Safety & support of a gutted MH. How can I make it safe?

Billy123 · Thu Sep 05, 2013 2:23 am

I have concerns at this stage of my complete gut job to a 14x70. I know that all the interior paneling adds stability to the home along with the outside aluminum sheeting & the interior walls. I have one wall left in the home that seems to be load bearing. It is still standing on the old particle board flooring. I have no plans to remove that wall yet but will need to do so in the future to finish the project completely.

Whats the best way to support a mobile home during extensive repairs like this gut job im in the middle of? I have some pictures of what im talking about on one of my websites.

http://www.mrrepairs.net/mh/laborday2013/

This weekend when we drive the 140 miles down to the property it will be all about our safety first and making sure the walls/roof stay up. Then we can clean up the rest of the floor, belly liner and the insulation.

How would you guys support the walls and such to make it safer to work on/in ???

Hey thanks in advance for any of your time!

Regards
Billy

Greg S · Thu Sep 05, 2013 7:31 am

You could add internal X members (ceiling to opposite floor) to prevent lateral shifting however singlewides do not require internal ceiling support unless the ceiling structure is compromised structurally.
I would not remove any external sheathing until the interior is completed.

Greg · Thu Sep 05, 2013 5:44 pm

I screwed in some 2x when we did the demo to keep the old place from collapsing. You can see pictures of what I did in "The new place" in the off topic section.

Greg

HouseMedic · Thu Sep 05, 2013 7:39 pm

Billy,
By looking at your pictures if the slat boards (the ones that are horizontal) are intact I don't really think you will have a problem. If they are mortised in and secure I don't see how the walls could rack.

Oh, And by the way. I like you temp bathroom. LOL

Ron

Billy123 · Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:25 am

Greg S wrote:You could add internal X members (ceiling to opposite floor) to prevent lateral shifting however singlewides do not require internal ceiling support unless the ceiling structure is compromised structurally.
I would not remove any external sheathing until the interior is completed.

Let me understand this correctly. Are you saying that my center wall is not load bearing?

It doesn't seem to me like it has a lot of weight on it at all. But whoever put that wall in back in the day went to a lot of trouble to add extra screws.

Based on what your saying it sure sounds like I can rip that wall out too. That way I will have a clear shot from front to back to run my new floors.

Thanks guys for any of your time!

Billy

Billy123 · Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:31 am

Greg wrote:I screwed in some 2x when we did the demo to keep the old place from collapsing. You can see pictures of what I did in "The new place" in the off topic section.

Greg

Thanks Greg those pictures did help. I can run a few 2x6's just to be sure from the floor to walls. I can't do nothing about attaching from the ceiling to the walls tho. Looking at your pictures with the angled roof it sure does look like that whole thing is supported tho.

Billy123 · Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:38 am

HouseMedic wrote:Billy,
By looking at your pictures if the slat boards (the ones that are horizontal) are intact I don't really think you will have a problem. If they are mortised in and secure I don't see how the walls could rack.

Oh, And by the way. I like you temp bathroom. LOL

Ron

Yep the exterior walls do have that strip all the way around. In three different heights on the 2x3 studs I believe with out looking at the pictures. All the siding is screwed right to them slats...

That center wall is going bye bye this weekend if you guys confirm there is no load bearing wall in a single wide 14x70. So I can get that damn floor outta there.

Oh Ron my ol lady loves the new diggs. She likes the fact that she can now hang a shower curtain up so she can pee... lol

Thanks man!