Building Code Glossary
Commodity: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define commodity, 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
Commodity is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in High-piled Combustible Storage. The code's own words are: “A combination of products, packing materials and containers.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 8 chapters of this corpus, most often in High-piled Combustible Storage (IFC 2009), Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009), Wood (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?
Commodity — IFC 2009, High-piled Combustible Storage:
A combination of products, packing materials and containers.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Commodity is defined once in this corpus, in the High-piled Combustible Storage chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A combination of products, packing materials and containers.
Where commodity is used in the code
The term appears in 8 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| High-piled Combustible Storage | IFC 2009 | 18 |
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 15 |
| Wood | IBC 2009 | 6 |
| Aerosols | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| Foundations | IRC 2009 | 2 |
| Combustible Fibers | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Floors | IRC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about commodity, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Materials listed within each commodity classification are assumed to be unmodified for improved combustibility characteristics.
Lumber and plywood shall be treated in accordance with AWPA Ul (Commodity Specification A, Use Category 4B and Section 5.2) and shall be identified in accordance with Section 2303.1.8.1.
Wood used above ground in the locations specified in Sections 2304.11 .2.1 through 2304.11.2.7, 2304.11.3 and 2304.11.5 shall be naturally durable wood or preservative-treated wood using water-borne preservatives, in accordance with AWPA Ul (Commodity Specifications A or F) for above-ground use.
Commodity: 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 IFC | High-piled Combustible Storage | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | High-piled Combustible Storage (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Wood (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Aerosols (IFC 2009) | |
| 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
- High-piled Combustible Storage: Building Code Definition
- Draft Curtain: Building Code Definition
- Early Suppression Fast-response (ESFR) Sprinkler: Building Code Definition
- Shelf Storage: 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 commodity?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in High-piled Combustible Storage as: “A combination of products, packing materials and containers.” 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 commodity?
In this corpus the term is used across 8 chapters, led by High-piled Combustible Storage in the IFC 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 the definition of a commodity code?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in High-piled Combustible Storage: “A combination of products, packing materials and containers.” It is defined in IFC 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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