The Role of Fire-Retardant Treated Wood in the Protection of Life and Property

Authors

  • Bernard H. Shunk

Keywords:

Fire hazard, fire protection, fire resistance, fire-retardant treatment, test methods, pressure impregnation, water-borne retardants

Abstract

Fire-retardant treated wood is discussed with two approaches to fire protection offered: fire hazard and fire resistance. Descriptive terms used by testing and regulatory agencies are defined. Several of the more commonly accepted test methods used to determine efficiency of fire-retardant treatments in retarding flame spread or resisting burn-through are examined. The roles played by two major impregnated fire-retardant treatments in this accomplishment are described. Sources of information for more detailed study are provided

References

American Insurance Association. 1976. National Building Code. New York, NY.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976a. ASTM designation E535-75, standard recommended practices for preparation of fire test standards. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976b. ASTM designation E84, standard test method for surface burning characteristics of building materials. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976c. ASTM designation E286-69, standard test method for surface flammability of building materials using an 8-foot (2.44-m) tunnel furnace. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976d. ASTM designation E108-75, standard methods of fire tests of roof coverings. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976e. ASTM designation E119-76, standard methods of fire tests of building construction and materials. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Stanards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1976f. ASTM designation E152-76, standard methods of fire tests of door assemblies. Part 18. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Philadelphia, PA.nAmerican Society for Testing and Materials. 1977. Standardization basics: Part 1. The what and why of standards. ASTM Stand. News.5(2):24-27.nAmerican Wood-Preservers' Association. 1976. Book of Standards. Washington, D.C.nBrowne, F. L., and J. S. Brenden. 1964. Heat of combustion of the volatile pyrolysis products of fire-retardant-treated ponderosa pine. USFS research paper FPL19. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI.nEichner, H. W. 1962. Basic research on pyrolysis and combustion of wood. For. Prod. J.12 (4):194-199.nFactory Mutual Research. August 1976. Comparative fire tests of treated and untreated lumber. Reprint Serial #2467901. Norwood, MA.nFactory Mutual Research. June 1972. Factory Mutual building-corner fire test procedures. Norwood, MA.nInternational Conference of Building Officials. 1976. Uniform Building Code. Whittier, CA.nUnderwriters Laboratories, Inc. 1977a. Building Materials Directory. Northbrook, IL.nUnderwriters Laboratories, Inc. 1977b. Building Materials Directory. Northbrook, IL.n

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Published

2007-06-05

Issue

Number 2 / Summer 1977

Section

Research Contributions

License

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