Patent ID: 8056301

Claim:
A method of forming a shear wall structure in a stud framed building in which a plurality of wall framing studs define at least one wall or section of a building wall designed to accommodate anticipated wind and seismic shear loads, comprising: a) providing at least one subsurface shear panel, said at least one subsurface shear panel comprising a rectangular thin steel sheet, with a thickness within a range of about 0.015 to 0.060 inch, laminated to a rectangular substantially rigid, nonstructural sheet having a thickness not exceeding Â¼ inch; b) securing said at least one subsurface shear panel to said framing studs, on the interior or exterior sides thereof, such that the thin steel sheet sits directly against the framing studs for resisting anticipated in-plane or shear loads imposed on the shear wall structure; and c) covering said at least one subsurface shear panel with a finishing material.