Single glazed fanlights frames incorporating a fire door

[brussels]

I am currently carrying out a visual (including head and shoulders in ceilings) inspection  of exisiting compartmentation  in our own buildings for use with fire risk assessments. They are intended to indicate the extent of 1/2 hour fire resisitjng walls/ partitions that extend up to the underside of the roof deck.

For any areas which cannot be proven to be at least 1/2 hour fire resisting, I have denoted for further investigation, but there are so many queries - can anyone give their opinion on the following?

Firstly, single glazed fanlight frames from the 1970s incorporating modern fire resisting doors. I cannot find any evidence, which sugests that, for integrity, the glazing will resist fire for 1/2 hour, although I am aware that it may depend on the size of the glazing. I am aware that the glazing beading etc also needs to be formed to withstand fire for the same resistance as the glazing.

Secondly, would  fibre boad panels, say, 10mm thick fitted each side of a timber frame provide 1/2 hour fire resistance.

Any positive comments would be appreciated.

[kurnal]

Secondly, would  fibre boad panels, say, 10mm thick fitted each side of a timber frame provide 1/2 hour fire resistance.

By fibre board are you meaning chipboard or mdf type boards as opposed to boards such as masterboard and superlux?

I have seen no evidence of the fire performance of MDF and chipboard other than a report on a mezzanine floor system where the chiipboard was much thicker than this. And of course many proprietory fire doors are made of the stuff- but not of use to you as the test is only relevant to the specific door assembly.

For glazing there was an old test certificate for  fire doors incorporating a  vision panel of 1/4 inch plate glass of a maximum area of 40 sq inches that passed the old standard BS476 test- other than that it has to be georgian wired or pyro as far as I am aware.


Useful documents- if you havn't already got copies include  the following:

Someone recently posted a useful link to the glass and glazing federation- they do a free "guide to best practice in the spoecification and use of fire resistant glazing systems" try www.ggf.org.uk

You would also find the Architectural and Specialist Door Manufacturers Association Guide of interest  "Best Practice Guidance to Timber fire Doors"    www.asdma.com

[brussels]

Thanks Kurnal.

The boards are more akin to MDF. The only document I have is a BRE report which provides notional fire resistance for materials, but it is not definitive. I have the same issue with interlocking fibre board ceiling tiles that are about 15mm thick (the tiles are nailed to battens in the interlocking channel) - there is no test evidence that they will resist fire for 1/2 hour, so I am therefore stsying on the safe side.

I thought that thin single plain glazed fanlights cannot be proven to be 1/2 hour fire resisting.

Georgian wired - I am aware that is will resist fire for 30mins but whay about the beading and sealants used etc - wouldn't these also have to be assessed?

Cheers

[kurnal]

As far as the boards are concerned the simple answer is no theres no way that these can be accepted as being acceptable unless the design matches an assembly that has been through the test.

In practical terms a plasterboard / masterboard  filling in the sandwich  or cavity barrier such as rockwool firepro would be a much better bet.  

Georgian wired has been used for years and predates intumescent technology. Glass slump is unlikely o be a problem in a fan light but all the heat will be up at that level so the beadings are really going to take a hammering- hardwood bevelled glazing beadings are the minimum i would expect to see on old work measurements as per the www.ggf.org.uk guidance or the old BM Trada guidance notes. For new or remedial work  intumesent glazing system is a must.

[brussels]

Thanks for your responses Kurnal