Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Ensuring that the wall is square first
Before fitting the brace, ensure that the wall is square. Measure from corner to corner
diagonally across the face of the wall and then measure the opposite diagonal. Move the
wall on the floor so that the measurements are the same, the wall will then be square,
theoretically speaking.
Lay the wall brace on top of the wall and mark its position on the face of each stud to
show you where to make the cuts into which it will be fitted. Use a circular saw to make
incisions of the correct depth to take the brace. Lay the brace into the cut and fix the
bottom of the brace to the bottom plate with connector nails. Tack the top of the brace in
place but do not fix it permanently as it is likely that this will need to be changed. Stand
the wall up with the bottom plate between the chalk lines marked on the floor but do not
fix it to the floor. Use temporary braces to hold the wall up in position.
Fixing completed walls in the upright position
Fixing the top of adjoining walls together
When walls are stood up that are adjoining another wall, the top wall plates of the walls
will be joined using a nail plate. A nail plate of about 100 × 50 mm would be appropriate.
Ensure that the wall plates are tight down onto the studs at the junction of the walls at
both the top and bottom wall plates. Hold the walls in position relative to the junction
marks put on the walls earlier and then fix the nail plate across the junction of the two
walls. Furthermore, fit two nails through the vertical face of the top wall plate into the
adjoining wall (see Figure 6.17).
Figure 6.17
Joining of wall junctions at the top wall plate using a nail plate and two skew nails
As each wall is built the braces will be fitted into the wall in the opposite diagonal
direction as the neighboring wall. So one wall will have the top end of the brace to the left
and the next wall will have the top end of the brace to the right and so on. Walls that are
equal to or greater in length than double the height of the wall are to have opposing
braces in the wall unless a window or door opening prevents this.
