Fire resistance is an important consideration for every ceiling system - no matter how simple or complex. Our fire resistant ceiling tiles are engineered to meet the most stringent industry standards. Select fire resistant ceiling tiles from a broad range of looks and acoustic options to meet your design and functional requirements.
Benefits of Fire Guard Ceilings and Grid:
- Meets ASTM E1264 Class A rating
- Fire Guard ceilings are specially formulated to provide enhanced resistance against structural failure
- Fire Guard Grid Systems have patented expansion relief to help maintain structural integrity of the ceiling
Resources
Local Building Codes
Local building codes for safe construction rely on two fire ratings to evaluate compliance:
- Material Flame Spread/Smoke Development Index Rating
- Fire Resistance Assembly Rating
These ratings are based on ASTM standards, and compliance is determined by several independent, non-government testing services such as Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
Two types of fire-rated construction assemblies pertain to acoustical ceiling systems:
- Roof/Ceiling Assemblies
Ceiling system, lighting, HVAC outlets, and other penetrants through the ceiling, the plenum, roof support structure, and roof assembly including deck, insulation, and roofing system. - Floor/Ceiling Assemblies
Ceiling system, lighting, HVAC outlets, and other penetrants through the ceiling, the plenum, structural system, subfloor, and finish floor.
Selecting the right UL Fire-Rated Assembly:
- Establish the hourly rating needed to meet code requirements.
- Determine the existing or planned building elements, including structural, mechanical, electrical, and finish materials, in the fire-rated assembly.
- Refer to the Fire Resistance Rating Summary to determine the UL design numbers and ceiling system products that correspond to the fire-rated assemblies that meet your needs.
Benefits of a Continuous Ceiling
Improved Fire Safety
A performance benefit of choosing a suspended ceiling over an open plenum ceiling is the added extra margin of fire safety. The ceiling represents a significant percentage of a room's surfaces, and is critical to controlling the growth of a fire within a room or space.
Physical Barrier
- An Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL) fire resistant rated ceiling system provides separation between the elements of the building services (i.e. ductwork and piping) and the occupied space below.
- A UL fire resistant rated ceiling also provides a known, specified fire resistance period.
Smoke Detector/Sprinkler Activation
- When a suspended ceiling is used at a typical ceiling height, smoke detection and sprinkler systems will activate faster.
- Occupants will receive an earlier warning and sprinklers can react to a much smaller fire when a suspended ceiling is used at a typical ceiling height.