Effectiveness of fire-retardant treatments for shingles after 10 years of outdoor weathering

Abstract

Some building codes require wood shingles to be fire-retardant treated. Because exterior fire-retardant treatments are subjected to weathering, treatment durability and leach resistance are critical for insuring adequate fire protection. We examined the effectiveness of various fire-retardant treatments on wood after 0, 2, 5, and 10 years of outdoor exposure. We used a Class C burning-brand test (ASTM E 108) and a Schlyter flamespread test to evaluate effectiveness. Most shingle treatments evaluated were either pressure impregnated or coated at the Forest Products Laboratory; however, a commercial treatment was used as a control. After 10 years of exposure, most treatments passed the Class C burning-brand test, but lost considerable effectiveness in the Schlyter test method. The commercial treatment was the most effective after 10 years of weathering.

Citation

LeVan, S. L.; Holmes, C. A. Effectiveness of fire-retardant treatments for shingles after 10 years of outdoor weathering. (Research paper FPL ; 474):15 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.