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MiamiB
Jun 5, 2008, 03:55 AM
I am in a wheelchair and building a new home. I would like to raise the grade above my sill plate and ribbon board to help level out my lot. What can I put on the sill plate and ribbon board to protect it from rotting out since it would be in contact with the ground?

rtw_travel
Jun 5, 2008, 07:56 AM
We use a product called blueskin for any wood in contact with the ground. However, this does not meet code. Code (here) requires at least 8" vertical separation between ground and wood.

Can you use ramps instead?

ballengerb1
Jun 5, 2008, 09:19 AM
I would not recommend what you describe at all. It can definitely compromise the lumber and is actually unnecessary to achieve what you need. A wooden or concrete handicapped ramp is what would be most appropriate.

MiamiB
Jun 5, 2008, 04:29 PM
rtw_travel, ballengerb1,

Thank you for your help. I did find Grace products that I think are very similar to the blueskin you talked about. I think my best bet is to pour concrete ramps like you said.

ballengerb1
Jun 6, 2008, 07:14 AM
Safer in the long run. Protecting a sill plate is a long way from making it waterproof forever.