How to Brace Masonry Walls Under Construction

According to federal law, all unfinished masonry walls more than 8 feet tall must be "adequately" braced. "Adequately" is generally understood to mean the wall should not fall down and brick and block walls are considered to be reinforced 12 hours after the mortar is installed. Braces have to be installed on both sides of unreinforced walls. The braces are usually timbers but may be cables. Cables support a wall by pulling it in opposite directions. Timbers support a wall by pushing it in opposite directions. Masonry walls usually fall in high winds and window and door openings help prevent that.

2 inch-by-10 inch scaffolding planks
Circular saw
Framing hammer
20 penny spikes
10 penny nails
4-by-8-by-16 inch solid concrete block
Electric drill
Masonry bit
Concrete anchor
Open end wrench

Instructions

- 1
  Brace unreinforced walls as soon as the wall reaches 8 feet high or the wind speed exceeds 20 mph.
- 2
  Brace walls at least once every 15 feet. Do not install braces closer than 5 feet to control joints.
- 3
  Build wall braces with right triangle structures built from 2-inch-by-10-inch scaffolding planks pushed flush against the wall. Brace the hypotenuse of the right triangle with cleats nailed to the base and the vertical leg of the triangle. Cut the planks to fit using a circular saw, and nail all pieces in place with a framing hammer and 20 penny spikes.
- 4
  Reinforce the right triangle brace with stiffeners that join the middle of the hypotenuse to the right angle of the triangle. Using a circular saw, cut the stiffeners to fit and nail them to the other sections of the triangle using a framing hammer and 10 penny nails. Nail stiffeners to both sides of the hypotenuse.
- 5
  Put a 4-by-8-by-16-inch solid concrete block below the base of the triangle directly under the end of the hypotenuse.
- 6
  Anchor the right angle of the brace to the footing that supports the wall. Using an electric drill and a masonry bit, drill through the brace into the footing. Insert a concrete anchor through the brace into the footing and tighten the anchor with an open end wrench.

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