How to Install Sill Plate on Residential Foundation Wall

The sill plate attaches the house frame to the foundation. It is commonly pressure treated 2 by 6 wood. When building a new structure, the sill plate is attached using cast-in-place anchor bolts. These are "J" shaped bolts that are placed in the foundation at the time of the pour. You then drill holes in the sill plate and slip it over the cast-in-place anchor bolts. Attaching a sill plate to an existing foundation is more labor-intensive, but it can still be a do-it-yourself job, using wedge anchors.

Pencil
Measuring tape
Drill with masonry bit
Wire-bristled brush or can of compressed air
Wedge anchor, with washers and nuts
Sill sealer
Sill plate boards
Hammer
Torque wrench

Instructions

- 1
  Mark the spots where you will install wedge anchors on the foundation, using a pencil. Start by placing the first anchors 12 inches from each corner, then approximately every 36 inches. The wedge anchors should be evenly spaced along each wall.
- 2
  Drill holes at each spot where you will place a wedge anchor. Use a carbon-tipped masonry bit the same diameter as your wedge anchors.
- 3
  Clean out the holes, using a wire brush or compressed air.
- 4
  Slip a washer over the head of each wedge anchor. Give it a few twists, but don't tighten it the entire way, as this can strip the threads.
- 5
  Lay the sill sealer -- 1/8- to 1/4-inch foam insulation 4 to 6 inches wide that goes between the concrete foundation and the wood frame of the house -- on the foundation.
- 6
  Place the sill plate over the sill sealer. Mark the board so you know where the holes are in the foundation.
- 7
  Drill holes through the sill plate at the points where you marked the position of the foundation holes.
- 8
  Pound each wedge anchor through the sill plate and sill sealer into the foundation, using a hammer.
- 9
  Tighten the nuts on the wedge anchor using a torque wrench.

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