Fire protection of timbered ceilings

This is still the most common (and usually unfounded) argument of "home builders" against a house constructed of timber. But in an old building, the most important "barrier" that slows down the spread of fire is almost always made of timber, and that is the ceiling.

When an older building structure is to be refurbished, it usually becomes impossible to obtain "exemption" for the old timber ceiling structures. This applies in particular to timbered ceilings with a fire prevention grade F 90 B, which is specified as a rule for multi-storey dwellings. The requirement laid down in this standard for timber is a fire resistance of F90 B  (at full exposure - 1,200 degrees); this means a time of 90 minutes for escape which must be guaranteed in the event of a fire of  the top, the sides and the bottom of the supporting structure before it may fail. Fire protection of timbered ceilings  in accordance with this standard  therefore constitutes a major technical and legal challenge for a solution provider.

Together with leading industrial companies in the building sector we conducted a large number of 1:1 fire tests at the Material Testing Institute (MPA) of Brunswick in Germany. On the basis of these we are in a position to issue a test certificate specifically to your finished construction or reconstruction project. Recent dissertations from Austria have confirmed the mathematical approach to correct sizing previously suggested in the technical literature. These publications also indicate the additional potential that exists in this area.

We were able to attribute 35 historical ceiling designs to different fire resistance classes; this allows us to provide you with sound technical advice on the total composite layer structure needed.

Hence we are able to provide you with comprehensive support throughout the refurbishment process, from the necessary basic structure of the Elascon timber+concrete composite ceiling right through to the planned floor structure on top of the timbered ceiling.