Updated 2026-09-07

Building Code Glossary

Tile: Building Code Definition

How the IBC 2009 define tile, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.

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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.

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Direct answer

Tile is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Masonry. The code's own words are: “A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above red heat in the course of manufacture to a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce …” 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 56 chapters of this corpus, most often in Structural Design (IBC 2009), Roof Assemblies (IRC 2009), Masonry (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

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?

Tile — IBC 2009, Masonry:

A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above red heat in the course of manufacture to a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce specific physical properties and characteristics.

Labeled code-term definition diagram: Tile: Building Code Definition — How the IBC 2009 define tile, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.

What must be verified before using this guidance?

Tile is defined once in this corpus, in the Masonry chapter of the International Building Code (IBC) 2009:

A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above red heat in the course of manufacture to a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce specific physical properties and characteristics.

Where tile is used in the code

The term appears in 56 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.

Chapter	Code	Mentions
Structural Design	IBC 2009	59
Roof Assemblies	IRC 2009	48
Masonry	IBC 2009	47
Wood	IBC 2009	43
Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures	IBC 2009	37
Soils and Foundations	IBC 2009	35
Building Planning	IRC 2009	33
Floors	IRC 2009	31
Accessibility	IBC 2009	21
Interior Finishes	IBC 2009	21
Interior Finish, Decorative Materials and Furnishings	IFC 2009	20
Means of Egress	IBC 2009	18

44 further chapters mention the term.

The term in use

How the code actually writes about tile, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:

The installation of clay and concrete tile shall comply with the provisions of this section.

— IRC 2009 §R905.3

Clay or shale masonry units shall conform to the following standards: ASTM C 34 for structural clay load-bearing wall tile;

— IBC 2009 §2103.2

Wind loads on clay and concrete tile roof coverings shall be in accordance with Section 1609.5.

— IBC 2009 §1504.2

Tile: 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	Masonry
Re-check the requirement that uses it	Structural Design (IBC 2009)
Re-check the requirement that uses it	Roof Assemblies (IRC 2009)
Re-check the requirement that uses it	Masonry (IBC 2009)
Re-check the requirement that uses it	Wood (IBC 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.

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 tile?

The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Masonry as: “A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above red heat in the course of manufacture to a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce specific physical properties and characteristics.” 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 tile?

In this corpus the term is used across 56 chapters, led by Structural Design 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 the definition of a tile?

In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Masonry: “A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above red heat in the course of manufacture to a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce …” 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.

What is the primary purpose of the International Building Code (IBC)?

Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as tile, which the IBC 2009 defines as “A ceramic surface unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture of clay or other ceramic materials, called the body of the tile, having either a "glazed" or "unglazed" face and fired above …” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

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