Building Code Glossary
Adhered Masonry Veneer: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009 define adhered masonry veneer, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Adhered masonry veneer is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Exterior Walls. The code's own words are: “Veneer secured and supported through the adhesion of an approved bonding material applied to an approved backing.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IBC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 3 chapters of this corpus, most often in Exterior Walls (IBC 2009), Wall Covering (IRC 2009), Definitions (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Adhered Masonry Veneer — IBC 2009, Exterior Walls:
Veneer secured and supported through the adhesion of an approved bonding material applied to an approved backing.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Adhered Masonry Veneer is defined once in this corpus, in the Exterior Walls chapter of the International Building Code (IBC) 2009:
Veneer secured and supported through the adhesion of an approved bonding material applied to an approved backing.
Where adhered masonry veneer is used in the code
The term appears in 3 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Walls | IBC 2009 | 9 |
| Wall Covering | IRC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IBC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about adhered masonry veneer, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Adhered masonry veneer shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 1405.10.1 and Sections 6.1 and 6.3 of TMS 402/ACI 530/ASCE 5.
Adhered masonry veneer shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
The terms adhered masonry veneer is built out of
The definition above leans on 3 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what adhered masonry veneer covers:
- Approved — IBC 2009: Acceptable to the code official or authority having jurisdiction.
- Backing — IBC 2009: The wall or surface to which the veneer is secured.
- Veneer — IBC 2009: A facing attached to a wall for the purpose of providing ornamentation, protection or insulation, but not counted as adding strength to the wall.
Adhered Masonry Veneer: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IBC | Exterior Walls | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Exterior Walls (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Wall Covering (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IBC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Approved | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Backing | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Veneer | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Approved: Building Code Definition
- Backing: Building Code Definition
- Veneer: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of adhered masonry veneer?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Exterior Walls as: “Veneer secured and supported through the adhesion of an approved bonding material applied to an approved backing.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on adhered masonry veneer?
In this corpus the term is used across 3 chapters, led by Exterior Walls in the IBC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is adhered masonry veneer?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Exterior Walls: “Veneer secured and supported through the adhesion of an approved bonding material applied to an approved backing.” It is defined in IBC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
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