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Detached houses, duplexes and townhouses up to 3 stories with their own exits use the IRC; every other building uses the IBC (IBC 101.2).

12 sections matching “R602.3” for San Antonio, TX, the 2024 IRC

  • R602.3

    Design and Construction

    • Exterior wood walls follow this chapter or the AWC NDS, with sheathing nailed straight to framing and able to take the local wind pressure.
    • Studs run unbroken from the sole plate to a top plate braced by a floor, ceiling or roof; only jack, trimmer and cripple studs at openings are exempt.
    • Nail sizes and spacing for every framing and sheathing joint come from the fastening schedule; panels on supports 48 in or more apart get nails at 6 in.
    • Typical panel sheathing is nailed 6 in at edges and 12 in in the field; roof panels within 48 in of edges and ridges go to 4 in where wind exceeds 130 mph (B) or 110 mph (C).
    • Double top plate splices lap at least 24 in each side of the joint, with eight 16d common nails (or twelve smaller nails) per side.
    • Panel wall sheathing that resists wind is at least 3/8 in (24/0) on 16 in studs or 7/16 in (24/16) on 16 or 24 in studs, nailed 6 in edge and 12 in field, up to the listed wind speeds.
    • Particleboard wall sheathing (not exposed to weather) is 3/8 in M-1 or 1/2 in M-2 exterior glue on 16 in studs, gapped 1/16 in and nailed 3/8 in from edges.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R602.3.1

    Stud Size, Height and Spacing

    • Bearing studs up to 10 ft tall: 2x4 at 24 in under a roof only, 16 in with one floor; 2x6 at 24 in with one floor, 16 in with two. Nonbearing 2x4 studs reach 14 ft.
    • Utility-grade studs are spaced 16 in or less, carry only a roof, and are no taller than 8 ft in bearing walls or 10 ft in interior partitions.
    • Tall 2x6 No. 2 studs under a roof with 6 ft or less of tributary length can reach 18 ft at 16 in or 20 ft at 12 in where snow is 25 psf or less and wind 130 mph or less.
    • The alternate stud table allows exterior bearing studs up to 12 ft in Exposure B with roof live load 20 psf or less and snow 30 psf or less.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R602.3.2

    Top Plate

    • Wood walls get a double top plate, lapped at corners and bearing walls, with joints offset at least 24 in and plates at least as wide as the studs.
    • A single top plate is allowed if joints are tied with steel plates and nails per the table and rafters or joists land within 1 in of the studs.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R602.3.3

    Bearing Studs

    • Framing spaced over 16 in sits within 5 in of studs at 24 in, unless the top plates are doubled 2x6 or 3x4, a third plate is added, or solid blocking reinforces the plate.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R602.3.5

    Braced Wall Panel Uplift Load Path

    • Exterior braced panels under the roof only need schedule nailing when wind is 115 mph or less in Exposure B on 5:12 or steeper roofs spanning 32 ft or less, or net uplift is 100 plf or less; otherwise add uplift connectors.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R502.9

    Fastening

    • Floor framing is nailed per Table R602.3(1); post-and-beam supports get positive connections against uplift and sliding.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 5, FloorsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R503.3

    Particleboard

    • Particleboard is graded to ANSI A208.1; underlayment is Type PBU at least 1/4 in, installed per the maker and nailed per Table R602.3(1).

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 5, FloorsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R604.1

    Identification and Grade

    • Wood structural wall panels are graded to DOC PS 1, PS 2, PRP 210 or CSA, spanned per Table R602.3(3) and nailed per the schedules.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R602.10.2.1

    Braced Wall Panel Uplift Load Path

    • The wind bracing lengths assume the uplift load path of R602.3.5 is in place.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

Searches all 4,276 IRC 2024 sections, 5,532 IBC 2024 sections and defined terms (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 so far) and each city's local rules as they are added. Section numbers and titles from the International Residential Code and International Building Code, 2024 editions, copyrighted by the International Code Council; the IRC's electrical chapters (34 to 43) follow NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code. Requirements are summarized in our words (IRC Chapters 3 to 43, IBC Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33); read the full text at the link on each result. Local values come from each city's published documents.

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