FIREWALLS

Home Depot Lists (these are 2 different links- click "fireblocking" and "drywall seperatly) for Fireblocking & Drywall

Code requirements for adding fire blocking and draft stopping apply mainly to new construction. But if you’re finishing a basement, putting on an addition, remodeling a room, or just running pipes or wires through a plate, you’ll need to include fire blocking.

By fire code, if a house is 3 feet or fewer from the property line, it needs to have double-layered Type X 5/8 inch drywall. You need to have it on the inside of the house for your main drywall layer, and then if you take the siding off of the house and you're residing it, put it on the outside of the house and put our siding on top of it after we tie back it.

Section R302 Fire-Resistant Construction requires a fire-rated wall if the house is less than 5 ft from the property line.

SEALING PEX AND PVC PIPE PENETRATIONS

You can also fill in the wall cavities with it between the studs, and you can either do a skim coat of drywall against the stud, or you can caulk it with fire caulk. There is a fire caulk that should be on our Drywall list.

You can use the great stuff between floors whenever you're doing your framing on your headboards. Any penetrations in there, you need to put great stuff in with the fire retardant to make sure that fire cannot go through it.

You need to do this even if you're within 3 feet of the property line for your wall or if you're not.

When you're doing windows in a property that is 3 feet less from the property line, we cannot make the windows bigger than they had. If they're within three feet of the property line, they can only get smaller. And if we make them bigger, then they won't pass inspection.

For a duplex, you need to use the expensive fire-blocking caulk for all of your penetrations between the two units on the common wall.

You need to use the extra drywall on there. The double layer of fire-rated drywall needs to go all the way to the roof line. It needs to go all the way through the crawl floor all the way to the bottom of the crawl space.

You need to use firewall insulation on multifamily and in anything that's more than a duplex.

If you have a duplex that's over under where one unit is on the top, and other one is on the bottom, you would need to use a double layer of Type X drywall.

When you're doing your framing, there should be no gaps in the headers.

Here's a blueprint that shows fire rated drywall

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR AND TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD?

Both regular and Type X gypsum board are covered under the ASTM C 1396, gypsum board standard specification. Regular drywall has naturally occurring fire resistance due to the presence of gypsum in the core but is not fire rated. Type X drywall has special core additives that allow it to be used in fire rated designs and usually comes in 5/8” thickness. Type X drywall products will have a UL/ULC Marking printed on the back of each board identifying it as a fire-resistance rated board.

REGULAR DRYWALL

TYPE X DRYWALL

The Problem: Wall and Ceiling Cavities

Holes and gaps in wall and ceiling cavities allow a fire to spread rapidly. They also allow airflow, which feeds a fire. Sealing these gaps slows or may even stop the spread of flames, smoke and gases. Fire blocking aims to prevent or at least slow the vertical movement of flames, smoke and gases by sealing off concealed spaces like stud cavities and soffits. Smoke and gases readily travel horizontally as well, so preventing horizontal air movement, such as within a dropped ceiling, has its own name: draft stopping.

Locations for Fire-Blocking in Your Home

Materials approved for fire blocking are just common building materials.

2-by (1-1/2 in. thick) lumber.
Two layers of 1-by lumber.
One layer of 3/4-in. plywood with 3/4-in. plywood covering any seams.
One layer of 3/4-in. particleboard with 3/4-in. particleboard covering any seams.
1/2-in. drywall.
1/4-in. cement board.
Batts or blankets of mineral wool or fiberglass insulation secured in place.
Cellulose insulation installed as tested for the specific application.
Approved spray foams and caulks.

Draft Fire-Blocking

A properly assembled wood-frame wall can significantly slow a fire's progress. One common exterior wall assembly includes: A) the finish cladding; B) housewrap; C) 5/8-inch Type X gypsum wallboard; D) a minimum 15/32-inch sheet of APA-rated Exposure 1 plywood or OSB; E) mimimum R-13 glass fiber insulation faced with Kraft paper or vapor-retarding foil; F) 5/8-inch Type X drywall hung vertically; and G) standard wall studs placed 16 inches on center.

Below is an example of fire-blocking in an apartment building.

This assembly is commonly used in 1-hour exterior walls along the property line. This assembly allows for 2x4 wall construction and is fire-rated for 1 hour from both sides.

We could use a flame board if it has the correct fire rating and if it is cost-efficient.

A fire-resistive rating is a time that exterior wall construction can withstand fire exposure as determined by a standard fire test. Wall construction can be classified as 4-hour, 3-hour, 2-hour, 1-hour, and non-rated construction.

HERE ARE THE PHOTOS OF FIRE BLOCKING

Fire blocking on basements

We put the fire-rated drywall BENEATH the sheathing when we can.

Please see the sample photo below;

There are several reasons why drywall is placed beneath the sheathing:

-Insulation: Drywall helps to insulate the interior of a building, reducing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.

-Soundproofing: Drywall helps to absorb and reduce noise from outside or from other rooms, making the interior of a building more peaceful and quiet.

-Aesthetics: Drywall provides a smooth, flat surface for painting or wallpapering, giving the interior of a building a finished look.

-Fire Resistance: Drywall is a fire-resistant material that helps to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within a building.

-Durability: Drywall is durable and resistant to damage from moisture and impacts, making it a practical choice for wall and ceiling surfaces in a building.

-Ease of Installation: Drywall is relatively easy to install, making it a cost-effective option for finishing the interior of a building.

Sealing PEX and PVC Pipe Penetrations

Here is the link to know more about it; https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/sealing-pex-and-pvc-pipe-penetrations

This illustration shows why fire walls and smoke alarms are so important.

Page updated

Report abuse