Build Stronger With Angle Bracing

[@jd-cr3pz]

I bought an old two story with tall ceilings a few years ago and when the first big storm hit it felt like the house was going to come down. Rebuilding the house was not an option, so when i gutted the lower level and a few upper level rooms, i put these braces in. The studs are all 2x6 so I had room for a full 2x let in brace. It made all the difference. We had a bad storm last week with 60+ mph winds and the house felt like it was made of stone. The culprit was during the early 70s, they tore off the 1x10 shiplap sheathing, put 1 inch foam insulation up against the studs, then half inch OSB and stucco. So there was a one inch gap between the OSB sheathing and house studs. All of that was hidden under vinyl siding when I bought the house.

[@herrickkimball]

Wow. That's an insightful experience. Thank you for posting it here. I'm glad you got it braced before a serious collapse! 👍

[@slimboiu3890]

lmao wow glad you fixed that one!

[@JamesJohnson-yh1oh]

Elizabeth L. Johnson said, I understand the importance of bracing. My husband, when building our home used bracing enough the sufficed against earthquake, since we live in California. We also have long, hard winds, since our house is on top of a mountain, where winds sweep down and then up the other mountains to the west. Lumber in walls dry some and can creak. Thanks the Lord we have a lot of bracing.

[@ShushLorraine]

This is what my husband says, too. His granddad built a house before electricity was a thing in the area. My husband grew up in this house since he was about 4 months old, since 1955. He's learned this type of building since he was a little tyke and built an addition to a mobile home we lived in a few years, this way. This is an important lesson to teach and to heed.

[@9mmkahr]

I build custom homes in Michigan and typically LIB is spec'd for interior bearing walls and partitions intersecting a long exterior wall, midspan-ish. We use the simpson metal wind brace often, but will let-in 1x material if we run out.

[@engenheiraestruturalck]

Thank you! I’m going to build a cabin in Brazil but wood frame system is very limited here. I think this bracing is gonna be a lot better than those plywood/OSB methods.

[@maniacalmonster2293]

Camile, you are just absolutely breathtaking!

[@ouroboros5378]

That kind of braces are super common in my country (🇨🇱 chile) for earthquakes. Thanks for all these information

[@cherylinoklahoma9624]

Thank you! This is very good information and I may get to use it soon. So glad you have this vlog to go along with your very informative blogs and books.

[@msgtjim4692]

Great information, Herrick. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@shawndoe2834]

Saw a new video that said this method was the industry standard for many years however, its no longer used as even with good notching, the stud cuts decrease the integrity of the studs and walls?

[@herrickkimball]

Interesting. Well, the industry standard was once 2x4 walls, with notched-in 1x4 braces. These days the studs are typically 2x6. I can't believe the racking strength of the wall is compromised by either let-in stud wall bracing. If you back a truck or bulldozer into it, then yes, I can see that it's compromised to some degree. Thanks for the thought-provoking comment.

[@shawndoe2834]

@herrickkimball Thanks for the reply.

[@liamssirro]

Very helpful thanks, I’m building a playhouse for my daughter, 12’ x12’ It’s constructed with 4x4 corner posts and 2x3 studs , 8’ high , sloping roof but still not sturdy. My question is what should I use for ‘ let in’ bracing on 2x3” studs ?

[@herrickkimball]

1x4 pine is my recommendation. 👍🏻

[@hallpaintandbody7717]

Thank you sir, terminates ate my house. This is what's holding it together.

[@erikanderon8130]

I'm going to build my house like that with the braces. Thanks.

[@guoxuxing6407]

thats a great video. I also hope you could elaborate on what's the right/wrong way to nail plywood on studs. thanks Herrick

[@Theweldingmillennial]

Good video, lots of half rough saw half pole barn buildings are somewhere in the middle. Not really a pole barn with posts providing shear strength or properly sheet-ed with a rated plywood or sheeting. Long story short you need some shear strength in a wall system. I think many people like my grandpa learned half post and beam and half rough sawn. For post and beam you need knee braces. For rough sawn you typically need a diagonal brace as the rough sawn lap siding is typically nailed to the studs without a rated sheeting. It is cool to take an old crap building and add a proper shear wall and really see how big of a difference a small triangle can make.

[@Brough1111]

Some say the shear racking strength comes from the steel siding and I'm sure it does but I feel much better with the braces installed

[@christopherdekonstrukt444]

I need to notch a couple of studs for the existing bracing as I'm rebuilding for termite damage and looking at the best way to notch the new 2x4 for the existing wing brace. 7/8" maximum allowed on a 2x4 for load bearing wall. The brace is a 1x4 so that's 3/4". Jigsaw reqires a drill hole so maybe a combination of jigsaw and multitool.

[@jessedover6175]

ANGLE BRACING & CROSS BRACING. 💪💪👍👍☝️☝️👊✊🤜🤝 DO IT !!!!! It's 10X stronger than ply-wood alone. Plywood is installed with short nails, & the wood shrinks , becomes loose , rots much quicker. (And does not have the cross tention strength of solid lumber.) Ply-wood also warps , buckles & separates very fast when exposed to high humidity. And once that happens, the cross strength is gone. Solid lumber may bow, or crown, but it's tension strength stays 95% to 100% in most cases. CROSS BRACE YOUR FRAMING.💪

[@darkdelta]

First thanks for the information, I saw a video of a barn going up, and it appears the were setting the roof trusses (I saw a crane in the background). There was a high wind, and no bracing for the roof trusses, the roof ended up on the ground, it was a big barn to. Well finally my question, when you use the let in bracing, do make gang cuts before framing or do you pop a chalk line, make the cuts after it's framed and before you raise the wall? Thanks again

[@dizzieallday]

If the customer dosent want bracing I put the plywood horizontally to compensate...good tips👍

[@k.sullivan6303]

If you are building your own new home, be careful about installing old style Let In Bracing. It is super strong, but some areas might have a building code that restricts the use of such old style bracing due to it diminishing insulation capability. The steel bracing used in this video has little effect on quality of insulation.

[@oscariturralde1270]

Do you think the lateral bracing can replace share wall? What are your thoughts? Great video thanks for the input.

[@lobocerro8476]

Thank you for the video, but I have a question if you are so kind to answer. I am trying to open a doorway in an interior wall and came across an angle brace built by my late father. I'm at the bottom end of the brace by the floor and it is sticking about 13 inches at a 45 degree angle into where I would like my new doorway to be. Is it safe to cut this last piece off? Or will I have to shift the new doorway a bit more... I have pictures if the visual is necessary. Thank you for your time and once again thank you for the video!

[@herrickkimball]

Offhand, without seeing the whole situation, and not being a structural engineer, I would say it's okay to cut the bracing and put the door where you want it. You will sacrifice the bracing strength to some degree, but I have seen this done many times over my years as a home remodeler. If you have the interior wall by the door opened up, you could notch a 1/4 or even a 1x6 wood angle brace into the studs on the interior side and that would more than make up for any bracing strength lost by cutting into the bottom of the old brace.

[@edgargallardo9444]

I am third generation in construction. My grandfather told me to brace every single wall I build. I am going to build my two story cabin this summer and thinking in braces on walls. 😅😊

[@curiouspeople6441]

Thanks 🙏🏻 for sharing

[@billrok]

Excellent information sir. Thank You.

[@Averagesasquatch]

Do you think that angled bracing would be good for a cripple wall retrofit? I don't trust plywood to last long the rest of the house has with house unlike the redwood it's built out of. I'm thinking either turn reach segment of the cripple wall into triangles or turn the boards i have sideways and put an x in each one. I have s bunch of 2x6 used redwood decking i got that is in good condition and could use that

[@shawnmatthews5118]

I want to build a 16 x 16 4 story shack. Will this be sufficient to make the structure safe in high winds if I tie the entire thing in with all thread into the foundation?

[@elmerfudd835]

Does the angle bracing go on both sides and back or just sides?

[@donttread5414]

does it matter if your using multiple small cut studs pieces diagonally for a let in brace vs cutting grooves in the wall and placing a single long board at an angle like you did here??

[@sergiorodriguez1107]

I was about to add a door to a wall & I ran into a metal angle brace, how would I go about moving forward with my door project without weakening my wall?

[@mrbojangles9841]

Do you need more than one diagonal brace in a wall? What I'm asking is should your bracing make an X in the wall frame or is one diagonal brace sufficient?

[@herrickkimball]

One is sufficient, in my opinion. If you have wall length enough, put an angle brace in each corner. 👍

[@petesanchez557]

I built a shed, I’m almost done. I’ve done the framing, sheathing, roof, etc. almost dried in with the zip system for now, I will need my siding and trim. I still have braces in the inside framed walls. I did two corners with 5ft metal Simpson ties. I used the 3 4 5 method to get a good triangle. My question for anyone with knowledge will this help? I knotched in the metal which it’s about an eight of an inch ish. I understand too to bottom plate is better but I also don’t want to sacrifice insulation. I’m building it like a tiny home. Please help

[@herrickkimball]

If your sheathing is well nailed to the studs that will provide sufficient racking strength. The 5ft ties will be helpful. A small structure like you are making doesn’t need angle bracing like a larger structure. Don’t worry about it. 👍

[@tylermixon5536]

Would adding diagonal “one-by” boards as exterior sheathing add even more strength? I have my own sawmill so cost isn’t an issue and we have about 32 acres of usable trees so material isn’t an issue either. I do live in an area of Alabama where severe weather is common so I’m trying to decide if it would be worth the extra time and trees to build my home this way. Thanks for any advice

[@herrickkimball]

That's a question for a structural engineer. But, offhand, I think that would be a radically strong bracing approach. I have actually seen this once in an old building that I remodeled. The sheathing boards were 3/4" tongue-and-groove. On the negative side, it would be very time consuming to do.

[@dimensions7834]

I wanted to see how it was installed in reference to the top and bottom plate. Nice explanation but no visual other than seeing a small portion.

[@vicmac5065]

Hey so I built a squat and bench rack for my weights. I set 2x2s into Home Depot 5 gallon buckets. At the bottom of the post I hammered in some nails on each side to tug on the Quikrete Mortar mix when it should be (Cement). Do you think the mortar will be fine and hold or would I have to redo the entire project? I have much to learn in life 🤦🏻‍♂️ lol. It’s all part of the process I guess.

[@herrickkimball]

I wouldn't redo it if you've already done it. See how it works. The concept sounds good, though concrete mix might be better than mortar mix. Best wishes with your project.

[@vicmac5065]

Herrick Kimball Idk if supports sticking out horizontally to lean up against a wall or if supports on the side drilled diagonally leading to the ground would be better to prevent it from tipping back. Hope that made sense. What do you think.

[@herrickkimball]

@@vicmac5065 Sorry Vic Mac but my mind isn't grasping the visual. In general, diagonal supports, properly made, will be your strongest option.

[@vicmac5065]

Herrick Kimball I am looking for lateral support to prevent a free standing post from falling backwards when I rack an Olympic barbell with weights on it.

[@lexwells4763]

The only video of someone cutting a let-in brace into a 2x4 wall is a low quality video of Larry Haun. The other video of of a balsa wood model. There is also another video of a man cutting 45° 2X4s to fill the gaps between the 16" O.C. vertical studs. That would not be a let-in brace, but it goes to show you how rare and how little information there is no this on youtube. I guess it wouldn't hurt to make a video showing how you would approach adding a let-in brace on a 2"x4"x8' wall. The wall behind you in the video looks a lot cleaner cut than what Larry does in his example. Just an idea.

[@Brough1111]

Good show thanks

[@shiloh4184]

Revisiting this vid. I had 1 question. How do you know which direction to brace or does it matter? East/north end down for typical wind pattern and movements? Or is it kust that the entire structure is reinforcing itself 1 brace at a time and so follow the pattern i began with?

[@dianearnold5381]

That’s my question too.. did you ever get an answer?

[@falcon02012]

This method of diagonal bracing is budget-friendly and enhances a house's fire resistance. However, the downside is that it could put and plywood manufacturers out of business.

[@arnnass85]

Thank you!!

[@dforan927]

Takes a few minutes ?

[@wisnoskij]

Great video. Quick question, when putting let-in bracing in the corner, how far from the corner do you go (I am hoping to sneak a door under one of mine, if it can be like 2' from the corner)? Do you let the bracing into both plates for a double top plated wall, or just the bottom one? Would/could I split the cut-out (between the bracing and the studs) for a 2x4 wall so as not to cut so deep into my studs?

[@Viagra_risk_PERMANENT_insomnia]

You can also do it this way, like they do in Australia. www.architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/pryda-australia/pryda-develops-narrow-wall-bracing-for-contemporar#

[@eliguaso22]

I have the same questions... Want to implement this method for a stronger build but there's not much information around it.

[@rocketsurgery8337]

How would you put in a diagonal brace on your friend's pole barn if there's horizontal purlins? Wouldn't you be cutting completely through the purlins? Or would you cut into the posts first and then put the purlins over the bracing? Wouldn't that decrease the strength of the poles? I'm building a large shop in a few months and I'm running into this same issue.

[@herrickkimball]

With a pole barn, the diagonal braces are typically placed against the purlins from inside. They are securely nailed into each purlin and into the where they meet the poles. No notching for the diagonal braces is needed. Best wishes for a successful project.

[@rocketsurgery8337]

@@herrickkimballThanks for the quick reply. My walls will be insulated and finished so I don't think an interior diagonal brace will work. It looks like I'll just add an additional layer of sheathing under the board and batten. Maybe some Densglass so I can skip the vapor barrier.

[@herrickkimball]

@@rocketsurgery8337 Pole barns with interior diagonal bracing against the purlins are routinely insulated and finished on the inside around here. I've seen pole barn houses do this. The church I attend was once a large agricultural pole barn. It was studded out between the poles, insulated, and finished off. The bracing is not a big deal to work around. It's only 1-1/2" thick. Some people use long 2x6 diagonal bracing instead of 2x4. It allows for more contact area and more nailing into the purlins. Super strong.

[@christopherdekonstrukt444]

My house was built in 1971, today they use shear walls. I'm trying to duplicate what's up there now.

[@SibRevs]

Kind of a related topic: If an older house has no bracing, sheathing or weather barrier, would it be a good idea to add those features? I'm fixing the outside of one of my rentals (in Northeast Kansas) and I have found a bunch of moldy insulation behind my failing T1-11 siding. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas moving forward?

[@GreyDeathVaccine]

Year has passed. Can you write an update?

[@dragan3290]

Old houses in Australia have The diagonal braces. Everyone uses plywood bracing. Even internal walls. I brace everything to oblivion. Maybe a little overkill. House in Australia nowadays are an absolute joke! Waffle slabs etc. Cut and fill not done properly. Cracks everywhere in plasterboard ceilings and diagonal cracks coming off the windows internally on plasterboard. These are no more than 10 years old. Unbelievable workmanship.

[@cjsfault]

Is there a way to remove the angle bracing and rebrace it back up if your trying to add a door way through it. It's an interior wall between two bed rooms but its beside a outside wall.

[@Viagra_risk_PERMANENT_insomnia]

Yes look here. www.architectureanddesign.com.au/suppliers/pryda-australia/pryda-develops-narrow-wall-bracing-for-contemporar#

[@joshmatthew4125]

How do you cut into the boards like that?

[@herrickkimball]

Place the angle braces where you want them. Mark cut lines on the studs. Set saw depth as needed. Make multiple saw kerfs through the area to be removed. Clean up the notch with a sharp chisel.

[@joshmatthew4125]

Thanks

[@BobbyJr556]

Can you do this with 2”x3” ?

[@herrickkimball]

My opinion is that yes, you can do angle bracing with 2x3 studs, BUT I would notch in a 1x4 angle brace, not a 2x.

[@BobbyJr556]

@@herrickkimball thanks

[@billgateskilledmyuncle23]

And just think, professional builders could do this without adding a bunch to the cost of the house. Many times I wonder if the osb or plywood panels are even attached at the header and footer boards of a stud wall. After all, the employees just want to get the project done and if they aren't going to live in the house, they aren't going to pay attention to details like that.

[@soonerthanlater539]

Why nails and not screws if you want strength?

[@herrickkimball]

It's not a good idea to use screws for structural framing. They break under stresses where nails would not. I use screws for framing interior partitions in remodeling situations, or a small addition. But they are not suited for any structural framing application. Thanks for the question.

[@kytddjj]

@@herrickkimball Structural framing screws CAN be used for structural framing, they will not break, Simpson strong-tie and many other brands make them.

[@Brough1111]

I disagree that the people building the pole barn aren't stupid for leaving out braces.

[@LP-hs6yz]

Disappointed you didn't show us how to brace a shed or building.

[@justinballard7242]

You realize it had post buried 4ft in the ground and 2x4 girts every 2 ft. Also the sheer strength of steel is ridiculous. But you do you boo boo

[@MrDomestosWC]

You do NOT need braces as shown as long as your exterior wall is panelized with the right panel types, connectors and blocking. You may need hold-downs as well. With braces, the force becomes centralized at point loads and if too high, hold-downs are a absolute must. Without them, your braces are completely useless. I'm a structural PE.

[@LogHewer]

Relax. Bracing hurts nothing. It's been done successfully forever and still works today.

[@victorm4641]

You couldn't be more wrong about angled 1x or 2x let in bracing. Often the braces fail all the time. They rot from water damage, they break under compression loads, they deflect significantly more than a wood paneled shearwall, there's also a uplift force at the bottom of the brace that isn't considered at second level or even first level or resisted with a strap or a hold down to the foundation. This type of brace is also more likely to damage architectural finishes as well since they deflect more than a wood paneled shearwall and if one happens to break, the owner will never know about it since its covered and will even cause more damage because the entire wall braceline is failing. This leads them to believe the foundation is moving when in reality the bracing failed and stud walls have racked due to lateral loads. The only king of lateral bracing for any residential building is wood paneled shear walls. They are extremely strong and barely deflect at all. Just get the nailing pattern correct and you dont have to worry about lateral issues at all. A professional engineer.

[@charlesrhett]

Agreed. 30 year home builder here. Have NEVER used a let-in brace in the 30 yrs I've been a builder. With the manufacturing improvements of OSB that reaches from the bottom plate to the top of the double top plate (windstorm panels), and a correct nail pattern, its the strongest technique for residential wall bracing.

[@LogHewer]

Yeah...those horrible let-in braces on 200 year-old frames are awful. Lol. Give us a break, fellas. They don't rot if protected from moisture, same as any other wood product. Long-time homebuilders used them for decades upon decades with great results. He's not wrong at all.

[@pacanoeist]

lol! They are not stupid people.

[@rm742]

What do u do if u put a exterior door close to the corner ?? It will have wood siding on the outside.

[@herrickkimball]

Leave the brace out or move it away from the end wall enough to clear the door frame.