Fire Barrier Wall Materials

Fire barrier walls are typically constructed of drywall or gypsum board partitions with wood or metal framed studs.

Fire barrier wall materials. 4 1 fire barriers and fire walls fire barrier wall or fire partition wall an interior wall that serves to restrict the spread of fire but does not qualify as a firewall. A brick wall is held together with mortar which is less effective. Expansion joints allow the material to expand to withstand the fire s heat. Building and structural firewalls in north america are usually made of concrete concrete blocks or reinforced concrete older fire walls built prior to world war ii used brick materials.

Penetrations penetrations through fire walls such as for pipes and cables must be. Such fire barriers shall be continuous through concealed space such as the space above a suspended ceiling 707 5 1 supporting construction. Fire resistance ratings are expressed in the number of minutes or hours a structure can withstand a fire simulation test. Firewalls do more than just contain the blaze.

The ibc defines fire barriers as a fire resistance rated wall assembly of materials designed to restrict the spread of fire in which continuity is maintained fire barriers include walls and horizontal assemblies and vary in their rating between 1 and 4 hours. According to the engineered wood association a one hour rating indicates that a wall constructed in a manner similar to the one tested will contain flames and high temperatures and support its full load for at least one hour after the fire begins. A fire barrier wall subdivides a floor or an area and is erected to extend from the floor to the underside of the floor or roof above. They must also withstand force from other structures or items that collapse within the building such as inventory or storage.

Depending on the construction and thickness of the wall a brick wall can achieve a 1 hour to 4 hour fire resistance rating. Unlike exterior firewalls fire barriers are walls built within a.