How to Replace Floor Sills That Were Rotted by Carpenter Ants

Floor sills are situated between a home's concrete foundation and the wood subfloor. Because the space is not sealed, it can be invaded by carpenter ants or termites. These wood-destroying insects can greatly damage a floor sill, to the point that the subfloor becomes weak and sags. Though floor sills are generally installed over a gasket, the insects can find their way in through small crevices. Once a floor sill has been damaged by carpenter ants, it must be replaced after the plywood subfloor has been pulled up.

Eye protection
Leather work gloves
Impact wrench
Pry bar
4 lb. hand-sledge
Reciprocating saw
Tape measure
2-by-4-inch lumber
Circular saw

Instructions

- 1
  Put on eye protection and a pair of leather work gloves.
- 2
  Unfasten the bolts holding the damaged floor sill against the concrete foundation, using an impact wrench.
- 3
  Insert a pry bar under the ant-eaten floor sill and pry it up with a pry bar. You may have to hammer the floor sill loose with a 3 lb. hand-sledge to get it free.
- 4
  Measure the length of the damaged floor sill you removed with a tape measure. Cut a new sill out of 2-by-4-inch lumber to the same length, using a circular saw.
- 5
  Fit the new sill into place and fasten it to the foundation with an impact wrench using the bolts you removed from the old sill to finish. Replace any other ant-damaged sills following the same procedure and reinstall the plywood subfloor.

What Can I Use to Fill in Holes in My Linoeleum?

How to Bleach Stained Concrete White

Floor Repairs