SPS 321.02 NoteNote: Other fastening methods may be allowed if engineered under s. SPS 321.02 (3). 1 All nails are smooth-common, box or deformed shank except where otherwise stated.
2 Nail is a general description and may be T-head, modified round head or round head.
3 Staples are 16-gauge wire, unless otherwise noted, and have a minimum 7/16″ o.d. crown width.
4 Staples shall be spaced at not more than 10″ o.c. at intermediate supports for floors.
5 Apply vertically 4′ x 8′ or 4′ x 9′ panels.
SPS 321.02(4)(4) Alternate materials and standards. No part of this code is intended to prohibit or discourage use of alternate, equivalent materials or standards; or the construction of innovative dwellings such as a dwelling built below ground, a geodesic dome, a concrete house, a fiberglass house, or any other nonconventional structure. SPS 321.02 NoteNote: Examples of materials addressed by this subsection include structural insulated panels that are used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or structural analysis, and cold-formed steel framing complying with AISI S230 Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing — Prescriptive Method for One and Two Family Dwellings.
SPS 321.02 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, November, 1979, No. 287, eff. 6-1-80; r. and recr. (3) (a), am. (3) (c) and Table 21.02, cr. (3) (c) 2., Register, February, 1985, No. 350, eff. 3-1-85; cr. (3) (a) 3., am. (3) (b), renum. (3) (e) to be (3) (d), and am., Register, November, 1995, No. 479, eff. 12-1-95; renum. and am. (1) (c) to be (1) (c) 1., cr. (1) (c) 2. and 3., am. (3) (d), Register, January, 1999, No. 517, eff. 2-1-99; r. (3) (a) 3. and cr. (3) (e), Register, March, 2001, No. 543, eff. 4-1-01; correction in (3) (b) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, March, 2001, No. 543; CR 02-077: am. (1) (intro.) and (d) Register May 2003 No. 569, eff. 8-1-03; corrections in (3) (b) and (d) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register May 2003 No. 569; CR 08-043: r. (1) (c) 2. and 3., renum. (1) (c) 1., (3) (a) to (e) and (intro.) to be (1) (c), (3) (b) to (f) and (3) (a) and am. (3) (a) and (e), am. (3) (title), cr. (3) (b) 3., (e) 1., 2. and (g), am. (3) (e) Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09; correction in (1) (b) 1., (3) (c) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672; EmR1403: emerg. am. (1) (c), eff. 4-1-14; CR 14-015: am. (1) (c) Register August 2014 No. 704, eff. 9-1-14; CR 15-041: renum. Table 321.02 to Table 321.02-1 and (1) (d) to (3) (h) 1. and am., am. (3) (c), (d) 1., 2., consol. (3) (g) (intro.) and 2. and renum. to (3) (g) and am., r. (3) (g) 1., cr. (3) (h) 2., Table 321.02-2 renum. from SPS 320 to 325 Appendix and am., (4) renum. from SPS 320.02 (5) and am. Register December 2015 No. 720, eff. 1-1-16; correction in (3) (b) 2. under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2015 No. 720. SPS 321.03SPS 321.03 Exits. Exits, doors and hallways shall be constructed as specified in this section. SPS 321.03(1)(a)(a) Except as allowed under par. (h), every dwelling unit shall be provided with at least 2 exit doors accessible from the first floor. SPS 321.03(1)(b)(b) At least one of the exits shall discharge to grade and may not go through a garage. This exit may include interior or exterior stairs. SPS 321.03 NoteNote: Under this paragraph, only one of the two exit doors that are addressed in par. (a) is required to exit directly to grade.
SPS 321.03(1)(c)(c) Any exit that does not comply with par. (b) may discharge to an outside balcony that complies with sub. (8). SPS 321.03(1)(d)(d) Any exit that does not comply with par. (b) may discharge into an attached garage provided the garage has an exit door that discharges to grade. An overhead garage door may not be used as an exit door. SPS 321.03(1)(e)(e) Except as allowed under pars. (f) and (h), the 2 required exit doors shall be separated by at least the greater of the following distances: SPS 321.03(1)(e)1.1. One-third the length of the longest diagonal of the floor in plan view, exclusive of an attached garage. SPS 321.03(1)(f)1.1. First floor levels that do not meet the separation requirements under par. (e), shall have at least one egress window complying with sub. (6) on that floor level. SPS 321.03(1)(f)2.2. An egress window to comply with subd. 1. shall be separated from at least one door on the first floor by one of the distances under par. (e). SPS 321.03(1)(f)3.3. If first floor levels that do not meet the separation requirements under par. (e) contain one or more sleeping rooms, each sleeping room shall have at least one egress window complying with sub. (6). SPS 321.03(1)(g)1.1. The exit separation distance required under par. (e) shall be calculated or measured as a straight line from the midpoint of one doorway to the midpoint of the other doorway. SPS 321.03(1)(g)2.2. For exiting through an attached garage, the separation distance shall be measured using the door connecting the garage and the dwelling. Distance within the garage shall be ignored. SPS 321.03(1)(h)1.1. Dwellings consisting of no more than a first floor with a maximum floor area of 400 square feet and a loft area not exceeding half of the first floor area, shall be provided with at least one exit door leading directly to the exterior and at least one egress window that complies with sub. (6). SPS 321.03(1)(h)2.a.a. Dwellings that meet the size restrictions under subd. 1., are not required to meet the exit separation requirements under par. (e) or (f). SPS 321.03(1)(h)2.b.b. If a dwelling that meets the size restrictions under subd. 1., has more than one room on the first floor, the door and the egress window shall be located in different rooms. SPS 321.03(1)(h)3.3. One of the exit doors required in par. (a) may be omitted for a dwelling unit that has one or more egress windows on the first floor. If there are bedrooms, each must have a window that complies with sub. (6). SPS 321.03(2)(a)(a) At least 2 exits shall be provided from the second floor. At least one of the exits shall be a stairway or ramp and lead to the first floor or discharge to grade. The second exit may be via a stairway or ramp that discharges to grade, or to a balcony which complies with sub. (8), or to a deck that complies with s. SPS 321.225 and that is no more than 15 feet above the grade below. SPS 321.03(2)(b)(b) Windows that comply with sub. (6) may be provided in each second floor bedroom — or in another location on the second floor if there are no bedrooms on that floor — in lieu of the second exit from that floor. SPS 321.03(2)(c)(c) Where the second floor of a building is the lowest floor level in a dwelling unit, as in an up-and-down duplex, no exit from the unit may go through another dwelling unit or other party’s occupancy on the first floor. SPS 321.03(3)(a)(a) Except as provided under pars. (b) and (c), each habitable floor above the second floor shall be provided with at least 2 exits that meet all of the following requirements: SPS 321.03(3)(a)1.1. The exits shall be stairways or ramps that lead to the second floor or discharge to grade. SPS 321.03(3)(a)2.2. The exits shall be located such that an exit is accessible to the second floor if another exit is blocked. SPS 321.03(3)(b)(b) A second stairway or ramp exit is not required for habitable areas on a third floor that meet all of the following requirements: SPS 321.03 NoteNote: Non-habitable areas, such as closets and bathrooms may be partitioned off.
SPS 321.03(3)(b)4.4. There is at least one egress window meeting the requirements of sub. (6) in the habitable area. SPS 321.03(3)(c)(c) A second stairway or ramp exit is not required for habitable areas on a third floor that meet all of the following requirements: SPS 321.03(3)(c)1.1. The dwelling is fully sprinklered in accordance with NFPA 13R or NFPA 13D. SPS 321.03(3)(c)2.2. If a required exit includes an attached garage, the garage shall be sprinklered. SPS 321.03(4)(a)(a) At least one stairway exit shall be provided, to the floor below, for a loft exceeding 400 square feet in area. SPS 321.03(4)(b)(b) At least one stairway or ladder exit shall be provided to the floor below for a loft, 400 square feet or less, in area. SPS 321.03(5)(a)(a) General. Except as provided in par. (b), all basements and ground floors shall be provided with at least one exit of the following types: SPS 321.03(5)(b)1.1. Basements and ground floors used for sleeping shall be provided with at least 2 exits. SPS 321.03(5)(b)4.4. In addition to the exit type required under par. (a), the second exit from a basement or ground floor used for sleeping shall be one of the following types: SPS 321.03(5)(b)4.c.c. A stairway that leads to a garage provided the garage has an exit door other than the overhead door. SPS 321.03(6)(6) Windows used for exiting. Windows which are installed for exit purposes shall comply with the requirements of this subsection. SPS 321.03(6)(a)(a) The window shall be openable from the inside without the use of tools or the removal of a sash. If equipped with a storm or screen, it shall be openable from the inside. SPS 321.03(6)(b)1.1. The nominal size of the net clear window opening shall be at least 20 inches by 24 inches irrespective of height or width. Nominal dimensions shall be determined by rounding up fractions of inches if they are ½-inch or greater or rounding down fractions of inches if they are less than ½-inch. SPS 321.03(6)(b)2.2. No portion of the window, including stops, stools, meeting rails and operator arms, shall infringe on the required opening. SPS 321.03(6)(c)(c) The area and dimension requirements of par. (b) may be infringed on by a storm window. SPS 321.03(6)(d)1.1. For any window used for exiting, the lowest point of clear opening shall be no more than 60 inches above the floor. SPS 321.03(6)(d)2.2. If the lowest point of clear opening is more than 46 inches above the floor, a permanent platform or fixture shall be installed such that a flat surface at least 20 inches wide and 9 inches deep is located no more than 46 inches directly below the clear opening. SPS 321.03(6)(d)3.3. The topmost surface of the platform or fixture shall be no more than 24 inches above the floor. SPS 321.03(6)(d)4.4. The topmost surface of the platform or fixture shall support a live load of at least 200 pounds. SPS 321.03(6)(d)5.5. A stair used for the sole purpose of reaching the top of the platform or fixture is exempt from the requirements of s. SPS 321.04. SPS 321.03(6)(e)1.1. An egress window with any point of clear opening below adjacent grade shall be provided with an areaway in accordance with this section. SPS 321.03(6)(e)2.2. The width of the areaway shall be at least equal to the width of the window. SPS 321.03(6)(e)3.3. The areaway shall be a minimum of 36 inches measured perpendicular from the outer surface of the below-grade wall. SPS 321.03(6)(e)4.4. If the bottom of the areaway is more than 46 inches below adjacent grade or the top of the areaway enclosure, the areaway shall be provided with a ladder or stair to aid egress. Stairs used to comply with this section are exempt from the requirements of s. SPS 321.04. SPS 321.03(6)(e)5.a.a. Ladders or other stairs used to comply with subd. 4. may infringe on the required area of the areaway by a maximum of 6 inches. SPS 321.03(6)(e)5.b.b. Ladder rungs shall have a minimum inside width of at least 12 inches and shall project at least 3 inches from the wall behind the ladder.
