The modular building industry now has an exciting new feature to promote--fire
barrier latex that looks, feels, smells, and applies like normal paint.
According to code officials, fire is currently seen as one of the biggest
concerns in commercial construction. Consequently, virtually every jurisdiction
is seeing tougher fire codes and strict enforcement, driving up the cost of all
types of construction.
Fire barrier latex is a heavy-bodied, single-part latex designed for use on
construction materials such as oriented strand board (OSB), structural
insulated panels (SIPS), framing lumber, plywood, trusses, drywall, doors, and
more. The coatings may also be used on aluminum and steel sheets as well as
round and box steel columns.
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The non-toxic, non-dermatic product protects most building materials from fire,
as long as the primer adheres to the substrate and is not damaged or
penetrated. When exposed to fire, fire barrier latex expands to form a tough
char barrier depriving fire of fuel, causing the fire to die. The barriers also
minimize deadly smoke production.
The coatings apply like regular paint. No special tools are required, so
brushes, rollers, and standard sprayers may be used. It has a broad range of
applications, since the polymer base allows it to bond to many different kinds
of substrates, and is completely safe.
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The protective char barrier simply scrapes off and
the room can be repaired for a fraction of the normal cost of post-fire
recovery.
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Contego International's Passive Fire Barrier recently passed the rigorous
UBC26-2 Thermal Barrier Test at Omega Point Laboritories in Elmendorf, Texas.
Two coats (14-mil dry) of the latex were applied to a 36-inch by 36-inch piece
of 7/16-inch OSB with a splined joint down the centerline. The sample, placed
in a horizontal fire resistance furnace, achieved a 23-minute thermal barrier
rating. The test is designed to measure the thermal barrier at only fifteen
minutes, but was allowed to continue until the unexposed side of the test panel
reached the 250-degree Fahrenheit average temperature. The latex product also
achieved a zero flame and smoke spread rating.
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