"Class" fire ratings vs hour fire ratings

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the relationship between Class A, B, and C fire ratings for wall coverings and hour-based fire ratings for materials like drywall. Class ratings indicate how fire spreads over surfaces, while hour ratings measure the duration materials can withstand fire exposure. Specifically, ornamental ceiling tiles with a Class A rating do not significantly impact the time it takes for fire to penetrate drywall. The consensus is that wall coverings are not typically rated in hours due to their limited effect on overall fire resistance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fire ratings, specifically Class A, B, and C ratings.
  • Knowledge of hour-based fire resistance ratings for building materials.
  • Familiarity with UL assembly standards and fire dampers.
  • Basic comprehension of building codes related to fire safety.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the differences between Class ratings and hour ratings in fire safety.
  • Examine the role of UL assembly standards in fire-rated construction.
  • Learn about the specifications and applications of fire dampers and ceiling radiation dampers.
  • Review the International Code Council (ICC) guidelines on fire and smoke protection features.
USEFUL FOR

Architects, fire safety engineers, building code officials, and construction professionals involved in fire-rated design and compliance will benefit from this discussion.

Stephen Tashi
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TL;DR
Do (USA) fire ratings for wall coverings (Class A,B,C) relate to fire ratings given in hours for materials like drywall?
Do (USA) fire ratings for wall coverings (Class A,B,C) relate to fire ratings given in hours for materials like drywall?

I'm particularly interested in how ornamental ceiling tiles that have a "class A" fire rating ( e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00319FP8Y/?tag=pfamazon01-20 ) affect the fire resistance of a drywall ceiling when they are applied over it.

My first idea is that the "class" type of fire rating indicates how much a fire would spread over a tiled ceiling but that the spread of the fire on the tile wouldn't have much effect on how long the fire would take to burn through the drywall. It would take very little time for a fire to burn through a wall covering. So, by this theory, people don't bother to fire rate wall coverings in hours.
 
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Stephen Tashi said:
Do (USA) fire ratings for wall coverings (Class A,B,C) relate to fire ratings given in hours for materials like drywall?
Yes, we discuss and specify elements of fire rated walls, partitions and ceilings based on time of resistance to fire.
UL assembly penetrations and fire dampers and ceiling radiation dampers are also rated by time (example: 1-hour dynamic fire damper).

Please, see:
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/F...smoke-protection-features#FBC2017_Ch07_Sec706

https://www.ruskin.com/model/dfd-lp

:cool:
 
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