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Panelized Walls

Panelized Walls

Panelized Walls

(OP)
I've never worked specifically with a panelized house, but I understand the concept that the sections are built in a factory  then shipped to the lot and assembled on site.  I also would expect that the walls would be built in the shop with only a single top plate, with the second plate attached in the field, tying the adjacent panels in a wall together and providing the continuity of the top plate that you get with a field built wall.  

Now, what would your opinion be if you went to a house where the joints were not lapped, both top plates start and stop at the end of the panels?  The IRC calls for 3x6 galvanized splice plates with (6) 8d nails each side of the splice when the plates are not continuous.  Would you be concerned if the whole house was built like this?

RE: Panelized Walls

I am assuming you are worried about shear walls. I would think this could be acceptable if each panel was checked as individual shear wall and properly anchored.

RE: Panelized Walls

(OP)
Well, i'm just considering convential wood framing. THe only "shear walls" are the required braced walls per the IRC. A wall framed by a carpenter in the field would have a continous double top plate with 4' overlap at any splices. So if you had a 20' long wall they could build (2) 10' sections, then stand them up and put a 14' and 8' plate on top lapping the joint between the sections.

RE: Panelized Walls

The continuous top plate generally acts as the chord for the diaphragm and the collector to distribute load to the various shear walls.

What is going to provide this with the unspliced top plates?

RE: Panelized Walls

The 2nd top plate should be omitted during manufacturing and attached in the field providing overlap at the splices.

woodengineer

RE: Panelized Walls

jike is correct.  For some reason, I was thinking of light gauge wall panel projects where there is a slab edge or some sort of deck angle to act as the chord.  In the case of roof trusses, something would need to be there to act as the chord element or as a collector if needed.

RE: Panelized Walls

If they do provide both top plates, then two horizontal metal straps could be nailed, one to each plate at the splice, with the capacity of both plates being designed to transmit the maximum design chord force.  If only one plate is provided, then just provide a minimum of 4' of plate splice length to each side of the splice, nail and glue.

No worries.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

RE: Panelized Walls

We manufacture wall panels. The software will apply the top plate to a long wall, but always leave the top plate pulled back 36" from the end, to allow a 6' long field applied top plate to be added in the field. I believe code requires a minimum overlap.

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