Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

[jdmavrick]

Hello, I just poured my structural concrete hearth and vermiculite insulating layer (6:1) and after a week of curing are a little concerned about the vermiculite concrete having the ability to accept and hold a concrete screw for attaching the metal stud bottom plate. The vermiculite, as everyone knows, is definitely not structural and has flaky characteristics on the edges, so I was wondering if anyone has used really long concrete screws to go through the vermiculite layer and into the structural-layer concrete underneath to hold down the walls? In hindsight I should've cast hold-down bolts in the structural concrete layer before pouring the vermiculite layer.
Thanks in advance and cheers!

[Gulf]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

Cut/trim the vcrete away to reveal just what you need to attach the metal bottom plates to your structural slab. Vcrete is fairly easy to cut/sculpt. The sooner that you drill and attach the anchors into the new slab, the better. There should be no reason that the studs should be separated from the slab by insulation. That is "if" I understood the question correctly? And, that you are following close to someones' build that have enclosed their dome .

[jdmavrick]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

Essentially cutting out the width of a stud around the perimeter down to the structural? Makes sense. Thanks!

[stonecutter]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

You should consider a capillary break between the slab and sill.

[stonecutter]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

I didn't notice that you are framing with metal. Still, you will benefit from sill dealer because metal to concrete created a condensation point for moisture in the air or migrating from the slab

[jdmavrick]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

Thanks. Foam seal tape should suffice, minimizing future moisture on the inside of the walled enclosure. No?

[jdmavrick]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

Forms just stripped. See attached.

[stonecutter]

Re: Walled Enclosure Bottom Plate Attachment

Thanks. Foam seal tape should suffice, minimizing future moisture on the inside of the walled enclosure. No?

We'll, the tape should be between the sill plate( or any place metal framing touches concrete and the concrete slab. It will prevent condensation of any moisture migrating through the concrete. It's more precautionary than necessary..but it's cheap insurance..