What Does a Cripple Wall Look Like

Cripple-wall houses have short (less than full-story height) wood-framed walls between the foundation and the wood-framed first floor, and a crawl space under the house. … Cripple walls are braced by nailing plywood sheathing to the inside of the walls that surround the crawlspace.

What are cripple walls in a house?

Cripple-wall houses have short (less than full-story height) wood-framed walls between the foundation and the wood-framed first floor, and a crawl space under the house. … Cripple walls are braced by nailing plywood sheathing to the inside of the walls that surround the crawlspace.

Do all houses have cripple walls?

Almost all Bay Area houses built before 1940 (and many built more recently) have cripple walls. Cripple walls are the short wood stud walls that enclose a crawl space under the first floor. Non-retrofitted or “unbraced” cripple walls are known to be vulnerable to damage and even collapse in earthquakes.