WEDGES
Using wedges properly is important to the success of the vertical shore. Wedges generally should be used in pairs; when properly married together, they are excellent tools to fill a space and transfer collapse loads. They can be tightened just enough to transfer the load without lifting it (overtightening), which could have serious consequences in a collapse operation.
Wedges should be approximately as wide as the material being shored. One end of the wedge should be a right angle that tapers down to a sharp point. The length of a good wedge is about six times its thickness. Generally, a wedge used with 4×4 shores is 3½ inches wide, two inches thick, and 12 inches long.
