Not talking building code here, but real life.
I’m trying to straighten up a entry door in the garage, and I have a 2×4 wedged in a narrow stud bay next to the door, with a 2-ton Harbor Freight hydraulic jack under it (with a piece of scrap medal between to spread the force of the jack). The 2×4 is constained from bending sideways (very much) by the narrow stud bay and a shim. The 2×4 is no beauty but is pretty much knot free.
I’ve got the jack tight to the point that I have to stand on the handle to get it any tighter. (The structure has moved noticeably, but I need to get another 1/4 inch or so out of it to make the door latch.)
How much more force do you suppose the 2×4 can stand, and, if the 2×4 fails, is it apt to do anything nasty (like shooting chunks of wood across the room)?
(Note that this is the sort of question that JunkHound is probably best equipped to answer.)
Replies
my guess..
If that 2 ton jack is actually putting out 2 t. of pressure on the 2x4 than [if I remember correctly which is always suspect] the compressive load value of a #2 syp stud is way exceeded. Of course that is a value given to the board by science which could very a bunch in real life.
I'd figure if it shatters or otherwise fails it will be more sound than fury. Odds are against it but you also could be rewarded with something like a nice giant splinter in the aorta, a generous 1/2 2x4 whack to the temple or or any number of unpleasantries.
Stuff like this is hard to predict and interesting to try but occaisionally the headline starts "Freak accident.....
Constrained from bending sideways even a utility grade 2x4 will take lots more that a 2T HF jack can apply.
If constrained in both directions, about 15 tons before ya notice any movement sideways with your piece of scrap metal in place , if constrained only in sideways motion but free to move in the 3.5" direction, about 7 Tons before the 2x4 bows enough to see visually.
I've had a 4 foot 4x4 on a 20T hyd jack with a steel plate on the top of the jack and no deflection that could be seen visually without having a tape measure to check. Was trying to break free a rusted shut 3000 psi 4" - 2" shaft hyd cylinder, sidewall of cylinder broke out before the shaft freed, so over 36K pound applied from jack by definition of hyd cyl rating.
dan
If it doesn't kick out, it could split and then whack the shit out of you.
2 ton jack probably isn't big enough for the job. Use a larger one if you can fit it in the space. I wouldn't worry about the 2x4 too much.
Can't fit anything much larger into the niche. Maybe a 5T could squeeze in there.
what i have done in the past to make the make shift post I am using to lift a beam or something like what your doing is strongbacking the 2x4. Screw the hell out of them and youll be supprised how much more comfortable you feel about the looks of the 2x...
not saying its much better but it sure does ease my tensions seeing that 2x failry straight...
Yeah, it would improve confidence against a catastrophic failure.
So one just has to ask... What is the long term scenario? Are you going to leave this 2x4/jack job in there forever? Or is this simply there to get the door latched, your mother in law locked into her room, then you remove the jack and she pounds sand forever?
Why has your house shifted this much? Are you fixing that?
Yeah, you found me out.
The house is 38 years old, and the quality of the foundation (and ground preparation) leaves a bit to be desired -- there's a crack in the garage floor, running toward the corner with the door that has about 3/8" vertical offset, eg.
My hope is to get the corner of the door jacked up and then install wedges to hold it in place. Whether that's realistic at this stage is hard to judge (I expected the frame to move much easier than it is). But one step at a time.
Drill baby, drill
sapwood wrote:
So one just has to ask...
Why has your house shifted this much?
Fracking. Perhaps the kitchen faucet now acts like a Roman candle when fired up.