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Chapter 21 — MASONRY

Section 2103A

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

MASONRY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

2103 A .1 Masonry units. Concrete masonry units, clay or shale masonry units, stone masonry units and glass unit masonry shall comply with Article 2.3 of TMS 602. Architectural cast stone shall conform to ASTM C1364 and TMS 504. Adhered manufactured stone masonry veneer units shall conform to ASTM C1670. Architectural cast stone construc- tion shall be considered as an alternative system.

Exception: Structural clay tile for nonstructural use in fireproofing of structural members and in wall furring shall not be required to meet the compressive strength specifications. The fire-resistance rating shall be deter

2101 A .1 Scope. This chapter shall govern the materials, design, construction and quality of masonry.

2101A.1.1 Application. The scope of application of Chapter 21A is as follows:

1. Structures regulated by the Division of the State Archi- tect-Structural Safety (DSA-SS), which include those applications listed in Section 1.9.2.1. These applica- tions include public elementary and secondary schools, community colleges and state-owned or state-leased essential services buildings. 2. Applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 and 1.10.4 regu- lated by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). These applications include hospitals and correctional treatment centers. 2101A.1.2 Amendments in this chapter. DSA-SS and OSHPD 1 & 4 adopt this chapter and all amendments.

Exception: Amendments adopted by only one agency appear in this chapter preceded with the appropriate acronym of the adopting agency, as follows:

1. Division of the State Architect-Structural Safety:

[DSA-SS] For applications listed in Section 1.9.2.1. 2. Office of Statewide Health Planning and Devel- opment:

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

[OSHPD 4] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.4. 2101A.1.3 Prohibition. The following design methods, systems and materials in TMS 402/602 are not permit- ted by DSA-SS and OSHPD:

1. Unreinforced masonry. 2. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry. 3. Empirical design of masonry and prescriptive design of masonry partition walls.

4. Adobe construction.

5. Ordinary reinforced masonry shear walls.

6. Intermediate reinforced masonry shear walls.

7. Prestressed masonry shear walls.

8. Direct design of masonry.

2101 A .2 Design methods. Masonry shall comply with the provisions of TMS 402 or TMS 404 as well as applicable requirements of this chapter.

2101 A .2.1 Masonry veneer. Masonry veneer shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 14.

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MASONRY

mined in accordance with ASTM E119 or UL 263 and shall comply with the requirements of Table 705.5.

2103 A .1.1 Second-hand units. Second-hand masonry units shall not be reused unless they conform to the requirements of new units. The units shall be of whole, sound materials and free from cracks and other defects that will interfere with proper laying or use. Old mortar shall be cleaned from the unit before reuse.

2103 A .2 Mortar. Mortar for masonry construction shall comply with Section 2103 A .2.1, 2103 A .2.2, 2103 A .2.3 or 2103 A .2.4.

2103 A .2.1 Masonry mortar. Mortar for use in masonry construction shall conform to Articles 2.1 and 2.6 A of TMS 602.

2103 A .2.2 Surface-bonding mortar. Surface-bonding mortar shall comply with ASTM C887. Surface bonding of concrete masonry units shall comply with ASTM C946.

2103 A .2.3 Mortars for ceramic wall and floor tile. Portland cement mortars for installing ceramic wall and floor tile shall comply with ANSI A108.1A and ANSI A108.1B and be of the compositions indicated in Table 2103 A .2.3.

TABLE 2103 A .2.3 CERAMIC TILE MORTAR COMPOSITIONS

LOCATION MORTAR COMPOSITION
Walls Scratchcoat 1 cement;1/5 hydrated lime;
4 dry or 5 damp sand
Walls Setting bed and
leveling coat
1 cement;1/2 hydrated lime;
5 damp sand to 1 cement;
1 hydrated lime, 7 damp sand
Floors Setting bed 1 cement;1/10 hydrated lime;
5 dry or 6 damp sand; or
1 cement; 5 dry or 6 damp sand
Ceilings Scratchcoat and
sand bed
1 cement;1/2 hydrated lime;
21/2 dry sand or 3 damp sand

2103 A .2.3.1 Dry-set Portland cement mortars. Premixed prepared Portland cement mortars, which require only the addition of water and are used in the installation of ceramic tile, shall comply with ANSI A118.1. The shear bond strength for tile set in such mortar shall be as required in accordance with ANSI A118.1. Tile set in dry-set Portland cement mortar shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.5.

2103 A .2.3.2 Latex-modified Portland cement mortar. Latex-modified Portland cement thin-set mortars in which latex is added to dry-set mortar as a replacement for all or part of the gauging water that are used for the installation of ceramic tile shall comply with ANSI A118.4. Tile set in latex-modified Portland cement shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.5.

2103 A .2.3.3 Epoxy mortar. Ceramic tile set and grouted with chemical-resistant epoxy shall comply with ANSI A118.3. Tile set and grouted with epoxy shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.6.

2103 A .2.3.4 Furan mortar and grout. Chemicalresistant furan mortar and grout that are used to install ceramic tile shall comply with ANSI A118.5. Tile set and grouted with furan shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.8.

2103 A .2.3.5 Modified epoxy-emulsion mortar and grout. Modified epoxy-emulsion mortar and grout that are used to install ceramic tile shall comply with ANSI A118.8. Tile set and grouted with modified epoxyemulsion mortar and grout shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.9.

2103 A .2.3.6 Organic adhesives. Water-resistant organic adhesives used for the installation of ceramic tile shall comply with ANSI A136.1. The shear bond strength after water immersion shall be not less than 40 psi (275 kPa) for Type I adhesive and not less than 20 psi (138 kPa) for Type II adhesive when tested in accordance with ANSI A136.1. Tile set in organic adhesives shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.4.

2103 A .2.3.7 Portland cement grouts. Portland cement grouts used for the installation of ceramic tile shall comply with ANSI A118.6. Portland cement grouts for tile work shall be installed in accordance with ANSI A108.10.

2103 A .2.4 Mortar for adhered masonry veneer. Mortar for use with adhered masonry veneer shall conform to ASTM C270 for Type N or S, or shall comply with ANSI A118.4 for latex-modified Portland cement mortar.

2103 A .3 Grout. Grout shall comply with Article 2.2 of TMS 602.

2103A.3.1 Aggregate. Coarse grout shall be used in grout spaces between wythes of 2 inches (51 mm) or more in width as determined in accordance with TMS 602 Table 6, footnote 3, and in all grouted cells of hollow unit masonry construction.

2103 A .4 Metal reinforcement and accessories. Metal reinforcement and accessories shall conform to Article 2.4 of TMS 602. Where unidentified reinforcement , or bar rein- forcement without mill certification, is approved for use, not less than three tension and three bending tests shall be made on representative specimens of the reinforcement from each shipment and grade of reinforcing steel proposed for use in the work. Alternatively, the frequency of sampling for uniden- tifiable reinforcing bars specified in Section 1910A.2 can be used.

2103A.5 Air entrainment.

Air-entraining substances shall not be used in grout.

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

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