2318.1.4 Sills and/or Base Plates

Sills and/or base plates, where provided in contact with masonry or concrete, shall be of an approved durable species or be treated with an approved preservative and shall be attached to the masonry or concrete with ¹/₂-inch (13 mm) diameter bolts with oversized washer spaced not over 2 feet (610 mm) apart and embedded not less than 7 inches (178 mm) into a grout filled cell of masonry or into concrete. Base plates shall be placed in a recess ³/₄ inch (19 mm) deep and the width of the base plate at the edge of a concrete slab, beam/slab or any other type of construction which uses a masonry surface or concrete slab, or be provided with an alternate waterstop method as approved by the building official. Alternate methods of anchorage may be designed by rational analysis by a registered professional engineer or a registered architect proficient in structural design.

Where the base plate of a bearing wall is supported on joists or trusses running perpendicular to the wall and the studs from the wall above do not fall directly over a joist or truss, a double base plate or a single base plate supported by a minimum 2 × 4 inset ribbon shall be used to support the upper stud wall.