Many people despair of straightening their leaning garage. Yet, doing the project on a do-it-yourself basis can be relatively simple.

Many garages in older communities were put up before there were building codes to control the construction process. To say they were poorly built would be putting it mildly. It was a common construction method to build directly on the ground, so a lot of these buildings have no foundation under the walls. The wall studs and rafters are often undersized by today’s standards, and rarely are there diagonal corner braces to support the structure properly. Added to all this can be cobbled-up extensions tacked on later, so larger cars could fit inside the garage. All these factors work together to weaken the structure.

Still, with some simple tools, these buildings can be pulled back to their original position. You’ll need a pair of ratcheting cable hoists (also known as “come-alongs,”) several 1/2”-diameter screw eyes, some steel or wood stakes, an electric drill, a circular saw, a hammer, and a carpenter’s level. You’ll also need a short list of materials: six 1 x 4’s, 12-feet long, and a box of Phillips-head screws or 8d (eight penny) nails to serve as fasteners. (Read more….)