I sort of hate to ask this, because it's something I should look up for myself -- my problem is, I can't find a copy of the 1978 BOCA as of yet. So I'll appreciate in advance any help I get.
Short story: I'm very curious what a qualifying fire wall assembly used to divide a building into smaller areas would have looked like back in the day under the old BOCA code for a mercantile occupancy?
Longer story:
The building in question is an early 1980 "big box" store (used totally for retail), and large enough in area that, according to the City, a fire wall separation was required. I can see no evidence from looking at the building in person, or from a studying a later set of plans for a subsequent 1988 addition (still used entirely for retail) that a fire wall had ever been in place -- at least not what I would now consider to qualify as a fire wall. The building would now be considered IIB, and has always been fully sprinklered. It's also 12.5 from property line, so it can't qualify for unlimited area -- however I don't know BOCA unlimited area requirements.
( Of course, a newer code version is now in place -- IBC 2012 -- so of course the new potential owner will need to comply with the new code. )
So back to my question -- I have no idea what qualified as a fire wall back in the BOCA days. It comes up because the question has been raised as to whether the building ever actually met code due to max area / fire wall issues. The plans I mentioned from the later addition show demolition of what the City says was a fire wall, plus the addition of a new wall in the 1988 addition that the City also says was / is a firewall. Both of these are noted on the drawings as a 3-5/8" metal stud wall with one layer of 1/2" gyp on each side. The current "fire wall" extends to the underside of metal roof deck and to the exterior walls on each end with no further 4' protection each side, etc.
Seems highly doubtful that 3-5/8" metal stud walls with one layer of 1/2" gyp on each side was ever considered to be a fire wall.....was this the case under BOCA?
Thanks in advance for any help on this.
Short story: I'm very curious what a qualifying fire wall assembly used to divide a building into smaller areas would have looked like back in the day under the old BOCA code for a mercantile occupancy?
Longer story:
The building in question is an early 1980 "big box" store (used totally for retail), and large enough in area that, according to the City, a fire wall separation was required. I can see no evidence from looking at the building in person, or from a studying a later set of plans for a subsequent 1988 addition (still used entirely for retail) that a fire wall had ever been in place -- at least not what I would now consider to qualify as a fire wall. The building would now be considered IIB, and has always been fully sprinklered. It's also 12.5 from property line, so it can't qualify for unlimited area -- however I don't know BOCA unlimited area requirements.
( Of course, a newer code version is now in place -- IBC 2012 -- so of course the new potential owner will need to comply with the new code. )
So back to my question -- I have no idea what qualified as a fire wall back in the BOCA days. It comes up because the question has been raised as to whether the building ever actually met code due to max area / fire wall issues. The plans I mentioned from the later addition show demolition of what the City says was a fire wall, plus the addition of a new wall in the 1988 addition that the City also says was / is a firewall. Both of these are noted on the drawings as a 3-5/8" metal stud wall with one layer of 1/2" gyp on each side. The current "fire wall" extends to the underside of metal roof deck and to the exterior walls on each end with no further 4' protection each side, etc.
Seems highly doubtful that 3-5/8" metal stud walls with one layer of 1/2" gyp on each side was ever considered to be a fire wall.....was this the case under BOCA?
Thanks in advance for any help on this.
