# Wood foundations



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Jiw275 said:


> Question from the acronym impaired. What is AWWF?


Back in the 80s when the Southern Pine producers were really pushing wood foundations they called it "all weather wood foundation" and all the trade rags used the acronym. Southern pine species are the most common pressure treated lumber. Western species need to be incised before treating, southern species don't.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Thanks Paul, you answered a question I have had for a long time. I have traveled in the western states over the years, and have noticed incised lumber. Thanks to you I now know the reason!


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

I built a new home in the mid-70's and another in the early 90's. Two different contractors in two different areas - both tried to talk me into building with a wood foundation, but I just wasn't ready to go there and I went with poured concrete walls. Afterwards I visited a few homes/buildings that had wood foundations and I couldn't believe how dry and comfortable they felt compared to poured concrete basements.

When I built my hunting camp in 2000 (20 years ago) I decided to give it a try so we poured the footings and built up with treated wood - 2"X8"s on 12" centers. We used treated 3/4" plywood on the outsides and I siliconed every joint. We then layered on the tar and covered that with heavy visqueen. We tiled all the way around the foundation and back-filled the clay-loam soil around it.

My basement is as dry as a bone. We don't even have a sump hole in the floor. The floor is covered with carpeting and laminated wood and there has never been a drop of water anywhere. Running electrical and TV cable was simple. Hanging sheetrock and tongue and groove was easy as well. Honestly, when you are down there you would never realize you were in a basement.

We covered the outside walls with cultured stone...










Older photos here but you can get the picture - finishing it off was easy.



















I love my wood basement/foundation and would not hesitate to do it again. The only thing I would do different would be to make the walls higher. We built with 8' walls but when we installed the drop-in floor joists we lost some height, and, of course, when we poured the concrete floor we lost a little more. I would go 9 or 10' in the future - especially if you use drop-in floor joists.


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## Jiw275 (Jan 1, 2015)

ESOX said:


> Back in the 80s when the Southern Pine producers were really pushing wood foundations they called it "all weather wood foundation" and all the trade rags used the acronym. Southern pine species are the most common pressure treated lumber. Western species need to be incised before treating, southern species don't.


Thanks. Google gave me Australian Waterski and Wakeboard Association.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

Why would I want a foundation that'll only last 50 years or so? I want my house to last like they do in Europe you know four or five hundred years.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Seems like a real bad idea to me.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Steve said:


> Seems like a real bad idea to me.


In the sandy soil N of 10 it wouldnt be a horrible plan. Clay soil, forget it.....


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## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

Pro: In the Grayling area it may be a good idea.

Con: It's hard enough to keep wood preserved above ground let alone below ground.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

The summary from the comments seems to be: don't do it.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

kroppe said:


> *The summary from the comments seems to be: don't do it*.


And those comments have been from those who have never done it. The comments from those who have actually done it seems to be they would not hesitate to do it again. Understandable, as I had reservations about it as well at one time. 

My wood basement was built over 20 years ago and I can just about guarantee that my fasteners in that wood look the same today as they did then. Neither the wood or the fasteners have been exposed to either dirt or moisture since the day the walls went up. Based upon the degradation that I have seen in the first 20 years - which is none, I see no reason to think that the wood foundation won't last as long as the rest of the building.

I have both built and bought homes with poured concrete walls and block walls and I wouldn't trade either of them for what I have now. I see lots of TV commercials from contractors in the business of repairing concrete basement cracks and leaks so don't think they are bullet proof either. Just my two cents worth.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

wpmisport said:


> Pro: In the Grayling area it may be a good idea.
> 
> *Con: It's hard enough to keep wood preserved above ground let alone below ground.*



If you think about it....above ground wooden structures are exposed to moisture and weather year round. Basement walls which are properly built have moisture barriers where the wood is exposed to...nothing year round.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I almost pulled the trigger on one when I built my log home. I know a few people that built them. If done right no problems. The reason for me deciding against was resale value. I talked to several realtors about this, everyone said they have a hard time selling them.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

In an investment of several hundred k$, the cost difference should be considered.
could be a penny smart and a pound foolish.

I've always viewed it as a diy, cost sensitive, thing.

I've never heard of anyone saying they went this way because they wanted to end up with such a nice basement. That seems true, butt I've never seen that as a driver on the front end.


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## sparky18181 (Apr 17, 2012)

I was talking to a friend the other day and discussing building decks. Don’t know how true this is but he told me that the chemicals used in treated wood have changed and it’s rating for ground contact is not once what it was and that instead of cementing treated posts in the ground, you now have to pour and attach metal supports to the top for attaching the post. With that being said, I’m wondering if doing a wood basement now would be as durable as in the past. The way wildthing did his, seems like the way to go. If you can seal it completely then I don’t see a problem but with newer treated wood, I might hesitate.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

People just don't know that much about them and think of them as inferior.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Gamekeeper said:


> In an investment of several hundred k$, the cost difference should be considered.
> could be a penny smart and a pound foolish.
> 
> I've always viewed it as a diy, cost sensitive, thing.
> ...


Cost had absolutely zero influence on my decision to go wood rather than poured concrete Gamekeeper. So...now you've heard it and seen it.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

sparky18181 said:


> I was talking to a friend the other day and discussing building decks. Don’t know how true this is but he told me that the chemicals used in treated wood have changed and it’s rating for ground contact is not once what it was and that instead of cementing treated posts in the ground, you now have to pour and attach metal supports to the top for attaching the post. With that being said, I’m wondering if doing a wood basement now would be as durable as in the past. The way wildthing did his, seems like the way to go. If you can seal it completely then I don’t see a problem but with newer treated wood, I might hesitate.


There are different grades for PT wood


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Wild Thing said:


> Cost had absolutely zero influence on my decision to go wood rather than poured concrete Gamekeeper. So...now you've heard it and seen it.


when I think about this topic, I think of your home first.


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## wmmichael20 (Nov 1, 2012)

My dad's had two wood basements,never had problem with either,his current one we built 24 years ago,and I'm here to tell you it's so much easier to finish for bedroom, entertainment areas,man cave ect. Just like finnishing any other studded wall.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

Thanks for all the insight everyone. Like most things time will tell.

So the question is then what would be a more costly fix? A failing concrete or wood foundation.


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

[QUOTE


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

bucko12pt said:


> [QUOTE


Well said.


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

stickman1978 said:


> Well said.





I wrote a response before I realized this thread was months old, so I deleted it, but it wouldn’t let me delete everything.

Fun trying to adapt to the new format.


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