# Allowable Penetrations in Shear Wall Panels



## Sawzsome (Aug 25, 2016)

Hi All,

I'm working on a remodel job in San Francisco. It's my first job managing a project (worked my way up from being a carpenter) so I'm a little green when it comes to all the codes. My question is regarding allowable plumbing penetrations in a shear panel. I have seen some diagrams about the allowable penetrations in the framing members but nothing about going through the panel itself. 

On this particular remodel job we have a situation where we would like to connect an existing exterior drain line through the shear wall panels to a surface mounted washing machine outlet box in the laundry room. I was also hoping route the dryer vent ducting straight through the shear panel. Is this allowed? I'm thinking it would be considering the structural elements are the framing and the plumbing would be going through voids in the framing where there isn't any nailing anyway. 

A million thanks in advance!


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

This is something that you have to ask the engineer of record what he allows for.

Most will allow for some penetrations in their designed shear wall of various sizings and they eusually go by a standard that is already there and they adhere to but there is no standard that I am aware of that allows for just any shear wall to be penetrated as such.

Andy.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Sawzsome said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm working on a remodel job in San Francisco. It's my first job managing a project (worked my way up from being a carpenter) so I'm a little green when it comes to all the codes. My question is regarding allowable plumbing penetrations in a shear panel. I have seen some diagrams about the allowable penetrations in the framing members but nothing about going through the panel itself.
> 
> ...


If the penetration is too large they sometimes have you block all around the opening and use regular nailing schedule in the blocking per that wall on the plans.

Blocking needs to be from stud to stud.


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