Everything You Need To Know About Door Buck, Why Are They Used and When Do They Need to be Anchored
Masonry openings in buildings are frequently not exact and are referred to as rough openings for that reason. When window products are placed into openings, they often need to be shimmed into place to properly fit the opening. When a large amount of shimming is required, 1x or 2x pieces of wood are utilized and are referred to as door bucks.
Product evaluations issued by accredited entities specify how to fasten window products to host substrate with a maximum shim thickness. However, if the window is only fastened to the buck, then the buck needs to be securely fastened to the host structure. According to section 1710.3 of the 2020 Florida Building Code (7th Edition) (similar for the IBC code), “where the wood buck thickness is 1 ½ inches (38 mm) or greater, the buck shall be securely fastened to transfer load to the masonry, concrete or other structural substrate…”.
Last, wood bucks provide an aesthetic finish and assist in flashing & waterproofing of the building envelope. Stucco finishes typically encase wood bucks and sealed with caulk.
Engineering Express provides pre-engineered certified plans to assist in permitting wood bucks in our online plan store. Purchase certified copies of these plans which illustrate anchorage by clicking here.
Last Update: April 19, 2022
