Learn how to properly specify fire retardant wood and earn CEUs
Learn about fire retardant wood, how it works and how to specify it with a new web course on the AEC Daily online education platform.
The course Specifying and Using Fire-Retardant-Treated Wood is now live and is part of a new online Wood That Lasts eUniversity on preservative- and fire-retardant-treated wood products.
There are two versions of the free course: one that can be downloaded and reviewed on your own schedule or a narrated presentation that runs on your web browser. The illustrated course features a history of fire retardant wood and how those products are used in construction today. It explains how fire retardants work to protect wood, the applications and types of fire retardants that are available and the factors that should be considered to ensure FR wood products are properly specified for code compliance.
At the end of the course, users can take a 10-question quiz to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The fire retardant wood course has qualified for CEUs from 26 different organizations, including American Institute of Architects, National Assn. of Home Builders. and National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry.
This is the second online course in the new Wood That Lasts eUniversity. The course Preservative-Treated Wood: Specification and Use provides a detailed overview on preserved wood products. Sections include how wood is preservative treated, specifying using AWPA Use Categories, Best Management Practices for aquatic wses and the environmental benefits of preserved wood.
Download the Fire Retardant Wood course today!
Discover why pressure treated retardants offer better protection
When it comes to protecting wood against fire, integrating fire retardants into the wood fiber offers more durable protection than surface coatings. The advantages of pressure treating compared to surface coatings are detailed in the new FireSpec sheet Fire Retardant Treating vs. Coatings.
The one-page guide explains the benefits of impregnating fire retardants by pressure treating into sawn lumber and plywood for protection, noting code requirements where paints, coatings and stains are not approved under the codes for fire protection. While some coating are promoted as the same as pressure treating, they can be damaged during construction or over time from moisture, handling or changes in the wood.
The FireSpec sheet provides guidance on identifying approved fire retardant wood, noting that color should not be the only indicator the wood has been pressure treated. The presence of a code-mandated quality mark is the best way to know the wood has the proper protection against fire.
Click here to review the FireSpec sheet.