Timberstrand for blocking?

[mtlogcabin]

Entire house has 9 ft walls. Local supply house builds the pre-built walls. They used timberstrand and nailed into the ply edge for the blocking in the shear walls. I don't believe this would be acceptable in our seismic zone D2. The good part is the house is 100% OSB solid sheathing and every stud bay is blocked.

 

[north star]

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Isn't the strand lumber a higher grade of lumber than stud grade

[ RE: R602.10.7, `06 IRC ] ?

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[ICE]

Doesn't take nails all that well. Breaks in chunks.

 

[Mark K]

Manufacturers of these products place limitations on the spacing of nails parallel to the laminations.

 

[ICE]

Timberstrand LSLPanel edge distance

Section 2305.1.2.1 of the IBC states that nails shall be placed not less than 3⁄8"

from the panel edge for lateral-force-resisting systems.

Nail edge distance

To avoid splitting, an edge distance of 2.5 x the nail diameter is recommended.

This applies to the sheathing nails or fasteners and to the larger-diameter nails

that transfer

wall loads:

■ 8d (0.131" x 21⁄2") nail, 2.5 x 0.131" dia. = 0.33" ≈ 3⁄8" minimum edge distance

■ 16d (0.162" x 31⁄2") nail, 2.5 x 0.162" dia. = 0.41" ≈ 7⁄16" minimum edge distance

The 11⁄4" thickness is required to provide the necessary edge distance for wall nails

and provides some margin for error in the placement of the sheathing nails or

fasteners.

See page 5 for more detail options

It doesn't look too bad but it would be tough to break sheathing on a row of LSL blocks and still maintain the spacing required for the sheathing and the 2.5 times the nail diameter spacing for the LSL. The company literature shows the product being used for all sorts of things from guitar picks to walls 30' tall.

http://www.woodbywy.com/trus-joist/timberstrand-lsl/