Sole plate installation and levelling; expansion anchor bolts, levelling mortar and DPC

[maxdavie]

Hi All, 

 

Can anyone with experience just confirm that the following steps to anchoring down and leveling a sole plate over a concrete slab are correct? 

 

1. lay out the sole plate over slab

2. mark onto sole plate where the anchors are going and predrill holes in sole plate

3. Use the soleplate as template to mark points for anchors to go onto slab

4 drill holes in slab at those points

5. staple or fix DPC to underside of sole plate

6. build up the levelling mortar 10mm thick

7. bury sole plate and DPC onto levelling mortar and level up 

8. drill down through the holes in the sole plate, through the DPC and levelling mortar once set

9. Anchor the sole plate down

 

 

Is that right? I guess there is no real way of avoiding going through the DPC is there? 

[Mr Punter]

You can get l-shaped sole plate anchors that fix to the side of the sole plate if you don't want to pierce the DPC.

[Thorfun]

does this help?

 

https://issuu.com/structuraltimberassociation/docs/timber_frame_pocket_guide

[saveasteading]

4 hours ago, maxdavie said:

no real way of avoiding going through the DPC

If you keep it tidy there is minim al chance of any damp, and what there might be would be in insignificant.

If nervous about it you could circle each fixing with a sealer, then the sole plate would squidge it tight, and complete the seal.

 

[MikeSharp01]

5 hours ago, maxdavie said:

 

Is that right? I guess there is no real way of avoiding going through the DPC is there? 

Is there a DPC under the slab. If so you don't need on under the sole plate as no damp can get there and you risk trapping water in the sole plate which could lead to rot. 

[Nickfromwales]

DPC under sole plates is a standard detail, inclusive of where there is an underlaying DPM.

On an MBC TF project atm and I have observed the integrity of them wherever I have made ‘tweaks’ to the room layouts / stud wall locations.

Penetrating the DPC where you drill through for fixings will have zero detriment. Relax  

[maxdavie]

13 hours ago, Thorfun said:

does this help?

 

https://issuu.com/structuraltimberassociation/docs/timber_frame_pocket_guide

Yes - thanks very much! 

 

12 hours ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Is there a DPC under the slab. If so you don't need on under the sole plate as no damp can get there and you risk trapping water in the sole plate which could lead to rot. 

You do need a DPC - concrete continues to emit moisture long after its cured and will rot a soleplate over time.........so all the literature tells me. 

 

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

DPC under sole plates is a standard detail, inclusive of where there is an underlaying DPM.

On an MBC TF project atm and I have observed the integrity of them wherever I have made ‘tweaks’ to the room layouts / stud wall locations.

Penetrating the DPC where you drill through for fixings will have zero detriment. Relax  

this is reassuring - thanks

 

16 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

You can get l-shaped sole plate anchors that fix to the side of the sole plate if you don't want to pierce the DPC.

Of course! - I'll prob go with these to be totally belt and braces. I don't see a reason not to. 

 

 

Thanks All!