NFBA’s New Firewall Approved by Underwriters Laboratories

Chicago, Illinois (March 4, 2019)—The National Frame Building Association (NFBA) has designed their most efficient 3-hour firewall to date, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has listed the firewall in the UL Online Directory. 

“The previous 3-hour wall was built using four layers of 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board to protect the structure and inhibit the passage of fire and hot gasses,” explains Andy Williams, NFBA’s director of technical support. “This wall assembly produced a barrier that was significantly higher than the desired 3-hour performance, so we designed a wall that’s closer to the requirement. This will save post-frame builders and building owners material, labor and time.”

Firewalls keep fire restricted to a specific area of a building, giving occupants in other areas time to evacuate and firefighters to arrive. This helps save lives and minimize damage.

Post-frame construction is an engineered wood-frame building system that meets Uniform Building Code and International Building Code standards. Post-frame buildings feature large, solid sawn posts or laminated columns instead of wood studs, steel framing or concrete masonry.

“Unlike a block wall, a post-frame firewall doesn’t require a continuous foundation to support it or masons to build it,” Williams points out. “This could save a significant amount of time and money.”

Architects and designers are sometimes required by code to include firewalls, depending on the size and use of a building. The document gives them information to meet those requirements while helping contractors and building owners accomplish their goals in a timely, cost-efficient manner. For more information, visit nfba.org.