The IBC has chosen Underwriters Laboratories as the organization that designates fire rated assemblies. Other organizations are involved in testing but the main documentation for wall and floor assemblies is UL. Assemblies are rated for fire in total. Products are rated for surface burning characteristics. An ASTM standard has been in place for many years under the designation E84 - Surface Burning Characteristics. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has designated products with classifications based on the results of that test standard. Our rainscreen and sound control products are tested to a Class A-Fire Rating by an independent test organization.
Combustible assemblies are rated with a length of time they are fire resistant. Assembly ratings are related to an actual burned wall or to an engineering evaluation by Underwriters Laboratory. Branded Products are included in the different designs and the variety of assemblies that are rated is quite extensive, in the hundreds. Underwriters Laboratory lists approved assemblies online at www.ul.com. For an architect, these assembly numbers are listed on construction documents so a wall may be built to U305 and a floor might be built to L528 design. The "L" or "U" assemblies list all of the approved products, the fastening technique and the method of building.
There is no confusion about what products are approved in which assemblies when the material is verified online to the UL listed assemblies. For exterior walls, the "U" series and "V" series designs can be reviewed for approval.
KEENE has many products approved by UL including many DRIWALL Rainscreen and QUIET QURL brands. KEENE also has Space Assurance and RC Assurance products listed with UL. KEENE has regular inspections of our manufacturing process by Underwriters Laboratory personnel to assure the materials are produced to the proper standards. UL approved assembly listings can be viewed at http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/cgifind.new/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.html
Type in the name KEENE and the listings will appear.
If you have any questions or concerns about the fire rating of the product or the approval of a material in fire rated assembly, please call our office. We'll be happy to help.
Thank you.
The Quiet Guy, Jim Keene
Keene Building Products