# Braced wall question



## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

First, forgive any stupidity because I am confused. 

I have a 34' wall, 2x6 construction, 24" oc, with a 6' patio door centered in the wall.  To each side of the door I have a 8'X5' window.  The windows are centered between the patio door and the corners.  The exterior is continuouly sheated in 7/16" plywood. 

This leaves 3' between the corners of the wall and the window opening.  To me, code says that with a 9' wall I am required to leave 27" of braced wall between the window opening and the corner according to 3b of the list of sheating options due to the window opening being less than 63" in height. 

The inspector wants 4' or a simpson alternate panel. 

This is the first floor of a 2 story home. 

What is correct?  Thank you.


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## cda (Aug 15, 2018)

Welcome


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## cda (Aug 15, 2018)

Did the nice inspector cite a code section for the requirement

so you can look at it??  If not I would ask for it.

And post the section number here.

Please also indicate which code book and year


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## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

2006 602.10.2,  Is what i am referring to. 

He was rather vague.  He could not adequately answer my questions.  He gave me a handout with IRC 602.10.6 on it.  I started reading and could find nothing to justify his position.  However, I am not a code genuis.


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## steveray (Aug 15, 2018)

Max distance apart the panels are?


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## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

The corner panels are at either end of the 34' wall.  Distance between them would be 28'.  The figures in the code reference I gave show the panels between the windows and patio slider to also count if sheathed acording to 3B.  R602.10.2(2)


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## mtlogcabin (Aug 15, 2018)

From what you describe you are using the continuous wood structural panel sheathing method and if that is the case then Table R602.10.5  would be the code reference that permits a minimum 27 inch braced wall panel in a 9 ft tall wall
If you are in seismic zones Do, D1 or D2 then you will be required a minimum 24 inch panel width and an 1,800 lbs hold down on each end of your braced wall line. R602.10.11


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## steveray (Aug 15, 2018)

Don't believe you can be more than 20' apart....

R602.10.2.2 Locations of braced wall panels. A
braced wall panel shall begin within 10 feet (3810 mm)
from each end of a braced wall line as determined in
Section R602.10.1.1. The distance between adjacent
edges of braced wall panels along a braced wall line
shall be no greater than 20 feet (6096 mm) as shown in
Figure R602.10.2.2.


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## cda (Aug 15, 2018)

Not into Idaho except for the potatoes 

Are they on 2006 or is that just the city you are in??

https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/details/toc/1037


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## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

steveray said:


> Don't believe you can be more than 20' apart....
> 
> R602.10.2.2 Locations of braced wall panels. A
> braced wall panel shall begin within 10 feet (3810 mm)
> ...


There is no more than 8' between any braced wall panel.  I might be wrong, but it does not say not more than 20' between corner braced wall panels.  There is a braced wall panel between each window. 

If the corner panels could be no more than 20' apart, that would seem to indicate we could only build small buildings


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## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

cda said:


> Not into Idaho except for the potatoes
> 
> Are they on 2006 or is that just the city you are in??
> 
> https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/details/toc/1037


That is what the inspector gave.  Beyond that, I have no idea.  The contractor was booted from the job because of drugs and theft.  This has now fallen into my lap.


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## cda (Aug 15, 2018)

MTY said:


> That is what the inspector gave.  Beyond that, I have no idea.  The contractor was booted from the job because of drugs and theft.  This has now fallen into my lap.




So is it your house??

Or how are you connected


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## steveray (Aug 15, 2018)

Assuming you have enough bracing with just the 6', then you would just need one panel (at least 24" min.) no more than 20' from the ones on the end (in the middle somewhere).....What is your required bracing length for the wall?


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## MTY (Aug 15, 2018)

There are several formulas for calculating bracing required.  The max is 27% of wall length.  That would be 9'.  I have two 3' panels in addition to the corner panels.  My total is 12'. 

Yes, I own the place.


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## cda (Aug 15, 2018)

MTY said:


> There are several formulas for calculating bracing required.  The max is 27% of wall length.  That would be 9'.  I have two 3' panels in addition to the corner panels.  My total is 12'.
> 
> Yes, I own the place.


 


Ok

I would ask the inspector to clarify the section they say is in violation.

Plus call the city building dept and ask what year edition they have currently adopted. You can use someone else’s name.

Or if the city had a good web site should be on there 

I do not know if Idaho adopts a state wide code or each city can adopt whatever code they want

Knowing what year is adopted does matter


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## steveray (Aug 16, 2018)

Is the inspector getting confused between "simpson panel" and hold down? You would need a return panel at the corner or a hold down if your panel is less than 4' I believe....?


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## MTY (Aug 16, 2018)

steveray said:


> Is the inspector getting confused between "simpson panel" and hold down? You would need a return panel at the corner or a hold down if your panel is less than 4' I believe....?


I do not know.  He had a Simpson catalog, and I asked him to show me what he wanted as he was being vague.  He either could not or would not show me. 

It is a 3 hour round trip to his office, and I will not be able to get there until next week. 

To all of you, thanks for listening to me.


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## cda (Aug 16, 2018)

MTY said:


> I do not know.  He had a Simpson catalog, and I asked him to show me what he wanted as he was being vague.  He either could not or would not show me.
> 
> It is a 3 hour round trip to his office, and I will not be able to get there until next week.
> 
> To all of you, thanks for listening to me.




Is he the only horse in town or does he have a wrangler he answers to????


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## MTY (Aug 16, 2018)

cda said:


> Is he the only horse in town or does he have a wrangler he answers to????


He is the head cheese.  One way or the other it will work out.  The more I think about it, steveray is probably right.  I will stick in a hold down or two and see what happens.


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## JBI (Aug 20, 2018)

Narrow panels in the prescriptive method are not simply based on width, there are numerous connection details and strap requirements to be followed. The 2015 IRC does include a different method 'simplified wall bracing' at 602.12 if the AHJ would consider that an acceptable alternative.


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## MTY (Aug 23, 2018)

We had a meeting.  He is only requiring tie downs.  I could not find them locally, so they are on order.  Thanks again.


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## steveray (Aug 24, 2018)

Typically for panel hold downs are only 800# and I believe you can use a Simpson DTT1Z which should be available at HD in a 4 pack kit.........


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## MTY (Aug 27, 2018)

3000 # hold down was specified.  Putting them in will probably make life easier in the long run.


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## ADAguy (Aug 31, 2018)

If 3000 then what of your concrete strength?


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