Our team will pinpoint the exact areas of weakness, so we can design a wall bracing process that will work specifically for your home and its cripple wall. With the plan in place, we will continue with the application of structural-grade plywood directly to the cripple wall. This additional support ensures that the wall does not collapse easily if an earthquake occurs.

Yet cripple wall bracing is more than just attaching plywood and calling it good. The retrofitting contractors at SOCAL Retrofitting use city-engineered, 1/2-inch structural-grade 5-ply APA rated plywood sheathing. The plywood has ventilation holes and is covered with galvanized wire mesh screens before being securely nailed to the wall using a precise nailing pattern that keeps it as stable as possible.

This process works in cripple walls of all sizes. However, if the wall is four feet or more in height, it requires the work of a structural engineer, as per the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. The SOCAL Retrofitting team works with engineers to assist our customers with cripple wall bracing, even for tall walls.