The design shear capacity of particleboard shear walls shall be in accordance with Table 2306.4.3. Shear panels shall be constructed with particleboard sheets not less than 4 feet by 8 feet (1219 mm by 2438 mm), except at boundaries and changes in framing. Particleboard panels shall be designed to resist shear only, and chords, collector members and boundary elements shall be connected at all corners. Panel edges shall be backed with 2-inch (51 mm) nominal or wider framing. Sheets are permitted to be installed either horizontally or vertically. For 3/8 -inch (9.5 mm) particleboard sheets installed with the long dimension parallel to the studs spaced 24 inches (610 mm) o.c, nails shall be spaced at 6 inches (152 mm) o.c. along intermediate framing members. For all other conditions, nails of the same size shall be spaced at 12 inches (305 mm) o.c. along intermediate framing members. Particleboard panels less than 12 inches (305 mm) wide shall be blocked. Particleboard shall not be used to resist seismic forces in structures in Seismic Design Category D, E or F.
For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 pound per foot = 14.5939 N/m.
| PANEL GRADE | MINIMUM NOMINAL PANEL THICKNESS (inch) | MINIMUM NAIL PENETRATION IN FRAMING (inches) | PANELS APPLIED DIRECT TO FRAMING | ||||
| Nail size (common or galvanized box) | Allowable shear (pounds per foot) nail spacing at panel edges (inches)a | ||||||
| 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| M-S "Exterior Glue" and M-2 "Exterior Glue" | 3/8 | 11/2 | 6d | 120 | 180 | 230 | 300 |
| 3/8 | 11/2 | 8d | 130 | 190 | 240 | 315 | |
| 1/2 | 140 | 210 | 270 | 350 | |||
| 1/2 | 15/8 | 10d | 185 | 275 | 360 | 460 | |
| 5/8 | 200 | 305 | 395 | 520 | |||
- Values are not permitted in Seismic Design Category D, E or F.
- Galvanized nails shall be hot-dipped or tumbled.