Shear Wall Sheathing Blocking IRC
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For exterior sheathing code, can the blocks for edge fastening be installed edge up leaving the wall cavity open and providing a larger nailing surface?
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For shear wall bracing, I am not aware of a code requirement regarding orientation, and my carpenter's intuition says that it shouldn't matter. But it's not something that I can recall coming up on plan reviews or inspections; it may matter, at least in some locations.
Some people combine shear wall bracing/panel bracing with a fire stop. Not a code requirement but a construction practice.