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Chapter 21 — MASONRY

Section 2104 — CONSTRUCTION

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

2104.1 Masonry construction.

Masonry construction shall comply with the requirements of Sections 2104.1.1 and 2104.1.2 and with the requirements of either TMS 602 or TMS 604.

2104.1.1 Support on wood. Masonry shall not be supported on wood girders or other forms of wood construction except as permitted in Section 2304.13.

2104.1.2 Molded cornices. Unless structural support and anchorage are provided to resist the overturning moment, the center of gravity of projecting masonry or molded cornices shall lie within the middle one-third of the supporting wall. Terra cotta and metal cornices shall be provided with a structural frame of approved noncombustible material anchored in an approved manner.

2104.2 Reinforced Grouted masonry. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5]

2104.2.1 TMS 602, Article 3.3 B Placing mortar and units. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.3 B.2.c as follows: c. Remove masonry protrusions extending greater than [1] / 4 inch (6.4 mm) into cells or cavities to be grouted.

2104.2.2 TMS 602, Article 3.4 B Reinforcement. Modify TMS 602, Article 3.4 B.1 through Article 3.4 B.3 as follows:

  1. Support reinforcement to prevent displacement caused by construction loads or by placement of grout or mortar. Rein- forcement and embedded items shall be clean, properly positioned and securely anchored against movement prior to grouting. Bolts shall be accurately set with templates or by approved equivalent means and held in place to prevent dislo- cation during grouting.
  2. Completely embed reinforcing bars and embedded items in grout in accordance with Article 3.5.
  3. Maintain clear distance between reinforcing bars and the interior of masonry unit or formed surface of at least [1] / 2 inch (12.7 mm) and a minimum of one bar diameter, except where cross webs of hollow units are used as supports for horizontal reinforcement.

2104.2.3 TMS 602, Article 3.4 E Anchor bolts. Replace TMS 602, Article 3.4 E.3 and add Articles 3.4 E.5 and 3.4 E.6 as follows: 3. Anchor bolts in the wythe or face shells of hollow masonry units shall be positioned to maintain a minimum of [1] / 2 inch (12.7 mm) of grout between the bolt circumference, the wythe or the face shell. For the portion of the bolt that is within the grouted cell, maintain a clear distance between the bolt and the face of masonry unit and between the head of the bolt and the formed surface of grout of at least [1] / 4 inch (6.4 mm) when using fine grout and at least [1] / 2 inch (12.7 mm) when using coarse grout. Bolts shall be solidly embedded in grout. 5. Bent bar anchor bolts shall not be allowed. The maximum size anchor shall be [1] / 2 -inch (12.7 mm) diameter for 6-inch (152 mm) nominal masonry, [3] / 4 -inch (19.1 mm) diameter for 8-inch (203 mm) nominal masonry, [7] / 8 -inch (22.2 mm) diameter for 10-inch (254 mm) nominal masonry, and 1-inch (25.4 mm) diameter for 12-inch (305 mm) nominal masonry. 6. Bolts shall be accurately set with templates or by approved equivalent means and held in place to prevent dislocation during grouting.

2104.2.4 TMS 602, Article 3.5 F.1 Grout key. Replace TMS 602, Article 3.5 F.1 as follows: 1. Between grout pours or where grouting has been stopped more than an hour, a horizontal construction joint shall be formed by terminating grout a minimum of 1 [1] / 2 inches (38.1 mm) and a maximum of one-half the masonry unit height below a mortar joint, except at the top of the wall. Where bond beams occur, the grout pour shall be terminated a minimum of [1] / 2

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

MASONRY

inch (12.7 mm) below the mortar joint. Horizontal reinforcement shall be placed in bond beam units with a minimum grout cover of 1 inch (25.4 mm) above reinforcing steel for each grout pour.

2104.3 Aluminum equipment.

2104.3 Aluminum equipment. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] Grout shall not be handled nor pumped utilizing aluminum equipment unless it can be demonstrated with the materials and equipment to be used that there will be no deleterious effect on the strength of the grout.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  4. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  5. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  6. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR W…
  9. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  10. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  11. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  12. Chapter 11 — RESERVED
  13. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  14. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  15. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  16. Chapter 13 — ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  17. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  18. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  19. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  20. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  22. Chapter 17A — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 18A — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  25. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  26. Chapter 19A — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. ▸ Chapter 21 — MASONRY
    Overview
    1. Section 2101 — GENERAL
    2. Section 2102 — NOTATIONS
    3. Section 2103 — MASONRY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
    4. Section 2104 — CONSTRUCTION
    5. Section 2105 — QUALITY ASSURANCE
    6. Section 2106 — SEISMIC DESIGN
    7. Section 2107 — ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN
    8. Section 2108 — STRENGTH DESIGN OF MASONRY
    9. Section 2109 — EMPIRICAL DESIGN OF ADOBE MASONRY
    10. Section 2110 — GLASS UNIT MASONRY
    11. Section 2111 — MASONRY FIREPLACES
    12. Section 2112 — MASONRY HEATERS
    13. Section 2113 — MASONRY CHIMNEYS
    14. Section 2114 — DRY-STACK MASONRY
    15. Section 2115 — ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES …
  29. Chapter 21A — MASONRY
  30. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  31. Chapter 22A — STEEL
  32. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  33. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  34. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  35. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  36. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  37. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  38. Chapter 29 — PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  39. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  40. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  41. Chapter 31A — SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING…
  42. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  43. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  44. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  45. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  46. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  47. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  48. Chapter 34 — RESERVED
  49. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  50. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  51. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  52. Appendix C — GROUP U—AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  54. Appendix E — RESERVED
  55. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  56. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
  57. Appendix H — SIGNS
  58. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  59. Appendix J — GRADING
  60. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES PROTECTED B…
  61. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING INSTRUMENTATION
  62. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED FLOOD HAZARDS
  63. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  64. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED APPLICATION
  65. Appendix P — SLEEPING LOFTS
  66. Appendix Q — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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