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I was wondering if anyone knew if there was a code for temporary bracing of a non-residential building before it is permanently braced with plywood? I was curious to know how far apart each "A" brace shoud be on an agricultural building in Minnesota, used to store machinery, that is 50'x80' with 18ft sidewalls?

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This is really out of the realm of DIY home improvement. If I were you, I'd be checking with local building inspector or your insurance company if this is a commercial job and you are the contractor. This would be an OSHA guideline, not a IRC code. – shirlock homes Dec 14 '12 at 19:40

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I would suggest that you brace as required to keep the structure straight and square. The sidewalls will be affected by how straight the lumber is in the first place and also by the process of installing the side wall sheathing. You will need bracing as required to push the shape of the framing into plumb and square and then hold it there.

Also be aware that since the integrity of the structure is not complete until the roof trusses are placed and fastened to the upper plate of the sidewalls you will need bracing in place to deal with forces of nature. As you begin to install the side wall sheathing even moderate amounts of wind can place significant pressure on the wall structures so bracing will be needed to make sure that a strong gust does not come by and flatten all your work.

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What would you say would be adequate bracing? Would "A" braces every 16ft be enough? And what about once the sheathing is on and everything is square? would 16ft be enough again? – Please Help Dec 14 '12 at 17:25
As I said in my answer... "as required". You may need bracing at differing locations to ensure that the structure stays straight, square and plumb. There is no general rule here. One thing that can be said is that a sixteen foot wall section that is 18 feet high could be extremely rigid or could be wobbly as the dickens depending how it is framed, types of materials used, lengths of lumber used. This variablity will dictate, to some degree, how much bracing is needed. On the job at the site experience will be your guide. If the framing itself incorporates intrinsic bracing that helps too. – Michael Karas Dec 14 '12 at 17:55

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