The only way to properly install a shear wall is to snap a chalk line down the center of each stud and place a nail 1/4 inch from each side of chalk line. Remember, your shear wall may be the only thing between safety and catastrophe, and it needs to be built perfectly.

Shear walls are the main vertical structural elements with a dual role of resisting both the gravity and lateral loads. Wall thickness varies from 40 mm to 500 mm, depending on the number of stories, building age, and thermal insulation requirements.

Structurally, shear walls work best in the center of each half of the building, placed symmetrically around the structure's central axis. However, architects find this challenging since shear walls take up so much space. Often, you will find shear walls around stairwells, elevator shafts, or windowless walls.

A shear wall is a general term for a wall that is designed and constructed to resist racking from forces such as wind using masonry, concrete, cold-formed steel, or wood framing.