necessary.
6. No reason for this, but I prefer to run the sidewall plates to the end and cut the gable end boards short. One point to ponder, if you are using gable end trusses, they will sit solidly on the gable end plates, however, standard trusses are designed for the bottom chords to float freely, and should not be attached to the plates, other than at each end.
7. Do not overtighten the J bolts, just tight enough to snug the boards to the concrete, then a little more.
Have fun.
Wes Shelby<br>Design Systems Group<br>Murray KY<br>[email protected]
ICFconstructionUser is Offline
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11 Sep 2009 09:40 PM
3. If you used glue you would be just gluing to the sill seal and/or sill seal to the top of the wall.
Brad Kvanbek - ICFconstruction.net
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