Hi:

I've got a couple of questions here but need to describe the situation
a bit.

I've got some pretty severe termite and dry rot problems around a tub
area. The interior of the bathroom has been completely removed and
I'm looking at the studs on the exterior wall that forms the tub
area. In a couple of areas the sole plate is completely gone and the
studs are just hanging from the top plate.

The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. No sheathing. I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. Is that the case?

I can slightly rock the studs that have no sole plate from side to
side but no more. I assume they're being held in place by the nails/
staples/whatever that were used to attach the building paper and wire
mesh to the studs.

What's the best way to remove these studs from the exterior wall
without damaging the stucco? If the studs were nailed to sheathing
I'd be tempted to simply pry them loose but that seems risky given the
situation.

TIA.

Tom Young

On May 2, 2:43*pm, TomYoung wrote:

snip

The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. *But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. *No sheathing. *I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. *Is that the case?

snip

What you're looking at is an extreme example of code violating,
corner cutting, shoddy construction. Maybe I'm wrong, but it might be
best just to bulldoze the structure and build a decent house. Get an
opinion from your local city building inspector if you aren't afraid
of real bad news. Trying to salvage anything from your Pandora's box
could be a ghastly money waste. Try to find some professionals to
advise you before you get in too deep. Good luck.

Joe

On May 2, 6:49*pm, Joe wrote:

What you're looking at is *an extreme example of code violating,
corner cutting, shoddy construction.

How can the code be violated before the code was enacted?

R

replying to Joe, 123dcp wrote:
I know this is an old thread, but speaking as the owner of a house built in a
similar manner, which was almost certainly code-compliant in 1961, could I
suggest that you consider whether your responses are offensive before posting?


My home, and millions of similar homes do need some repair to be up to modern
standards for excluding water, insulation, etc., but they're not garbage.
People pay north of a million dollars for such homes every day. And when
folks buy older homes, it's generally with the knowledge that when repairs are
made there will need to be some upgrades.

Tom was looking for useful advice on how to improve an existing situation in
someone's home without ripping down sound stucco. Instead of offering
suggestions of how to repair what's behind the stucco without tearing it down
(other sources suggest that It can be done), you decided to be a smart-a$$.
Congratulations on being no help to nayone.

--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ll-371095-.htm

On Monday, May 16, 2016 at 9:44:05 PM UTC-5, 123dcp wrote:
replying to Joe, 123dcp wrote:
I know this is an old thread, but speaking as the owner of a house built in a
similar manner, which was almost certainly code-compliant in 1961, could I
suggest that you consider whether your responses are offensive before posting?


My home, and millions of similar homes do need some repair to be up to modern
standards for excluding water, insulation, etc., but they're not garbage.
People pay north of a million dollars for such homes every day. And when
folks buy older homes, it's generally with the knowledge that when repairs are
made there will need to be some upgrades.

Tom was looking for useful advice on how to improve an existing situation in
someone's home without ripping down sound stucco. Instead of offering
suggestions of how to repair what's behind the stucco without tearing it down
(other sources suggest that It can be done), you decided to be a smart-a$$.
Congratulations on being no help to nayone.
--

Unfortunately, five years ago, Joe was murdered by someone he offended. He left behind a grateful family who was tired of his smart mouth. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Murderous Monster

replying to Joe, SaneLogic wrote:
I hate comments like this. Wtf man. A guy asks a DIY question and you
literally tell him to bulldoze the house. That's so ignorant it's not even
funny. No, you don't have to bulldoze a house because there's termite damage
in a bathroom wall. Jfc.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ll-371095-.htm

replying to SaneLogic, Jeffcorr wrote:
Ha ha, true. People are funny. Variety, I suppose

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ll-371095-.htm

Final Solution to termites is NO MORE WOODEN STUDS OR PLATES. Wood should be banned. Instead, use galvanized sheet metal studs that come in different gauges. Won't burn, rot or warp. Also light in weight. Tin snips can used rather than loud heavy circular saws. Small 'tech screws' are used as fasteners- no compressors/ nail guns needed.

On Thursday, June 7, 2018 at 6:44:11 PM UTC-7, Jeffcorr wrote:
replying to SaneLogic, Jeffcorr wrote:
Ha ha, true. People are funny. Variety, I suppose
--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ll-371095-.htm

On Sun, 13 Jun 2021 09:09:24 -0700 (PDT), "Peter W."
wrote:

Final Solution to termites is NO MORE WOODEN STUDS OR PLATES. Wood should be banned. Instead, use galvanized sheet metal studs that come in different gauges. Won't burn, rot or warp. Also light in weight. Tin snips can used rather than loud heavy circular saws. Small 'tech screws' are used as fasteners- no compressors/ nail guns needed.

I can see you have never been on a job where they installed steel
studs. They cut them with a chop saw and it is a whole lot louder than
cutting wood.

On 5/2/2009 12:43 PM TomYoung spake thus:

I've got some pretty severe termite and dry rot problems around a tub
area. The interior of the bathroom has been completely removed and
I'm looking at the studs on the exterior wall that forms the tub
area. In a couple of areas the sole plate is completely gone and the
studs are just hanging from the top plate.

The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. No sheathing. I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. Is that the case?

Yes, you could call it an "alternate method"; certainly not a *good* method.

I've worked on houses where the exterior sheathing was not
continuous--1x boards nailed over the studs with spaces between them,
like the way roofs are sometimes done. This is obviously done to save
material, and is not the ideal way to do things. Is it possible that
there are sheathing boards under that building paper with spaces between
them?

What's the best way to remove these studs from the exterior wall
without damaging the stucco? If the studs were nailed to sheathing
I'd be tempted to simply pry them loose but that seems risky given the
situation.

My guess is "no way". To fix the wall you're going to have to remove the
stucco, re-frame the wall, sheathe it properly, then re-stucco it.


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

On May 2, 2:43*pm, TomYoung wrote:
Hi:

I've got a couple of questions here but need to describe the situation
a bit.

I've got some pretty severe termite and dry rot problems around a tub
area. *The interior of the bathroom has been completely removed and
I'm looking at the studs on the exterior wall that forms the tub
area. *In a couple of areas the sole plate is completely gone and the
studs are just hanging from the top plate.

The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. *But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. *No sheathing. *I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. *Is that the case?

I can slightly rock the studs that have no sole plate from side to
side but no more. *I assume they're being held in place by the nails/
staples/whatever that were used to attach the building paper and wire
mesh to the studs.

What's the best way to remove these studs from the exterior wall
without damaging the stucco? *If the studs were nailed to sheathing
I'd be tempted to simply pry them loose but that seems risky given the
situation.

TIA.

Tom Young

--------------------------
I had similar termite problems both in the garage and in the kitchen
(I discovered them right after I bought the house -- inspection was a
fraud!). I fixed them (myself) by first removing the sheetrock and
then removing the infected potions of the studs as high as needed. I
used a skillsaw (be very careful) using a cutting depth slightly less
than the width of the stud to avoid nicking the blade. I ran the saw
at top of the infected portion of the stud and again about a fot
lower. I then used a hammer to gently dislodge that piece of the
stud. Once done, the lower part can be yanked out (be gentle) from
the baseboard. Next I removed the baseboard and started the reframing
starting with a new baseboard. You will need to sister the full studs
on both sides of the infected area, put a cross 2x4 to support what
remains of the infected studs (much like you frame a door opening).
Finally, you need to put short studs in the "door" opening to support
the cross 2X4 (you get the idea by now).

I must say that in both jobs, I did not find it necessary to remove or
damage any of the stucco.

By the way, I used treated pine for replacement, and I further treated
then with some termite-fighting chemical whaich can be bought from
specialty stores.

On 5/2/2009 7:15 PM spake thus:

I had similar termite problems both in the garage and in the kitchen
(I discovered them right after I bought the house -- inspection was a
fraud!). I fixed them (myself) by first removing the sheetrock and
then removing the infected potions of the studs as high as needed.

[...]

I must say that in both jobs, I did not find it necessary to remove or
damage any of the stucco.

Interesting, but I'm wondering how you secured the new framing to the
stucco. Did you just nail the stucco to the studs from the outside?
Seems like a good chance of cracking the stucco that way. (I suppose you
could drive screws instead.)


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

On May 3, 1:40*am, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 5/2/2009 7:15 PM spake thus:

I had similar termite problems both in the garage and in the kitchen
(I discovered them right after I bought the house -- inspection was a
fraud!). *I fixed them (myself) by first removing the sheetrock and
then removing the infected potions of the studs as high as needed.

[...]

I must say that in both jobs, I did not find it necessary to remove or
damage any of the stucco.

Interesting, but I'm wondering how you secured the new framing to the
stucco. Did you just nail the stucco to the studs from the outside?
Seems like a good chance of cracking the stucco that way. (I suppose you
could drive screws instead.)

--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

-----------------
The job was done in 2004 and as of 2009 there is no sign of stucco
problems. The trick was that the new framing was done soooooo tight
that it did not allow sagging (this is done by using slightly
oversized studs, inserting them in the cavity at an angle, and then
hammering them into vertical position). I must add that the stucco had
a styrfom (sp?) backing (1-1/2" thick) and that could be a factor.
Another factor could be that the walls were not load-bearing. I may
also add that the studs I had to replace in the garage were supporting
an 8X12 front porche beam which I needed to brace very snuggly with
the new studs.

On May 3, 10:57*am, wrote:

The job was done in 2004 and as of 2009 there is no sign of stucco
problems. *The trick was that the new framing was done soooooo tight
that it did not allow sagging (this is done by using slightly
oversized studs, inserting them in the cavity at an angle, and then
hammering them into vertical position). I must add that the stucco had
a styrfom (sp?) backing (1-1/2" thick) and that could be a factor.
Another factor could be that the walls were not load-bearing. *I may
also add that the studs I had to replace in the garage were supporting
an 8X12 front porche beam which I needed to brace very snuggly with
the new studs.

You're talking about EIFS - the insulated acrylic stucco. The OP is
talking about cementitious stucco - the old time stuff that is put on
in three coats and is on wire mesh. There is nothing similar about
the two other than the name and the finished wall surface (almost).

R

On May 3, 12:04 pm, RicodJour wrote:
On May 3, 10:57 am, wrote:



The job was done in 2004 and as of 2009 there is no sign of stucco
problems. The trick was that the new framing was done soooooo tight
that it did not allow sagging (this is done by using slightly
oversized studs, inserting them in the cavity at an angle, and then
hammering them into vertical position). I must add that the stucco had
a styrfom (sp?) backing (1-1/2" thick) and that could be a factor.
Another factor could be that the walls were not load-bearing. I may
also add that the studs I had to replace in the garage were supporting
an 8X12 front porche beam which I needed to brace very snuggly with
the new studs.

You're talking about EIFS - the insulated acrylic stucco. The OP is
talking about cementitious stucco - the old time stuff that is put on
in three coats and is on wire mesh. There is nothing similar about
the two other than the name and the finished wall surface (almost).

R


And regardless, I don't see how you can remove all the studs along a
wall and then leave the exterior stucco of that wall attached to
nothing. If I was going to attempt to salvage this without redoing
stucco, I'd at least use construction adhesive to bond the new studs
to the wire/stucco backside.