Framing
Shear Wall
A structural wall designed to resist lateral forces from wind and seismic loads by acting as a rigid vertical diaphragm.
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In the Field
Shear walls are identified on structural drawings with specific nailing patterns (edge and field nailing), hold-down anchors, and sometimes thicker sheathing. The nailing pattern is critical — every nail counts. Inspectors verify sheathing, nailing, and hold-down hardware before drywall.
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Rule of Thumb
Shear wall nailing schedules are typically 3 or 4 inches on center at panel edges vs. 12 inches in the field. Do not increase nail spacing without engineer approval — it directly reduces lateral capacity.