Our friends from MiTek have released a Top Plate Stiffener to reinforce a single loadbearing top plate where a hole for a service duct penetration is required, by restoring the top plate to its original design strength. A Top Plate Stiffener may also be used on non-loadbearing top plates to provide continuity for wall bracing.
Uses:
- The top plate shall be a single 90x35 or 90x45 member, and shall be of either MGP10 or MGP12 grade.
- The maximum size of the service duct hole through the top plate shall not be more than 60mm in diameter, and shall be situated between 100mm and 102mm from the face of a stud
- The TPSA shall be positioned against a stud underneath the top plate when the studs are spaced between 400mm and 600mm apart.
- If the TPSA is too long to fit in between studs (i.e. when they are less than 400mm apart), and if the top plate does not support a truss from above, the TPSA may be fixed on top of the top plate.
See Below images of where the Mitek Top Plate stiffener could be used.
As seen below a simple & easy way to re-strengthen timber top plates where holes have been drilled for the installation of internal vacuum system ducting.
Key Benefits
- Provides an easy solution to fix penetrations in frames made by other trades
- Leaves clean faces to outside edges of the timber frames
- Unique design provides greater top plate uplift resistance capacity
Shop for the MiTek TPSA online or in-store!