2301 General — 2025 California Building Code

The provisions of this chapter shall govern the materials, design, construction and quality of wood members and their fasteners.

[HCD 1] For limited-density owner-built rural dwellings, owner-produced or used materials and appliances may be utilized unless found not to be of sufficient strength or durability to perform the intended function; owner-produced or used lumber, or shakes and shingles may be utilized unless found to contain dry rot, excessive splitting or other defects obviously rendering the material unfit in strength or durability for the intended purpose.

2301.1.1 Application. [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC & OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5] The scope of application of Chapter 23 is as follows: 1. Structures regulated by the Division of the State Architect-Structural Safety, which include those applications listed in Section 1.9.2.1 (DSA-SS) and 1.9.2.2 (DSA-SS/CC). These applications include public elementary and secondary schools, community colleges and state-owned or state-leased essential services buildings. 2. Applications listed in Section 1.10, regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD). These applications include hospitals, hospital buildings removed from general acute care service, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, correctional treatment centers and acute psychiatric hospital buildings.

Exception: For applications listed in Sections 1.10.3 (Licensed Clinics) and 1.10.6 (Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospi- tals), the provisions of this chapter without OSHPD amendments identified in accordance with Section 2301.1.3 shall apply.

2301.1.2 Amendments in this chapter. [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC & OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5] DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC and OSHPD adopt this chapter as amended.

2301.1.3 Identification of amendments. [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5] 1. Division of the State Architect - Structural Safety amendments appear in this chapter preceded by the appropriate acronym, as follows:

[DSA-SS] - For applications listed in Section 1.9.2.1.

[DSA-SS/CC] - For applications listed in Section 1.9.2.2. 2. Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD) amendments appear in this chapter preceded by the appropriate acronym, as follows:

[OSHPD 1] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.1.

[OSHPD 1R] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.1.

[OSHPD 2] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.2.

[OSHPD 4] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.4.

[OSHPD 5] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.5.

2301.1.4 Reference to other chapters. [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD]

2301.1.4.1 [DSA-SS and OSHPD 1 & 4] Where reference within this chapter is made to sections in Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22, the provisions in Chapters 16A, 17A, 18A, 19A, 21A and 22A, respectively shall apply instead.

2301.1.4.2 [DSA-SS/CC] Where reference within this chapter is made to sections in Chapters 17 and 18, the provisions in Chapters 17A and 18A respectively shall apply instead.

2301.1.5 Prohibition. [DSA-SS & DSA-SS/CC & OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5] The following design methods, systems and materials are not permitted by DSA and OSHPD: 1. Straight-sheathed horizontal lumber diaphragms. 2. Gypsum-based sheathing shear walls and portland cement plaster shear walls. 3. Shear wall foundation anchor bolt washers in accordance with exception to AWC SDPWS Section 4.3.6.4.3.

WOOD

4. Wood structural panel shear walls and diaphragms using staples as fasteners.

5. Unblocked shear walls.

6. Any wood structural panel sheathing used for diaphragms and shear walls that are part of the seismic force-resisting system, not applied directly to framing members. 7. Single and double diagonally sheathed lumber walls used to resist seismic forces. 8. Log structures in accordance with ICC 400. 9. [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5] Cross-laminated timber used as part of the seismic force-resisting system, unless approved as an alternative system in accordance with Section 104.2.3. [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC] Not adopted by DSA.

For the purposes of this chapter, where dimensions of lumber are specified, they shall be deemed to be nominal dimensions unless specifically designated as actual dimensions (see Section 2304.2). Where dimensions of cross-laminated timber thickness are specified, they shall be deemed to be actual dimensions.