[dwoloz]

What would you guys do:

Try to frame a wall on the ground then tip it up, pray to your deity and place it on perfectly aligned anchor bolts

OR

Bolt the sill plate down then toe nail the studs to it

 

[mickey cassiba]

Done it both ways...I prefer to raise the whole wall and drop it on the anchors. Not that hard, if you layout and frame the wall against the anchors. YMMV

 

[vsheetz]

Build the wall and tilt it up and place it over the bolts. If it is to big to handle, get more help when time to tilt it up or build it in a couple sections.

 

[Daniel Holzman]

The alignment trick is to build the wall first, raise in into position over the bolts, then tap the bottom plate to form an indentation where the bolts are. Then you drill through the bottom plate at exactly the right location, no guesswork. For 1/2 inch bolt I use a 5/8 drill bit and a large washer with two nuts. A bit of overkill, but you never need to worry about the plate getting loose that way. You do have to make sure there is enough stickup of the bolt to allow for two nuts and a washer though.

 

[Joe Carola]

OR

Bolt the sill plate down then toe nail the studs to it

That's the way I always do it. You will have no problems doing it that way.

 

[vsheetz]

If you have to use the oversized washers due to being in a seismic zone, be very accurate with the placement of the bolts in the concrete - there is not much room for error.

As other have said - build the wall, put it against the bolts, mark and drill. It's not hard to get the wall to drop down over the bolts. Your BFH can help for things like this. :thumbsup:

 

[Gary in WA]

Production framers would snap a caulk line at inside wall edge, straighten bolts for plumb with 2' jack-pipe, set the plate on the bolt tops lightly, aligning to line on concrete at each bolt, tap lightly on plate marking each bolt, flip and drill them, add double tops if used, lay them all out bundled, frame wall, add 1-3/4" wide blocks (2x4 ripped w. saw) in front of bolts if 2x6 wall so when raising, plate lines-up close to centered bolt. Wall up-right, lift wall at each bolt with hammer handle to engage bolt, removing block. Need two people if larger wall, no ladder work, way quicker... Start your end nails in the double-top for aligning wall with string inside edge later while on the slab. Do your joist/rafter layout while wall is down, no ladders but to tie the string and nail corners. Don't forget the sill sealer for thermal/capillary break, and possibly the termite shield.

Gary

 

[COLDIRON]

Place bolts in wet concrete, put pressure treated lower plate next to bolts, mark lines on both sides of bolts with a small square, mark spot on plate at bolt, drill out plate holes, install termite shield, put plate over bolts hammer down to shield, secure plate with washers and nuts.

Then raise wall and toenail to lower plate.