IBC Chapter Twenty Six - Plastic (Foam)
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2603.4 Thermal Barrier
Code Excerpt:
2603.4 Thermal Barrier
Except as provided for in Sections 2603.4.1 and 2603.8, foam plastic shall be separated from the interior of a building by an approved thermal barrier of 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard or equivalent thermal barrier material that will limit the average temperature rise of the unexposed surface to not more than 250F (120C) after 15 minutes of fire exposure, complying with the standard time-temperature curve of ASTM E 119. The thermal barrier shall be installed in such a manner that it will remain in place for 15 minutes based on
25' Corner Test, UL 1040,
NFPA 286 or UL 1715. Combustible concealed spaces shall comply with Section 717.
National Partitions:
The minimum code requirement is a 15 minute thermal barrier. Regular 1/2"
gypsum is 15 minutes, regular 5/8" gypsum is 20 minutes... as a
standard, National Partitions use 5/8" Type "X" gypsum which is a
40 minute thermal barrier.
National Partitions greatly exceeds the above requirement.
Further National Partitions has passed the NFPA 286 and 25' Corner Test fire
tests for its Steel clad EPS wall systems.
Others:
Others continue to violate this code with a Hardboard and EPS core
panel that does not meet the requirements of this code... and routinely
provide systems that have NOT passed the NFPA 286 or 25' Corner Test tests. This
places an unnecessary liability on their customers.
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