Patent ID: 8042313

Claim:
A method of reducing the lateral movement of a shear wall during a seismic event or a wind event, the method comprising: constructing a shear wall having a plurality of studs, a first vertical end post and a second vertical end post mounted between a mudsill and a double top plate, each end post having a respective horizontal lower end positioned parallel to a top surface of the mudsill; forming at least one hole in the mudsill proximate each end of the shear wall; mounting a first compression post below the respective lower end of the first end post so that an extended portion of, the first compression post extends in a direction perpendicular to the lower end of the first end post; mounting a second compression post below the respective lower end of the second post so that an extended portion of, the second compression post extends in a direction perpendicular to the lower end of the second end post; positioning the extended portion of each compression post through the at least one hole in the mudsill at an end of the shear wall; and positioning the shear wall on a structural support with respective exposed ends of the extended portions of the compression posts resting on the support such that compressive forces applied to the end posts are communicated to the support via the compression posts rather than via the mudsill.