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Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user.

See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

Adopting agency BSC BSC-
CG		 SFM HCD DSA OSHPD BSCC DPH AGR DWR CEC CA SL SLC
Adopting agency BSC BSC-
CG		 SFM 1 2 1/AC AC SS SS/CC 1 1R 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Adopt entire chapter X
Adopt entire chapter as
amended (amended
sections listed below)		 X X X X X X X X X
Adopt only those
sections that are listed
below		 X X
Chapter / Section
1401 X
1402 X
1403 X
1403.2.1 X
1404 X
1404.1.1 X X
1404.3.1 X X
1404.3.2 X X
Table 1404.3.2 † †
1405 X
1405.1.1 X X X X
1406 X
1407 X
1408 X
1410 X X
1411 X X X X

The state agency does not adopt sections identified by the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

100735044

752 2019 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

100735044

CHAPTER 14

EXTERIOR WALLS

User notes:

About this chapter: Chapter 14 addresses requirements for exterior walls of buildings. Minimum standards for wall covering materials, such as material performance and fire resistance, installation of wall coverings and the ability of the wall to provide weather protection are provided. This chapter also contains limitations on the areas and heights of combustible wall coverings based on fire separation distances, radiant heat exposure and surface burning characteristics.

Code development reminder: Code change proposals to sections preceded by the designation [BS] will be considered by the IBC—Struc- tural Code Development Committee during the 2019 (Group B) Code Development Cycle. See explanation on page ix.

2.2. Exterior wall envelope test assemblies shall be not less than 4 feet by 8 feet (1219 mm by 2438 mm) in size.

2.3. Exterior wall envelope assemblies shall be tested at a minimum differential pressure of 6.24 pounds per square foot (psf) (0.297 kN/m 2 ).

2.4. Exterior wall envelope assemblies shall be subjected to a minimum test exposure duration of 2 hours.

The exterior wall envelope design shall be considered to resist wind-driven rain where the results of testing indicate that water did not penetrate control joints in the exterior wall envelope, joints at the perimeter of openings or intersections of terminations with dissimilar materials.

  1. Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) complying with Section 1407.4.1.

1402.2.1 [BSC-CG] See California Green Building Stan- dards Code, Chapter 5, Division 5.4 for additional weather protection requirements.

[BS] 1402.3 Structural. Exterior walls, and the associated openings, shall be designed and constructed to resist safely the superimposed loads required by Chapter 16.

1402.4 Fire resistance.

Exterior walls shall be fire-resistance rated as required by other sections of this code with opening protection as required by Chapter 7.

1402.5 Vertical and lateral flame propagation.

Exterior walls on buildings of Type I, II, III or IV construction that are greater than 40 feet (12 192 mm) in height above grade plane and contain a combustible water-resistive barrier shall be tested in accordance with and comply with the acceptance criteria of NFPA 285. For the purposes of this section, fenestration products, flashing of fenestration products and waterresistive-barrier flashing and accessories at other locations, including through wall flashings, shall not be considered part of the water-resistive barrier.

Exceptions:

  1. Walls in which the water-resistive barrier is the only combustible component and the exterior wall has a wall covering of brick, concrete, stone, terra cotta, stucco or steel with minimum thicknesses in accordance with Table 1404.2.

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1406.6 Weather resistance.

MCM systems shall comply with Section 1402 and shall be designed and constructed to resist wind and rain in accordance with this section and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

1406.7 Durability.

MCM systems shall be constructed of approved materials that maintain the performance characteristics required in Section 1406 for the duration of use.

1406.8 Fire-resistance rating.

Where MCM systems are used on exterior walls required to have a fire-resistance rating in accordance with Section 705, evidence shall be submitted to the building official that the required fire-resistance rating is maintained.

Exception: MCM systems not containing foam plastic insulation, which are installed on the outer surface of a fire-resistance-rated exterior wall in a manner such that the attachments do not penetrate through the entire exterior wall assembly, shall not be required to comply with this section.

1406.9 Surface-burning characteristics.

Unless otherwise specified, MCM shall have a flame spread index of 75 or less and a smoke-developed index of 450 or less when tested in the maximum thickness intended for use in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723.

1406.10 Type I, II, III and IV construction.

Where installed on buildings of Type I, II, III and IV construction, MCM systems shall comply with Sections 1406.10.1 through 1406.10.4, or Section 1406.11.

1406.10.1 Surface-burning characteristics. MCM shall have a flame spread index of not more than 25 and a smoke-developed index of not more than 450 when tested as an assembly in the maximum thickness intended for use in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723.

1406.10.2 Thermal barriers. MCM shall be separated from the interior of a building by an approved thermal barrier consisting of 1 /2 -inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard or a material that is tested in accordance with and meets the acceptance criteria of both the Temperature Transmission Fire Test and the Integrity Fire Test of NFPA 275.

1406.10.3 Thermal barrier not required. The thermal barrier specified for MCM in Section 1406.10.2 is not required where:

  1. The MCM system is specifically approved based on tests conducted in accordance with NFPA 286 and with the acceptance criteria of Section 803.1.1.1, UL 1040 or UL 1715. Such testing shall be performed with the MCM in the maximum thickness intended for use. The MCM system shall include seams, joints and other typical details used in the installation and shall be tested in the manner intended for use.

  2. The MCM is used as elements of balconies and similar projections, architectural trim or embellishments.

1406.10.4 Full-scale tests. The MCM system shall be tested in accordance with, and comply with, the accep

FIRE
SEPARATION
DISTANCE
(feet)		 TOLERABLE
LEVEL INCIDENT
RADIANT HEAT
ENERGY (kW/m2)		 FIRE
SEPARATION
DISTANCE
(feet)		 TOLERABLE
LEVEL INCIDENT
RADIANT HEAT
ENERGY (kW/m2)
5 12.5 16 5.9
6 11.8 17 5.5
7 11.0 18 5.2
8 10.3 19 4.9
9 9.6 20 4.6
10 8.9 21 4.4
11 8.3 22 4.1
12 7.7 23 3.9
13 7.2 24 3.7
14 6.7 25 3.5
15 6.3 — —

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 Btu/H 2 · °F = 0.0057 kW/m 2 · K.

1405.1.2 Location. Combustible exterior wall coverings located along the top of exterior walls shall be completely backed up by the exterior wall and shall not extend over or above the top of the exterior wall.

1405.1.3 Fireblocking. Where the combustible exterior wall covering is furred out from the exterior wall and forms a solid surface, the distance between the back of the exterior wall covering and the exterior wall shall not exceed 1 5 /8 inches (41 mm). The concealed space thereby created shall be fireblocked in accordance with Section 718.

Exception: The distance between the back of the exterior wall covering and the exterior wall shall be permitted to exceed 1 5 /8 inches (41 mm) where the concealed space is not required to be fireblocked by Section 718.

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. ▸Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
    Overview
    1. Section 1401
    2. Section 1402
    3. Section 1403
    4. Section 1404
    5. Section 1405
    6. Section 1406
    7. Section 1407
    8. Section 1408
    9. Section 1409
    10. Section 1410
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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