Dear list:
I came to inspect sill bolting installation at one of my projects and found that the contractor (he is a licensed architect too) installed a 1/8" Styrofoam seal. This material is usually used around windows at in concrete buildings. The architect/builder thought that he is improving things by installing at all the exterior walls.
Is there any concern about the sill plate shear resistance with having this new slip surface and a small gap? Please let me know you thoughts.
Here's the link to the product info:
http://www.dow.com/PublishedLiterature/dh_0032/0901b803800329ac.pdf?filepath=/PublishToInternet/InternetDOWCOM/styrofoam/pdfs/noreg/179-07153.pdf,/PublishToInternet/InternetDOWCOM/styrofoam_old/pdfs/noreg_old/179-07153.pdf&fromPage=BasicSearch
Alexander (Sasha) Itsekson, SE
Enginious Structures, Inc.
Oakland, CA