APA, Code Council publish residential lateral bracing guide

A new and important lateral bracing resource is now available as a result of a publishing agreement between the International Code Council 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),” said Council Senior Vice President of Business and Product Development Mark Johnson. “A Guide to the 2006 IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions brought together the best technical resources from both organizations to make available this important publication for building safety. Inspectors, plan checkers, builders, designers and others involved in residential building construction will find this publication a very helpful resource.”

The 164-page guide is “an important new tool in support of APA’s long-standing research and educational efforts aimed at improving building performance and occupant safety,” noted APA Quality Assurance and Technical Services Vice President Tom Williamson.

The IRC currently 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. This new resource 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.

Copies of the guide are available for $39 ($31 to Code Council Members). To order, contact the Code Council at 1-800-786-4452 or visit the Code Council online store at www.iccsafe.org/store.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

Based in Tacoma, Washington, APA is a nonprofit trade association whose U.S. and Canadian members produce structural plywood, oriented strand board, glulam timber, wood I-joists, laminated veneer lumber and other structural engineered wood products. Its primary functions are quality auditing and testing, product application research, and market support and development.