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Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES

Section 806

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.

DECORATIVE MATERIALS AND TRIM

[F] 806.1 General. The following requirements shall apply to all occupancies:

  1. Furnishings or decorative materials of an explosive or highly flammable character shall not be used.

  2. Fire-retardant coatings in existing buildings shall be maintained so as to retain the effectiveness of the treatment under service conditions encountered in actual use.

  3. Furnishings or other objects shall not be placed to obstruct exits, access thereto, egress therefrom or visibility thereof.

  4. The permissible amount of decorative vegetation and noncombustible decorative materials shall not be limited.

[F] 806.2 Combustible decorative materials. In Groups A, B, E, I, M and R-1 and in dormitories in Group R-2, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall comply with Section 806.4 and shall not exceed 10 percent of the specific wall or ceiling area to which such materials are attached.

Fixed or movable walls and partitions, paneling, wall pads and crash pads applied structurally or for decoration, acoustical correction, surface insulation or other purposes shall be considered to be interior finish, shall comply with Section 803 and shall not be considered to be decorative materials or furnishings.

Exceptions:

  1. In auditoriums in Group A, the permissible amount of curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall not exceed 75 percent of the aggregate wall area where the building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, and where the material is installed in accordance with Section 803.15 of this code.

  2. In Group R-2 dormitories, within sleeping units and dwelling units, the permissible amount of curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar decorative

pancies and Group I-2 areas where patients are restrained, see Section 804.4.3.

804.4.2 Minimum critical radiant flux. In all occupancies, interior floor finish and floor covering materials in enclosures for stairways and ramps, exit passageways, corridors and rooms or spaces not separated from corridors by partitions extending from the floor to the underside of the ceiling shall withstand a minimum critical radiant flux. The minimum critical radiant flux shall be not less than Class I in Groups I-2 and I-3 areas where restraint is not used and R-2.1 and not less than Class II in Groups A, B, E, H, I-2.1, I-4, M, R-1, R-2 , R-2.2 and S. For Group I-3 areas occupied by inmates or Group I-2 areas where patients are restrained, see Section 804.4.3.

Exception: Where a building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, Class II materials are permitted in any area where Class I materials are required, and materials complying with ASTM Stan- dard E648, and having a specific optical density smoke rating not to exceed 450 per ASTM E662 are permitted in any area where Class II materials are required.

g is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, Class II materials are permitted in any area where Class I materials are required, and materials complying with ASTM Stan- dard E648, and having a specific optical density smoke rating not to exceed 450 per ASTM E662 are permitted in any area where Class II materials are required.

804.4.3 Group I-2 and Group I-3 Occupancy floor sur- faces. Interior floor finish and floor coverings occupied by inmates or patients whose personal liberties are restrained shall be noncombustible.

Exception: Carpet or other floor covering materials may be used in areas protected by an automatic sprin- kler system installed throughout in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1. Carpet or other floor coverings shall comply with the requirements of ASTM Standard E648; the minimum critical radiant flux shall be not less than Class I and the specific optical density smoke rating shall not exceed 450 per ASTM E662. Carpeting and carpet padding shall be tested as a unit in accordance with floor covering radiant panel test meeting class 1 and has a critical radiant flux limit of not less than 0.45 watt per centimeter square. The carpeting and padding shall be identified by a hang-tag or other suitable method as to manufacturer and style and shall indicate the classification of the material based on the limits set forth above.

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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
    Overview
    1. Section 801
    2. Section 802
    3. Section 803
    4. Section 804
    5. Section 806
    6. Section 805
    7. Section 807
    8. Section 808
  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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