PFS from Simpson Strong-Tie receives ICC-ES listing
Simpson Strong-Tie said it has received code listing from the International Code Council Evaluation Services (ICC-ES) for its Strong-Wall site-built portal frame system (PFS).
PFS is designed to provide engineers, builders, and framers with an easy way to meet code-defined wall bracing requirements when building narrow wall widths. The system provides builders with a cost-effective alternative to International Residential Code (IRC) braced wall solutions.
Available in single-wall and double-wall portal frame kits, the PFS includes holdown assemblies, adjustable post bases and standoffs, multi-ply screws, connector screws, a 6-lobe T40 driver bit, and complete installation instructions. Contractors simply add lumber and assemble.
“Side by side, the time savings between using the PFS vs. continuous sheathing is pretty incredible,” says Allen Cohn, president and founder of West Hartford, Conn.-based Creative Communities Builders, who did a side-by-side comparison of the PFS with a code-prescribed portal frame. “The efficiency makes life much easier on my framing contractor, and the building inspector readily accepted the solution, which means I’ll be using the PFS on all of my projects moving forward.”
Launched in March 2019, the PFS is designed and tested for site-built simplicity to provide engineers and builders with a faster, easier solution for maximizing wall openings without compromising strength. Simpson Strong-Tie said that it worked extensively with ICC-ES and an industry consortium of wood and engineered wood manufacturers to develop testing criteria and achieve code listing for the PFS.
“Already a faster and easier solution for building portal frames in the field, the PFS now provides reliable, code-listed assurance to engineers and building inspectors,” said Simpson Strong-Tie vice president of connectors and lateral systems Sam Hensen. “The Strong-Wall PFS provides a turnkey solution for constructing site-built wall openings faster, easier and more cost effectively than traditional methods.”
Part of a larger suite of prescriptive design and construction solutions from Simpson Strong-Tie, the PFS is supported by an online wall-bracing length calculator, a bracing selector app, and other free tools available on strongtie.com to help meet IRC wall bracing requirements.