Sheathing .... short a bit

[buzzyng]

Ok a rookie mistake. I ordered studs precut to the height I needed and just finished framing my shop. Got the walls up and it looks good, level and plumb. I go to put OSB and realize I forgot to count the 2nd top plate so the sheathing is 1 1/2" too short.

Can I just cut small strips (1 1/2" x 4') to fill the gap and if so, is it best to put on top or bottom?

Tx

 

[914wilhelm]

I would put the strip between the upper and lower horizontal sheets. You want a full sheet overlapping the top plate to make the structure rigid, tie the top plate in and prevent lift for hurricanes.

 

[JakeKohl]

I would put the strip between the upper and lower horizontal sheets. You want a full sheet overlapping the top plate to make the structure rigid, tie the top plate in and prevent lift for hurricanes.

Agreed. The strength is in the corners and around the edges. Leave the filler strips in the middle.

 

[readhead]

Is it inside, outside, horizontal or verticle?

 

[buzzyng]

Thanks for the quick response. I didn't even think about putting in the middle and doing horizontal, great idea. I've been reading here for a long time and just when I think I have something figured to do, I need some assistance. Really appreciate it

 

[readhead]

Depending on your building department you may have to block all the joints if you install the sheeting horizontal.

 

[RivennHewn]

Depending on your building department you may have to block all the joints if you install the sheeting horizontal.

Or, add a row of blocking under your top plate for the nailing, and then just add a rip at the top.

 

[Zeke]

All exterior sheathing here is done vertically. And the nailing schedule requires different edge nailing as opposed to the field. As long as the bottom plate and the first top plate are connected, the shear value has been completed.

Ditto on the blocking and that blocking for a horizontal filler strip would have to be a 4 x 4 so that the edges of the panels are continuously nailed. Filler strip in the middle = bad idea.

Sorry.

 

[readhead]

Zeke is right on. Horizontal is the hard way. I think I have installed horizontal once in the last 42 years. As he mentioned you need to check on the nail schedule.

 

[JakeKohl]

Practically every structure I have seen (at least around me locally) sheathes the exterior with the 4x8 sheating oriented horizontally. From an engineering perspective, I do believe that with a wracking force (for instance, wind) trying to push the building over, the horizontal sheeting will triangulate the loads with the studs much better if it is installed perpendicular to the studs.


DSC_2052 by Green Room Graphics, on Flickr


Edit! but then again, what do I know? Looks like both ways are proper but the horizontal orientation, if not blocked, is a little weaker. I'm guessing this is going to come down to a local code thing - we're not really in a tornado or earthquake prone area so local codes probably don't care about vertical/horizontal/blocking. However, I might argue that horizontal is easier...especially when your wall is 1.5" taller than 8'

See here for More:
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/qa/plywood-orientation-horizontal-or-vertical.aspx

 

[Red Goat]

Your drywall's going to be fun too...

 

[MN4x4]

Your drywall's going to be fun too...

Drywall will be fine. Put up 5/8" ceiling first, then drywall up against that. You'll then have 7/8" at the bottom which keeps the drywall off the floor.

No problem!

 

[Highbeam]

Doh!!! We do our sheeting horizontal in WA too. You want to hit the most studs with each sheet. Same on the roof.

 

[Zeke]

Doh!!! We do our sheeting horizontal in WA too. You want to hit the most studs with each sheet. Same on the roof.

Roof is one thing, walls are another. How many nails go into 1 horizontal sheet w/o blocking?

Here, we nail each sheet 3" OC on all edges and 6" OC in the field. I've seen it called out to use #10 nails 2" OC before. It's hard to believe that doesn't actually weaken the edge. But the City of Los Angeles Dept of Engineering Testing Laboratory is one of the most respected authorities in the field of testing building procedures and products. In fact, a lot of building materials carry 2 listed ID's; one from the ICC and usually one from the Los Angeles Testing Lab. They certainly don't get used w/o the LA ID around here.

The point is, we sheath walls for earthquakes. If your situation does not require that much strength, by all means nail the stuff up anyway you like. It's only 'backing' when it doesn't conform to shear strength.

Oh, and BTW, I've had plans that showed plenty of horizontal shear too. That means full blocking in the roof plane. But since the load is completely different, panels laid up and down are weak on roof structures. So they do always go the long way.

Don't make walls and roofs the same, they're not.

 

[readhead]

Zeke, I almost think we were seperated at birth. You just type faster then I do.
I come from San Diego (CSLB #449xxx) and have been in Colorado for 24 years now.
They give you the option to install wall sheeting here horizontal but no body does it because of all the blocking required. Pretty much all the testing organizations I am familiar with recommend verticle installation. I used 9' sheets so I could break the sheets in the second floor rim.
We also build everthing with hem fir and most people around here don't even know what a hold down is. I used to carry a box of A35's for all occasions. It's funny how different regonial practices can be.

 

[BenDay1]

Sheathing is your lateral support and nailing all your outside edges is providing the maximum strength. When you don't have framing where those outside edges fall add blocking so you can continue the nailing pattern. Your manufacturers specifications and local building codes will detail fastener size and placement based on spans between framing members.

 

[Zeke]

Zeke, I almost think we were seperated at birth. You just type faster then I do.
I come from San Diego (CSLB #449xxx) and have been in Colorado for 24 years now.
They give you the option to install wall sheeting here horizontal but no body does it because of all the blocking required. Pretty much all the testing organizations I am familiar with recommend verticle installation. I used 9' sheets so I could break the sheets in the second floor rim.
We also build everthing with hem fir and most people around here don't even know what a hold down is. I used to carry a box of A35's for all occasions. It's funny how different regonial practices can be.

Funny. My license begins with 400xxx. We are a couple of old timers because I can't even find guys with a 700 number anymore much less a 6 or 5. I used to know just a few with 5 number licences. Now I know no one with a 300# licence.

 

[readhead]

I let my license go twenty years ago so there is nothing to connect to me. A few years after I moved here I realized I wasn't going back.
Back to the discussion at hand. I would suggest that the OP pm you or myself and get the benefit of over 80 years of experience in one shot.
I think this forum is a great source of info for the inexperienced but it is so frustrating when they refuse to accept the experience handed out.
I suggested that the OP hire a carpenter for a day at least. The knowledge he will gain on that one day will stay with him for the rest of his life.