WOOD WALL PANELS AND SEISMIC RESTRAINT

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Author Message Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 833 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 - 11:40 am:    First time question to me. Yesterday this question came to me regarding the use of "french cleats" for mounting wood paneling in seismic zones D, E, and F in California projects and other seismically active states. (Seems just about every state is seismically active after fracking). Can the panels fall off the french cleats during a seismic event? Is there an alternate method for hanging wood wall paneling in CA? Such as the "Star" system? Is a tether used on the back of the panels. Thanks, Wayne John Hunter Senior Member Username: johnhunter Post Number: 154 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 - 11:56 am:    We've used Monarch Metal's Aluminum Z Clips http://www.monarchmetal.com/products/monarch-z-clips/?gclid=CO7j_PiOtNYCFUZgfgod-0sN_A) all over the state. They have a relatively tall lift-off (5/8") and a pretty tight engagement. Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 824 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Friday, September 22, 2017 - 12:18 pm:    These systems appear to require gravity to hold them in place. In an earthquake vertical accelerations and racking could cause these systems to fail. You want a positive connection. Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 834 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Friday, September 22, 2017 - 12:20 pm:    Mark, I call. Please share your positive connection. Thanks, Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 825 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Friday, September 22, 2017 - 03:47 pm:    Possible approaches include a screw through the paneling to the underlying substrate or a connection at the bottom that pulls down. You could also introduce a shim at the top that would prevent the paneling from lifting off of the mounting hardware. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 1430 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 06:07 pm:    I've found the cleats to be pretty grabby, and this is my typical (and has been) panel hanging method for a few decades.