Closet Fire Rating

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mstrlucky74

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Have a tele/data closet that has sheetrock. Is there any way this closet could be a 2 hour rated closet if it's sheetrocked? Thought it had to be ONLY masonary/concrete exposed walls to be 2 hour rated. Thanks.
 
mstrlucky74 said:
Have a tele/data closet that has sheetrock. Is there any way this closet could be a 2 hour rated closet if it's sheetrocked? Thought it had to be ONLY masonary/concrete exposed walls to be 2 hour rated. Thanks.
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The short answer is "yes". See here for an installation guide from USG. Basically requires double 5/8" board on each side of the stud.
 
4 layers of 5/8" Sheetrock is pretty standard for the 2 hour wall rating.
 
mstrlucky74 said:
Have a tele/data closet that has sheetrock. Is there any way this closet could be a 2 hour rated closet if it's sheetrocked? Thought it had to be ONLY masonary/concrete exposed walls to be 2 hour rated. Thanks.
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Yep. Adjoining walls in hotels are often rated 2 hour, and iirc it doesnt even require double 5/8" on both sides.

If you are worried about penetrating it, you can get pre-made sleeve kits from STI that have everything you need and a 2 hr rating if installed correctly.
 
JFletcher said:
Yep. Adjoining walls in hotels are often rated 2 hour, and iirc it doesnt even require double 5/8" on both sides.

If you are worried about penetrating it, you can get pre-made sleeve kits from STI that have everything you need and a 2 hr rating if installed correctly.
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Hotels do not fall under the IRC.
 
cowboyjwc said:
oh then in that case you were incorrect. Two layers of 5/8's on both sides with a 2/4 or steel stud in between is a two hour assembly. Not the only way, but the most common.
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I may not. I may be thinking the ceilings were double rocked. I'll have to check to see if there are any 2 hr wall assemblies using less than 2 5/8" drywall on both sides; maybe they were 1hr, or rockwool insulation.

There is one wall here:

https://www.buildgp.com/GypsumAssemblies.aspx?ShowAll=True

Double rocked on one side and single on the other with a 2hr rating, only with metal stud, resilient channel, and using "ToughRock® Fireguard C® Products
DensArmor Plus® Fireguard C® Products". That wall also uses just 1/2" drywall.
 
mstrlucky74 said:
Have a tele/data closet that has sheetrock. Is there any way this closet could be a 2 hour rated closet if it's sheetrocked? Thought it had to be ONLY masonary/concrete exposed walls to be 2 hour rated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Before I got into the electrical field worked in telecom/networking for several years. For most of our "add-on" installations to existing data closets, we would usually paint a plywood backboard with a gray colored paint that was fire rated. Its been a while, I don't quite recall the exact name/brand of the paint we would use
 
Lock Nut said:
Before I got into the electrical field worked in telecom/networking for several years. For most of our "add-on" installations to existing data closets, we would usually paint a plywood backboard with a gray colored paint that was fire rated. Its been a while, I don't quite recall the exact name/brand of the paint we would use
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Something like this maybe? Interesting product, never heard of it till now.

https://flameoffcoatings.com/intumescent-fire-resistant-paint
 
Lock Nut said:
I believe that is it. What we used may have been a different brand but I think its the same stuff. We would paint the backboards with two coats of that and use "plenum" cable ties if/when required.
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Or you use this. If you choose to paint it for "belt and suspenders", mask off the label.
 
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