Under the regulations, a building with a top floor level of more than 18m above the ground must have at least 90 minutes of fire resistance. The Preston-based timber frame manufacturer has said that its recent test showed its products, including floors and walls, last for more than 114 minutes.
“Timber framed structures are getting taller,” said Prestoplan technical director Ian Loughnane.
“We now have the ability to develop solutions on buildings that hitherto would have been rejected on fire rating grounds.”
The test was undertaken in 100% load-bearing conditions and saw the structure maintain stability, integrity and thermal insulation until the test was stopped, according to Prestoplan.
It is the latest company to tackle the issue of fire in timber framed buildings, with Arch Timber Protection Ltd set to unveil Vacsol FR, its latest treated timber product, on July 17 in London.
