Fire Protection Between Floors

An expert guide to fire protection between floors.

Fire protection between floors. The association for specialist fire protection recommends a gap of 50 times the initial paint thickness which would normally lead to gaps of 25 75mm unless specified differently by the intumescent paint manufacturer. Can also help improve support to wooden flooring. Note that in this definition multiple stories can be included in the calculation for fire area if each floor ceiling assemblies separating each story are not rated horizontal assemblies fire barriers.

This can be achieved through compartmentation the application of firestopping materials to walls floors and cavity barriers. There are several easy cost effective ways to meet these irc provisions with i joist floor construction. Fire protection floors fire separation within floors is a key component of achieving the performance required to allow the evacuation of a building during a fire this is expressed as a time in minutes and is typically 30 60 90 or 120 minutes.

The size of the gap depends on the fire resistance period and the type of intumescent coating used. Dividing a building into a series of compartments reduces the risk of air pressure pushing fire and smoke through a building known as the chimney effect allowing for quick and effective risk management. In the event of a fire the spread of flames and smoke must be stopped as quickly as possible.

Different building types require different levels of performance. In listed buildings commercial property and in some domestic situations it is a legal requirement to provide a fire proofing barrier between floor levels. Fire protection for residential floors the international residential code irc requires some means of fire protection to protect the underside of residential floor assemblies.

It s purpose is to prevent the spread of smoke and flames from reaching the bottom of the 1st floor of your home from the basement area thereby burning through and spreading to the 1st floor of the home. However in many cases lath and plaster or ornate mouldings prevent replacement or over boarding of the ceiling itself so the insertion of a fire fabric barrier from above is the only option. A graphite impregnated cloth underfloor fire barrier covered with a reinforced craft paper.