Fire retardant wood use increasing

EIRE RETARDANT wood (FRT)

Fir no, a new prociuct, but irecause it has become a viable alternative to other methods for meeting fue codes, its market is increasing.

Men have been trying to make wood resist flue since the time of the Pharaohs, when EgyPtians charred the surface of lumber so it would not readily catch ffue.

The fire retardant treated wood industry in the U.S. dates to the late l8CIs when the Navy required its use in construction of certain parts of its warships. In the early l90s New York City became the first metropolitan area to make etcensive use of fue retardant treated wood in building construction. ln 194243 nearlY 90 million b.f. of lumber and PlYwood were fue retardant treated for use in hangars for Navy blimPs and other construction projecs.

Since that time the demand has declined, limited partly by unawareness and by problems of hygroscopicitY and corrosiveness. But fhicon wood, a recent development of Koppers Co., Inc., has overcome many of the liabilities. It is said to be virtually no more hygroscopic (ikely to absorb moisture from the air) than untreated wood, even in interior environments of up to 9590 relative humidity. A mixture of organic and inorganic chemicals, Dricon does not contain ammonium sulfate, the corrosive contributing compound found in earlier formulas.

Encouraged by imProvements in the product, ftily architects and homeowners are interested in using a material which will limit fue, reduce building costs in some cases and qualify for lower insurance rates. Dealers should be making those in their community aware of the availability of FRT lumber, encouraging its use with literature, advertising and informative seminars.

New construction using Dricon can be found in many geographical areas. In the mountains of Avery County' N.C., a two-story, three-bedroom home is being built at Elk River featuring all FRT wood framing. Across the state at Ocean Isle Beach, a twostory, four-bedroom beachfront home is being constructed out of FRT framing.

A west coast development firm saYs it's saving approximately $l million on a $30 million condominium project using FRT wood as a fue code acc:eptable alternative to concrete and concrete slab. FRT lumber is being used for studs and exterior wall framing for a 22A unit retirement residence complex in Terra Linda, Ca.

Steve Dean, Dean Lumber Co., Gilmer, Tx., is building his own house out of Dricon trusses,lumber and plywood. "My insurance company tells me that they will insure my house as if it were a metal building," he reports. "That's going to save me 2USOo/v every year in insurance costs. Also I found that for termite resistance, I could save 600 per fmt in l0 Year chemical insecticide treatments by using Dricon." (Although Dricon treating chemicals are not sold as wood preservatives, tests have shown them to have excellent decay and termite resistant properties.)

Other sales points dealers should stress include that while FRT wood will not prevent all fires, it can increase the po*sibility of containing a fue within a room, ernits less smoke when exposed to fliame, lengthens (Pleose turn to page 57)

Story at a Glance Problems ol hYgroscoPicitY

and coroslYenoss eas€d...use lowers bulldlng costs and insur' anoe rates...satsties bullding codes...becomin g more PoPular.