Fire Resistant Paint?
Does anyone have experience or knowledge of fire resistant paint to meet fire-resistance code requirements?
Context: We’re converting our rowhouse from a 1 family to a 2 family, which means there needs to be fire separation (1 hour) between the units (owner duplex and rental apartment on the garden level). There are currently sprinklers in the home, so, according to our architect, we only need an additional 30 minute fire separation. Unfortunately, since the walls and ceilings are made of plaster and wood lath (which have 0 fire rating), our architect and contractor have told us that we’d need to remove all the existing plaster and put up drywall – which will be incredibly expensive.
In doing some research on alternative routes, we came across fire retardant paints (aka intumescent paint). Does anyone know of this would meet the code requirements in NYC? Or who I could ask?
Brands we found include:
– FlameControl Fire Retardant Paints
– FlameOff Fire Barrier Paint (NYC approved installer)
– Albi Intumescent Fire Retardant Dux Paint
– (UK) Envirograf Fire Resistant Coating for Lath and Plaster
– Flame Seal Shop FLAME SEAL FX950 (CLASS A PAINT)
– IFTI DC360 Intumescent Fireproof Paint & Fire Retardant Coating for Wood and Gypsum
Appreciate the help.
elizabethmcaloonfacebook
in General Discussion 2 years and 11 months ago
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asaph718936 | 2 years and 11 months ago
I have been a painter for over 20 years and none of these products actually last. It appears as if the quality of paint is compromised when they become “resistant”
sue.alexander123 | 2 years and 11 months ago
I have had terrible luck with this. Many companies claim to be resistant but never really hold up!
justinromeu26 | 2 years and 11 months ago
so i looked at the code. it gets very technical and talks about rating things by flame spread and then astm testing standards they want product to meet. BUT it does not talk about paint specifically (wall coverings in general). it does however give a higher rating to plaster over lath than drywall but even that has to be measured (the thickness of the plaster) and i am not sure how that applies to old plaster.
i would call the people who apply this stuff and see if they will explain the code to you and direct you to it in the written record. here is the problem in getting them to talk: if they think you are going to have someone else do the application, they may not want to tell you. Sometimes if you are honest and tell them you are thinking of doing it yourself they might talk (i will talk if i really believe someone wishes to do something on their own as opposed to hiring a $20/hr guy off the street). you could also try that with the manufacturer – see if their technical team can tell you how their product applies to the NYC code (or even the national code, you can start there and work down).
as to the paint itself. in a building i once worked in, my boss had them cover exposed steel beams in the basement with concrete. he explained that it needed to be done in case they had a fire; the heat could compromise the beams and the entire building. this paint you list, it goes on like regular paint (maybe a tad thicker) and when heat hits it, it expands to a thick insulating barrier. some of this product is designed for steel beams.
thank you for posting these products. this is all good to know.
irfan | 2 years and 11 months ago
Sure I’ll email you. I totally credit our architect who has been fantastic. We got DOB approvals in a landmark district very quickly without much in the way of compromise (though we are not enlarging the sq footage which helps). There was one small thing but he warned us in advance that we could push for it but might require appeals and long waits. We decided to live without it.
irfan | 2 years and 11 months ago
Sure I’ll email you. I totally credit our architect who has been fantastic. We got DOB approvals in a landmark district very quickly without much in the way of compromise (though we are not enlarging the sq footage which helps). There was one small thing but he warned us in advance that we could push for it but might require appeals and long waits. We decided to live without it.
elizabethmcaloonfacebook | 2 years and 11 months ago
Thank you for the guidance
@HomeInspector: I will do some digging to find the appropriate code.
@J: Are you willing to chat with me via email or phone? It would great to understand how your process went so smoothly. My email: anunkormalone @ gmail . com
justinromeu26 | 2 years and 11 months ago
the problem with some of the codes on line is, you can find the code put up by third party vendors. you can read the code. but to run a word search on the code they will require you to subscribe. i am not sure if there is a way around this with some sort of google tool.
justinromeu26 | 2 years and 11 months ago
i am too busy to look this code up. i can tell you something op: that paint is going to be tested to a standard. usually something like this: astm or something: american society…..
the code will not list a specific paint but will list the testing standard by an agency. if you can find the code, find the standard the city requires and then go through those paints you list. the code is easy to find on line. its easy to read. it generally takes something like 10-20 minutes to find something in the code, by someone who is good at research.
you might be able to call the paint manufacturers and ask them or gleason paints in Woodside. Just be aware, whenever you call a retailer or manufacturer, you have to fact check behind them. also, your architect should be able to find the relevant code a lot faster than any of us can.
you can also work this way: find the National Fire Protection Association codes and get some standards from them, hoping one is the same one the city relies on and google that standard and paint and NYC building code and maybe you w ill hit on something.
it i have the energy later today, i will run this down especially if you return here and ask me to.
irfan | 2 years and 11 months ago
We’re doing the identical project now. DOB is not requiring replacement of the plaster/wall between garden apt and rest of house. They are making us close the pocket doors on the garden level with 1 hr fire rated dry wall but that’s not a huge deal since we can leave the doors in the walls and retain the surround. This was all approved within the last month. I think 1968 building code but I don’t know enough to know how that matters. Hope this is helpful!
irfan | 2 years and 11 months ago
We’re doing the identical project now. DOB is not requiring replacement of the plaster/wall between garden apt and rest of house. They are making us close the pocket doors on the garden level with 1 hr fire rated dry wall but that’s not a huge deal since we can leave the doors in the walls and retain the surround. This was all approved within the last month. I think 1968 building code but I don’t know enough to know how that matters. Hope this is helpful!
RobertGMarvin
in General Discussion 2 years and 11 months ago
I can’t answer your question, but hope you find a way to keep youu it e original plaster which is vastly superior to sheetrock.