The base or the foundation of the house plays an important role in enhancing strength. If you notice the floor sloping, or cracks developing on the walls, it is time to restump the house. Restumping also referred to as reblocking, is to make your home stabler and more secure. This is the process of getting defective and rotten slumps – which might be the reason for the structural damage of your home – replaced. For a restumping job to be successful, it is important to hire a professional builder. The process can include having the floor section re-leveled. It might even include getting the floor sections re-leveled and might even require getting floorboards and sub-floor timbers replaced. There are two methods of how Reblocking is done.
Partial Restumping:
As evident from the name, in the partial restumping, a part of the house is lifted, and the old or worn-out stumps are replaced with a new one. In this method, the old stumps have to be substituted with new ones. Then, these would be packed out – so as let the foundations of the home settle once more.
But this technique is recommended only when you are confident that the rest of the stumps are actually okay. Appearances can be misleading, particularly where wooden stumps are concerned. When seen over the ground, these could appear to be fine but could actually be wearing away beneath the ground.
In such cases, you could have only a few of the stumps replaced. However, after some time you find that the others have to replace as well. This could mean more wastage of time and expenses for you than you might imagine. Thus, you have to take special care to find out whether the other stumps are deteriorating as well. It is only when you find the others to be okay that partial restumping is advisable.
Full Restumping:
If your house is an old one and has wooden stumps, it is quite possible that all of them have deteriorated. In such cases, you should have a full restumping carried out. In these cases, all the stumps should be replaced with either steel or concrete stumps. To do this, the entire home has to be lifted up, and all the stumps must be replaced before the house is settled back onto the fresh new stumps.
Concrete and Steel stumps tend to last for some more time than wooden stumps, as borers do not like to chew on these. Steel stumps generally last the most, as these are not impacted by borers at all. These days, however, you can find wooden stumps composed of hardwood and CCA-treated. There is reinforced steel in concrete stumps. Each type of stump is useful based on the specific situation and the requirement of homeowners.
When is Re-Stumping Needed?
There are quite a few signs that can tell you when there is a need for restumping. Usually, the first signs of structural or foundation instability in homes are:
- Uneven floors that do not appear anymore to be on a level
- Cracks in wall plastering or brickwork
- Doors and windows not opening or closing seamlessly, or getting jammed
Conclusion:
It is not always possible to determine whether stumps need replacement. However, if you notice one or more of these signs, it could indicate that you need to have your home’s stumps replaced. We have highlighted two basic methods of restumping the house. While it may appear to be challenging task, but it is always good to trust a professional contractor who can do the restumping job. Reblocking, along with usual home maintenance and upkeep, is imperative before carrying out restorations and renovations.
