Int'l Code Council, APA Issue Residential Lateral Bracing Guide

September 26, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

A lateral bracing resource was delivered as a result of a publishing agreement between the International Code Council (ICC) and APA-The Engineered Wood Association (APA).

Bracing provides lateral stability for buildings subject to wind and earthquake loads. The joint publication will also be the basis for a new seminar.

"Bracing is one of the most critical, yet most misunderstood, safety elements in one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses constructed under the International Residential Code (IRC)," Council Senior Vice President of Business and Product Development Mark Johnson said.

A Guide to the 2006 IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions was designed for inspectors, plan checkers, builders, designers and others involved in residential building construction, according to Johnson.

The IRC contains several prescriptive lateral bracing provisions that are selected based on the specific situations or locations within buildings. Bracing must be provided correctly and consistently to be most effective, especially during earthquake and high wind events.

The 164-page guide is a full-color book that covers the development of bracing requirements and contains application examples for various bracing methods. The final chapter of the book contains full house bracing examples for various parts of the country.

A Guide to the 2006 IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions is available for $39 ($31 to Code Council members).

Source: U.K. International Code Council (ICC).