Why hurricane zones require nails every 3 inches instead of 6. Those extra nails keep your walls from peeling off!
Get accurate ASCE 7-22 wind load calculations for sheathing nailing schedules on your Broward County project.
Calculate MWFRS LoadsWhen wind pushes and pulls on your wall, every nail has to hold tight. A single 8d nail might resist 80 pounds. Put enough nails together, and you can resist thousands of pounds of wind suction trying to peel your sheathing off.
The edges of sheathing panels are where wind pressure tries hardest to lift them. That's why edge nailing is always closer than field nailing. Hurricane zones often require 3-inch edge spacing - that's a nail every 3 inches around the entire perimeter of each 4x8 sheet!
Engineers calculate exactly how many nails at what spacing based on the wind pressure your walls will face. Broward County's 180 mph design wind speed means most exterior walls need the tightest nailing schedule. Cutting corners on nails cuts corners on safety.
For Broward County hurricane zones, typical wall sheathing requires 8d nails at 3 inches on edges and 6 inches in the field for high-wind areas. Shear walls may require 3 inch spacing everywhere. Roof sheathing often needs 6 inch edge spacing and 6 inch field spacing minimum. Your engineer will specify exact requirements based on calculated wind loads.
Edge nails go around the perimeter of each sheathing panel where it sits on framing. Field nails go in the interior where sheathing crosses intermediate studs or rafters. Edges need closer spacing because that is where panels try to separate under wind pressure. Field nailing prevents the center from buckling.
Staples are generally not approved for wall sheathing in Broward County high-wind zones. Staples pull out easier than nails under the repeated push-pull cycling of hurricane winds. Stick with 8d common nails or approved ring-shank nails as specified on your plans. Roof sheathing has similar restrictions.
Each nail can only resist so much force before it pulls out. More nails means each one carries less load. Going from 6 inch to 3 inch spacing doubles the number of nails, doubling your holding power. In Broward County with 180 mph winds, that extra holding power is the difference between your sheathing staying on or flying off.
WindLoad.co generates complete sheathing nailing schedules for Broward County wind loads. Know exactly how many nails and where!
Calculate MWFRS Loads