Fire Resistant Building Materials for Safer Home Construction

Understanding and implementing fire resistant building materials can significantly enhance a homes resistance to fire, offering you peace of mind and the assurance of safety. From understanding fire resistance ratings, to exploring various fire-resistant materials like wood, glass, concrete, stucco, gypsum board, and brick, we’ve traversed a broad spectrum of information crucial to safer home construction. We’ve also delved into the importance of Wildland-Urban Interface areas, and the concept of fire adapted communities. So, whether you’re building a new home or retrofitting an existing one, remember, investing in fire-resistant building materials is investing in the safety and wellbeing of your home and your loved ones.

Keep in mind that fire resistance ratings are standardized measures of a material’s ability to withstand fire, which are essential for building safety and informing decisions on the use of fire-resistant materials in construction. Specific construction materials like ICFs, gypsum boards, stucco, and bricks offer various levels of fire resistance, while fire-resistant windows, especially in Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas, can greatly reduce fire spread and increase evacuation time in case of a wildfire.

Understanding Fire Resistance Ratings

Fire resistance is not some abstract term but a quantifiable attribute, indicating a material’s ability to resist or delay the onslaught of intense heat and fire. It’s a crucial property of the various building components - from walls and partitions to beams and slabs - that form the skeleton of a finished building.

So, how is fire resistance measured? Through standardized tests like ASTM E119 or ASTM E108, which expose building elements to a controlled fire burn and temperature curve, thereby revealing their fire resistance rating - how long they can contain a fire and retain their structural integrity.

The importance of these fire-resistant tests and materials cannot be overstated. They form the frontline defense against fatal fires and wildfires, shielding occupants and buying them crucial seconds to evacuate safely. But how can we enhance the fire resistance of common building materials like wood and natural products? And how do we incorporate fire resistant building materials that are not already incorporated into a buildings design? This guide cuts through the jargon to explain key fire-resistant materials and their roles in construction safety. From the workings of treated wood to the science of heat-resistant glass and beyond, we highlight the essentials you need to know about protecting a structure from fire.

Enhancing Wood and Natural Products

Enhancements to the fire resistance of materials, particularly wood and natural products, through chemical treatments and innovative technologies, as well as the strategic use of fire-resistant designs and barriers, can significantly improve building safety.

Wood, a staple in home construction, is not naturally fire-resistant. However, through various treatments and modifications, we can significantly improve its fire resistance. Some methods include:

• Applying flame-retardant substances to promote char formation on wood, altering the pyrolysis pathway to release less heat during combustion.

• Using fire-resistant coatings or paints on the surface of the wood.

• Treating the wood with fire-resistant chemicals or additives.

• Using fire-resistant building techniques, such as creating fire breaks or using fire-resistant barriers.

Over the past few decades, these treatments, along with other innovative techniques, have transformed wood into a much safer building material, contributing to human development.

But how exactly do these flame-retardant treatments work? And what about cellulose insulation - a common material used in home construction?

Flame-Retardant Treatments for Wood

Flame-retardant treatments on wood are not mere surface applications but involve deep infusion of retardant chemicals into the material, a process achieved using a method that involves vacuum and overpressure. These treatments can be categorized as intumescent, forming a protective swelling layer upon exposure to heat, or non-intumescent, which chemically alter the process of pyrolysis without significant expansion.

Innovations in this field are exciting, with emerging technologies like nanocomposite systems and boron gas treatments pushing the boundaries of wood’s fire resistance. For instance, some water-based flame-retardant solutions provide fireproofing to untreated and raw wood, meeting the ASTM E84 Class A standards for flame spread. This results in:

• increased fire resistance to the natural wood

• a protective intumescent foam layer

• effectively reducing the rate of flame spread

• carbon char upon exposure to fire

• non fibrous

• smoke output

• the possibility of after-glow

Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation, a common component of modern homes, is also treated to enhance its fire resistance. Cellulose is a fiber insulation that is the oldest form of home insulation used in enclosed existing walls, open new walls, and unfinished attic floors.

Through chemical treatment with borate fireproofing and new chemoenzymatic methods, functional groups are attached to the material, significantly enhancing its fire resistance. This insulation can be flexibly installed, either blown into walls or spray-applied with water, making it suitable for new or existing structures.

Beyond its fire-resistant properties, cellulose insulation also leads to significant energy savings. Some studies suggest up to a 30 percent reduction in energy use, a boon in these eco-conscious times. As a result, the cellulose insulation industry, ranking third in the insulation market, has positioned itself as an economical and environmentally friendly alternative.

Windows and Glass Solutions

Windows, though often overlooked, are a critical aspect of a home’s fire resistance. Fire-resistant windows utilize various types of glass, like dual-paned and tempered glass, which offers different levels of fire protection suited to home safety requirements. In Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas, where the risk of wildfires is high, double-paned windows with tempered glass are especially recommended.

The framing of these windows also plays a crucial role. Steel framing, for example, offers the most effective fire protection, superior to wood, aluminum, and vinyl. But what makes these glasses different from regular glass? And why are they more effective in fire protection? Let’s find out more below.

Dual-Paned Glass

Dual-paned windows, as the name implies, feature two sheets of glass separated by an airspace. This design provides enhanced wildfire protection over single-pane windows.

Although dual-paned glass may break after 1 to 3 minutes of intense heat or flame exposure, it is generally more resistant to the stresses caused by extreme temperature differences during wildfires.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass, on the other hand, contributes to fire safety by remaining intact longer during a fire. This helps compartmentalize the fire and smoke, slowing down its spread. Tempered glass is much more resistant to thermal exposures than annealed glass, making it a preferred option for windows in wildfire-prone areas.

When used in dual-paned windows, tempered glass offers several benefits:

• It is about four times more resistant to breaking during wildfire conditions than standard glass.

• It provides significant wildfire protection.

• It helps with energy conservation and better insulation throughout the year.

Installing dual-paned, tempered glass windows is a smart choice for homeowners looking to enhance their safety and energy efficiency.

Wired Glass

Wired glass adds another layer of protection with the incorporation of wire mesh within the glass. This design feature helps prevent the glass from shattering in emergencies, providing fire resistance and protecting against the spread of flames and smoke. Achieving fire ratings from 20 to 180 minutes, wired glass is often used in fire exit doors, partitions, and windows of public buildings, schools, hotels, and institutions due to its nominal fire resistance.

However, it’s important to note that while wired glass can stop flames and smoke, it is not designed to prevent the transmission of radiant heat, limiting its use to certain areas within a building. It is also not recommended for areas that require clear visibility, as the embedded wire mesh in wired glass obstructs the view.

Concrete and Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs)

Moving on from wood and glass, let’s now turn our attention to concrete and insulating concrete forms (ICFs). Concrete displays excellent fire-resistant properties due to its noncombustibility and innate low thermal conductivity. The poor thermal conductivity of concrete limits heat transfer, effectively serving as a barrier against fire and protecting structures.

Cement boards, including fiber cement boards, are noncombustible and fire-resistant, making them an ideal component for use in fire-safe building construction. But what makes concrete noncombustible, and how do ICFs contribute to fire resistance?

Noncombustible Properties

Concrete has been classified with the highest fire resistance classification (class AI) under the EN13501-1:2018 standard, signifying its status as noncombustible. It doesn’t burn or release toxic fumes, requiring no additional fire protection and can withstand fire effectively.

The constituents of concrete, such as cement and aggregates, chemically combine to form an inert material, contributing to its noncombustibility. Moreover, concrete’s slow rate of thermal conductivity helps prevent the spread of fire and protects against fire damage, acting as a fire shield for adjacent spaces.

Insulating Concrete Forms

Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) also provide exceptional protection against fire. Their concrete core remains intact without weakening, warping, twisting, or burning in the face of intense heat. Compared to wood frame walls which typically fail within an hour or less, ICF walls have demonstrated the ability to withstand continuous gas flames and temperatures up to 2000°F for extended periods of up to 4 hours.

The design of ICF walls includes a concrete core that effectively slows down heat conduction, preventing heat transfer and potential fire ignition on the cool side of the wall for a duration of 2 to 4 hours. Thus, ICF homes have shown that internal house fires can be effectively contained, demonstrating ICFs’ capacity to protect the contents and prevent the spread of fire within a structure.

Stucco: A Versatile Fire-Resistant Option

Stucco, a versatile and popular construction material, is known for its fire resistance due to its composition of non-flammable and non-combustible materials such as:

• portland cement

• sand

• limestone

• water

• additives

With over a thousand years of usage, stucco stands out for its fire-resistant properties compared to other siding materials like vinyl and wood.

A standard stucco installation typically involves a three-layer application over metal mesh, resulting in a one-inch layer that provides a one-hour fire rating to walls. This one-hour fire rating allows for a longer evacuation time in the event of a fire compared to the average modern home’s resistance, which ranges between 3 and 5 minutes. Stucco can be applied over various surfaces, providing both a stucco aesthetic and enhanced fire protection to the building structure.

Gypsum Board: An Effective Interior Finish

Gypsum board, commonly used as a fire-resistant interior finish, is composed of a noncombustible core which releases chemically combined water as steam to slow heat transmission during a fire. Type X gypsum board, introduced in the 1950s, was designed to enhance fire resistance and is third-party certified to ensure compliance with fire performance standards.

Type X and Type C gypsum boards contain glass fiber reinforcement and other additives, which improve fire resistance by controlling the spread of flames and maintaining structural integrity during fire exposure. Type C offers superior fire-resistive properties.

Brick: A Time-Tested Fire-Resistant Material

Brick, a time-tested building material, owes its fire-resistant properties to its creation process in a fire kiln, making individual bricks and the overall brick structure highly resistant to fires. A brick structure can provide up to 4 hours of fire resistance, slowing the spread of fire and offering additional time for firefighting and evacuation, enhancing overall safety.

Unlike some materials that warp, melt, or collapse under high temperatures, bricks have the following benefits:

• They remain stable and retain their structural capacity, supporting the integrity of a home during a fire.

• The high fire resistance and durability of brick construction can lead to lower insurance premiums.

• Brick doesn’t require additional fireproofing treatments, making it cost-effective with respect to maintenance.

Building in Wildland-Urban Interface Areas

The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is where human development and the wildlands meet. Building in Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas, where structures and wildland vegetation areas share space presents unique challenges.

These high-risk areas require adherence to specific codes and ordinances that set standards for using ignition-resistant materials and fire-resistive construction techniques to mitigate the impact of wildland fire. Safe building location in WUI areas includes avoiding placement on the edges of slopes and preferring flat, unoccupied land to reduce wildfire spread.

As we’ve seen, materials like ICFs and fire-resistant windows offer remarkable fire resistance, even in intense wildfires. Builders in WUI areas may choose fire-resistant building materials based on factors such as cost-effectiveness, ease of installation, and suitability to the regional climate.

But how can entire communities adapt to live safely amidst such high wildfire risks?

Fire Adapted Communities

Fire adapted communities take proactive mitigation actions to coexist with wildfire without harm and without extensive wildfire suppression efforts. Fire adaptation involves a variety of risk reduction tools and is a collective responsibility of all community members, including residents and local agencies.

A local multi-jurisdictional mitigation group fosters on-the-ground mitigation efforts and shares risk reduction responsibility. A community wildfire protection plan (CWPP), constantly updated and implemented, identifies wildfire risks and outlines ways to mitigate them. Volunteer or career fire departments play a significant role in reducing wildfire risk and delivering mitigation messages to the community, with the U.S. Forest Service supporting the development and promotion of community fire adaptation.

Risk Management Strategies

In fire adapted communities, structures are intentionally designed with features such as less flammable materials, Class A roofing, and metal screens over vents to diminish the propensity for ignition during wildfires. However, even fire-resistant materials like cellulose insulation, while treated with fire-retardant chemicals, can pose fire risks due to the possibility of smoldering embers remaining hidden within it, which could lead to reignition.

Such low-temperature combustion presents detection challenges, sometimes eluding thermal scans and necessitating more thorough methods to locate and extinguish any residual hot spots. Therefore, risk management in fire adapted communities involves not just material selection but also careful installation and vigilance during fires to minimize the fire hazard and ensure effective fire suppression.

Do Not Overlook Your Roof!

Wood shakes are naturally flammable, and untreated wood shake roofs can be ignited by firebrands, exposure to fire, or traveling embers from a nearby fire. Certain fire-resistant chemical treatments and preservatives are required to make a natural cedar shake roof fire resistant, but those chemicals can be harmful and have the potential to run off the shakes during severe weather events.

In the event of a wildfire, flames spread from roof to roof, with embers from the fire being a major cause of traveling fire damage. Using a completely fire resistant roofing product that can extinguish flame spread in the event of a fire has the potential to save properties and save lives.

Consider Fire Resistant CeDUR Synthetic Roofing Products

Choosing the right materials for your home can significantly enhance its resistance to fire, offering you peace of mind and the assurance of safety. So, whether you’re building a new home or retrofitting an existing one, remember - investing in fire-resistant materials is investing in the safety and wellbeing of your loved ones. If you are interested in fire resistant roofing products, nothing compares to the beauty and fire resistance of CeDUR Synthetic Roofing Products.

CeDUR Synthetic Roofing Products perfectly replicate the desirable wood shake look while providing extreme fire resistance. Natural cedar shakes ignite at around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature on our CeDUR Class A certified burning brand test reached temperatures in excess of 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and CeDUR shakes did not reach ignition.

In the event of a fire, CeDUR synthetic shakes can extinguish flame spread and do not allow a flame to propagate on the surface of the product. CeDUR synthetic roofing products are stand-alone Class A Fire Rated without the need of a special fire-resistant underlayment during installation. This fire-resistant technology is patented and proprietary to CeDUR. For more information feel free to contact us or view all CeDUR Roofing Products.