Basement Wall not straight (flooring, foundation, paint, ceiling)
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So we bought a split-entry house and it has those half height foundation walls in the basement. Well today as I was getting some stuff ready to paint I noticed in the family room one wall of that half height basement wall bows/curves in.
So basically if you start at one and and follow the wall it curves into the room about an inch in the middle and back out to the other end (so both ends are even and the middle is into the room about an inch-ish). It looks very even like it was supposed to be that way. Infact the linoleum was cut to match the curve (the linoleum is like 30 years old).
The inspector didn't notice or didn't note this and frankly unless you are looking down the wall from one side you can't tell.
The walls of the house are all straight. It is strange.
If the wall is covered with drywall it could be there is a plumbing waste pipe in the wall that is slightly wider than the wall studs and the drywall was bowed around that area.
When you mention half height walls, do you mean the wall does not go all the way to the ceiling? If that is the case, it should be easy to see what is going on at the bump.
...one wall of that half height basement wall bows/curves in ... if you start at one end
and follow the wall it curves into the room about an inch in the middle and back out to the other end
It looks very even like it was supposed to be that way.
I wouldn't worry much about it. All houses have something that is not level or straight. That is the way of construction. The more you examine the more you will find. People build things and we are not perfect and the materials are not always the same size…lumber varies even if it us supposed to be the same.
Dirt.
It isn't drywall. It is a foundation wall. It is about 3' high. I went back last night and found that pretty much all the poured walls are somewhat curved and not straight. Why did the inspector not notice this?
If it is because of soil movement then I would definitely have it checked.
BTW, inspectors don't catch everything just like contractors don't d everything right. It's just the way it is. Get second and third opinions of needed.
If it has the same bow at the top and bottom and the flooring is cut to match the bow I would not be to worried about it as long as it is poured concrete and has no major cracks. The forms the concrete was poured in were probably not straight when it was built.
If it was cement block it could also have been built that way but it is hard to detect cracks as the shift will probably be at the mortar joints
So I went back today and here is what I can tell. There is one minor crack from top to bottom that looks like a typical settling crack. The wall on the bottom bows out more than the top in roughly the middle. So.. think of the bottom of the wall as a smile into the basement. The top of the wall appears to be less bowed, but that could just be placebo as there is a ledge on it. It doesn't look like anything I have researched regarding buckling or bowing that need immediate repair.. infact it looks more like the pictures of the foundations where the guys backfilled too early before it fully curred and caused a minor bow.
I have a foundation guy coming to look next week, but I have a feeling he is going to tell me it is cosmetic.
If that is the case I will be finishing the wall with drywall to hide it.
You say the wall is about 3' high, what is the grade like outside. If a foot of the wall is exposed outside that only leaves 2' in the ground for the backfill to push on. I do not think 2 or even 2 1/2 feet pushing from the outside would bow a poured concrete wall. Have it looked at for your piece of mind but do not be surprised if a contractor tells (sells) you it needs work.
If you really want an answer get a structural engineer, me I would leave it alone
It sounds as though the concrete form was unevenly supported. When concrete was poured in the weight pushed the plywood out in the center.
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