Constructing Fire Resistant Walls
If you have a typical gypsum on wood frame wall, it won’t resist damage from fires very long. However, if you use the right techniques and materials to construct your wall you can extend the length of time that your wall can resist fire and achieve an hourly fire resistance rating. If the wall stays intact, then you can prevent the fire from spreading while waiting for the firefighters to arrive and put it out.Using a UL listed fire resistant board is an effective method of increasing the wall’s fire resistance.
About Fire Resistant Board
Many companies choose to use fire resistant board when they are constructing the walls as it is less expensive than concrete or masonry. If your wallboard stays in the same place in the event of a fire, it help keep the wall’s support structure free of damage. Using fire resistant boards will keep the wall and its structure intact longer than if it was made of traditional non fire resistant boards.
For example, Type X gypsum wallboard is manufactured to resist fire, and it uses glass fibers and chemical additives to make it more stable when there is high heat in the area. The composition of the board, as well as the use of multiple layers on each face of the wall, prevents the board from falling away from the wall’s framing members ensuring the wall remains in place.
About DuraSteel Board
This passive fire protection product is a non-combustible fire resistant board, that has been extensively tested in vertical, horizontal, and enclosure type fire resistant assemblies. It can offer as much as six hours of resistance to the passage of fire. DuraSteel board has two metal face sheets mechanically bonded to a fiber reinforced core. That makes it a robust material that you can use both inside and outdoors as it also resists impacts and moisture. Once you have installed it, you won’t need to do much maintenance to maintain the fire resistance of DuraSteel fire resistant assemblies.
Choose a Trusted Supplier of Passive Fire Protection Products
When it comes to keeping your facility safe from fire, using a fire resistant board is the way to go. DuraSystems offers products such as the Durasteel board that can help keep your facility safe. Give us a call today to learn more about our products.
