Telephone Backboards.......

[Fulthrotl]

now, here is the question......

do they have to be stamped "Fireproof" on the board.....

my experience with them is that you get a sheet of 3/4" plywood,
grade "A" on one side, and screw it to the wall in the phone closet.

do a nice tidy job about it, take time to make the screws evenly
spaced, and call it a day.

i have never seen a backboard marked fireproof yet....

what say you guys?


randy

 

[wireguru]

technically speaking, yes they do need to be fireproof (or fire resistant i forget which) plywood (or painted with fireproof paint that costs more than the fireproof plywood). When installed the fireproof stamp has to be left unpainted.

practically speaking many backboards are just regular plywood and no one ever makes an issue. One place I see it enforced is in highrise buildings, mostly by building management.

another way to do it ive seen in a very restrictive jurisdiction (vegas) is install plywood, then drywall over it (including installing strips of drywall around the edges of the plywood so the entire sheet of plywood is encapsulated in drywall)

i think its kind of stupid (except in highrise phone closets) as anywhere a phone backboard is ends up piled with combustible material anyways

 

[jmellc]

I've seen many with standard plywood. I bid a couple of jobs where fire retardant plywood was specified. A 4 x 8 x 3/4 sheet at a good lumberyard here was $28 & change. I think all the FR wood I've seen is sort of pinkish or reddish tint. Don't remember for sure, haven't seen any in a long time. I worked a hotel job where a lot was used, about 10 years ago.

 

[infinity]

This would be part of the building code. In NYC all of the aforementioned plywood has to have a fire rating. Typically it's painted with regular paint but the stamp on the wood that's providing the rating information is not painted over for visible inspection.

 

[luckylerado]

We are required to use fire rated plywood for all backboards and all blocking inside the walls for hanging panels. Also we have special screws that are listed in the spec.

 

[iwire]

We are required to use fire rated plywood for all backboards and all blocking inside the walls for hanging panels. Also we have special screws that are listed in the spec.

Great, but by who?

The building code, job specs, customers request?

 

[roger]

The majority of the jobs we do spec fire retardant backboards which we buy from local lumber yards. If the specs call for them to be painted gray we will tape over one of the FR stamps with the information so that it can remain visible for proof reasons.

Some jobs allow for using a retardant paint over common plywood.

Roger

 

[kwired]

Is telephone equipment prone to starting fires? Maybe buildings should only be allowed to be concrete and steel. (carpet would not be allowed unless made of concrete or steel)

I have never used anything fire retardant for this equipment because it was required. I have placed plywood in the wall before sheetrock is hung just for a neater looking installation when finished.

If in a room with a fire rating to protect that room from the rest of the building what is the big deal? There is lots of things that can be in a building that will increase the risk of fire spread, that is why they require certain ratings on doors, walls, floors, ceilings, etc. to help prevent spread from one room to the next.

 

[roger]

Is telephone equipment prone to starting fires? Maybe buildings should only be allowed to be concrete and steel. (carpet would not be allowed unless made of concrete or steel)

I have never used anything fire retardant for this equipment because it was required. I have placed plywood in the wall before sheetrock is hung just for a neater looking installation when finished.

If in a room with a fire rating to protect that room from the rest of the building what is the big deal? There is lots of things that can be in a building that will increase the risk of fire spread, that is why they require certain ratings on doors, walls, floors, ceilings, etc. to help prevent spread from one room to the next.

As far as a specification is concerned, I don't care if they wanted a gold backboard, I include it in my proposal and mark it up, therefor I'm happy.

If it's a building code issue you will need to ask someone making the codes.

We have one city that requires all wood in commercial bldgs to be FR, even blocking for cabinets and millwork.

Roger

 

[iwire]

We have one city that requires all wood in commercial bldgs to be FR, even blocking for cabinets and millwork.

That has often been my experience as well. It has nothing to do with the telephone equipment it has to do with wood in general.

 

[wireguru]

That has often been my experience as well. It has nothing to do with the telephone equipment it has to do with wood in general.

yep. dont want any combustible material in a riser space in a 50 story building now do we....