Stop a Wall Racking With a Let-In Brace

The Problem

A stud wall with no sheathing on it yet — or one that will get a finish that adds no shear strength — racks side to side with a push. The creator rocks his demo wall visibly by hand. Diagonal strength has to come from somewhere, and a brace nailed flat on the stud faces would hold every wall covering off by its thickness.

The Technique

Let the brace into the studs so it ends up flush:

1. Lay the brace board diagonally across the wall on its line and mark its width across every stud it crosses.
2. Set the circular saw depth a hair over 1-1/2" — just proud of the brace's thickness — and cut the two edge lines across each stud.
3. Make several kerf cuts between the edge cuts on each stud. The waste then knocks out in slices instead of needing a chisel fight.
4. Clean the bottoms of the notches with an oscillating multi-tool so the brace seats flat.
5. Drop the brace into the channel and nail it with a minimum of two nails per stud.

The before-and-after is the proof: the same wall that racked freely doesn't move once the brace is nailed off.