Framing, nailing shear wall with strap tie holddown
I am building a garage that will require shear walls per International Building Code 2308.9.3.2 on each side of the garage door. The requirements of the IBC for the shear wall is that there is a 5/8″ dia hold down bolt in the center of the wall along with a 4200 lb strap on each side of the wall to tie the shear wall to the foundation. I will be using Simpson STHD14 strap tie downs for the 4200 lb straps. Another requirement is that the structural sheathing panel be nailed around the perimeter with 8d nails at 3″ on center. The strap is 3 ” wide so it covers the 2 studs on each side of the shear wall. How do I nail the sheathing at 3″ O.C. in the area of the steel strap? Is it allowable to nail the strap on the outside of the sheathing? If so that solves the problem for the shear wall but then how do I nail the siding without hitting the strap? Will I need to put in a 3rd stud at the corner and also the end of the shear wall that would be “steel free” to allow nailing the sheathing and the siding? Thanks for any help.
Replies
strap siding and nalils
Sounds like you've got it covered! good luck!
Your strap can go over the sheathing which solves the first problem. if you've got solid sheathing nailing your siding shouldn't be a problem unless the specs call for it to be nailed to a stud. In thta case add another stud next to the strap as a nailer.
Thanks for the reply. This answers what I suspected would be the solution.
Does this problem of having steel in places where nailing is needed come up often for those of you that use steel connectors regularly? When you run into a steel strap that interferes with a sheathing nail schedule, what do you do?
Straps don't normally interfere with sheathing since sheathing goes on first.
...but I'll play the what-if game...
If a steel strap was installed for a unique strange reason that needed to be covered with sheathing I'd have to order a partial inspection (normally I'd explain to the inspector what's going on and forward a picture of it via phone - he may look at it if he wants to talk about hunting and get a free soda, or he may do a drive by inspection (ok's it based on the picture and our conversation). The inspector needs to know there are nails in the connector of the right kind and size.
Now the question becomes how to nail the sheathing over the strap area. I would just drag out the cordless drill and drill the half dozen holes needed to allow the corrent number of nails in that area. If it's silly or stupid to install nails an inspector will often allow a lack of nails in that small area. If you have a silly or stupid inspector I generally wait until he/she is in a good mood and then ask for what I want - with some this works wonderfully.
Having said that, don't think you'll be better off putting your straps under the sheathing - that's a red flag that you don't know what your doing.