Where walls are used as the lateral (wind and seismic) bracing for the overall building, bracing methods must be incorporated into or integrated with the selected wall assembly. These systems can vary widely and often must be designed by a design professional for code compliance. However, prescriptive methods for light-frame construction are available and included in model building codes.

For information related to bracing of walls with wood frame construction and inclusion of foam plastic insulating sheathing, refer to:

For additional guidance, refer to our Structural Resources page.

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