Page 628 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 501

This is an effective upgrade anywhere you can tie into a reinforced continuous concrete or masonry
foundation. Anchors set in isolated footings or unreinforced masonry footings will be much less effective.

Open-Front Bracing
Figure 18-5 shows two buildings with what could be called an open-front. The double garage door in the
building at the left occupies most of the building wall of the lower story. The building on the right has
windows nearly all the way across one wall of the second story. In both cases, wall openings leave little
room for adequate wall bracing. Open-front garages (at the left in Figure 18-5) are especially vulnerable
when a bedroom is located above the garage.

In older homes without engineered steel bracing, every wall should have at least one solid wall panel at
least 32 inches wide. Walls over 25 feet long should have at least one solid wall panel for each 25 feet of
length. In newer homes, narrow wall segments at each side of a garage door will usually conceal
engineered steel bracing or a fabricated steel panel. You'll probably see steel hold-down connectors or
straps embedded in the foundation. If the home doesn't meet one of these standards, consider installing
either steel wall braces or structural panel sheathing. Tie the braces or sheathing to the foundation as
required by the IRC. Figure 18-6 shows a typical application.