FIRE PROTECTION OF WOOD
WOOD PRODUCTS AND FIRE SAFETY
The durability and versatility, aesthetic value and ecological properties inspire designers of innovative wood products and timber construction technologies. Modern fire retardants improve the natural fire resistance properties of wood, making it possible to construct multi-storey wood buildings that are compliant with building and fire safety regulations.
AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIAL
AND INCREASED WELL-BEING
The use of timber in construction is promoted for many reasons. The most important ones are to do with combating climate change, promoting sustainable development and a circular economy as well as improving resource efficiency and energy efficiency in construction. Wood sourced from sustainably managed and certified forests is an environmentally friendly choice.
Not only is it a renewable and often local natural resource, it is also a light and recyclable material that efficiently absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Therefore, the increased use of timber in construction is justified. The more wood a building contains, the more it helps combat climate change. While growing, a tree absorbs approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide per cubic metre, in other words approximately 250 kg of carbon throughout the duration of the building’s life cycle.
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR WOOD
The primary concern in fire protection is that the solution is compliant with building regulation requirements. Other key aspects are related to visual options, durability, health considerations and environmental safety. The solution must also be economical in terms of the cost-benefit ratio.
The fire safety standards for wood buildings are high according to international, national and local building regulations. In Europe, the European construction standards form the core of the requirements. Eurocode 5 describes how to design wood buildings with timber in solid, sawn, planed or in pole form, glue laminated timber or wood-based structural products, (e.g. LVL and CLT) or wood-based panels. This includes also structural fire design regulations.
WOOD PRODUCT FIRE TESTING
The fire behavior of construction materials is tested in different ways already during product development. In Europe, the regulatory fire classification is carried out on all construction products, including wood products, according to standard SFS-EN 13501-1 + A1 with Euroclass system-compliant tests. Testing is carried out by an accredited commercial testing laboratory.
THE EUROCLASS SYSTEM
The European fire testing of construction products is based on the Euroclass system with the following standardised tests:
1. Fire technical testing of building products – non combustibility: EN ISO 1182
2. Fire technical testing of building products – single burning item test (SBI): EN 13823
3. Fire technical testing of building products – ignitability test: EN ISO 11925-2
As an example, wood products treated with PROMADUR fire retardants fulfill Euroclass B-s1,d0. This means that the products contribute in the fire to a very limited extent, their smoke production is very limited and no flaming droplets occur. Euroclass requirements for building materials are A1, A2, B, C, D, E and F. Smoke production and the formation of flaming droplets are expressed with the additional classes s and d. The smoke production classes are s1, s2 and s3, and the formation of flaming droplet classes are 0, d1 and d2.
THE EUROCLASS CLASSES INDICATE THE FOLLOWING FEATURES:
A1 – Products will not contribute at all to the fire.
A2 – Products will contribute in the fire to an extremely limited extent.
B – Products will contribute in the fire to a very limited extent.
C – Products will contribute in the fire to a limited extent.
D – Products will contribute in the fire to an acceptable extent.
E – Products reaction to fire performance is acceptable.
F – No reaction to fire performance is determined.
s1 – The smoke production is very limited.
s2 – The smoke production is limited.
s3 – The smoke production does not meet the requirements of class s1 or s2.
d0 – No flaming droplets or particles occur.
d1 – The flaming droplets or particles extinguish quickly.
d2 – The formation of flaming droplets or particles does not meet the requirements of class d0 or d1.
INTERIOR SURFACES
Many interior surfaces also need to meet the requirements of Euroclass B-s1, d0. Such buildings include care facilities of fire class P1 and P2, accommodation and office premises of fire class P2, over 300 m2 shops, exhibition halls and libraries as well as many facilities where fuels or other flammable substances are stored or handled. Wooden interior panels can also be industrially fire protected and given a CE marking to indicate their suitability for this fire class.
Other wooden interior products to be fire protected could include floorboards, staircase structures and various acoustic panels that contain wood.
Interior surfaces should be treated with fire retardants that have low emissions.
FIRE PROTECTION TREATMENT OF WOOD PRODUCTS
An industrial treatment enables the production of certified ready-to-use products. This will speed up a construction project and ensure that the fire class requirements are met. On-site treatments in accordance with the instructions must be separately approved by building control authorities.
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