WHAT IS EUROCLASS FIRE RATING AND REACTION TO FIRE?
Reaction To Fire is a classification of how much a material is contributing to the development of a fire in an early stage. The testing methods are designed to simulate the incipient and growth phases of a fire to determine the fire class of a building material. The European classification system for fire protection was approved in the year 2001 with the EN 13501 series of standards. The former national test standards for the reaction to fire of materials have been replaced by this new European classification system. This section gives you an insight into Gustaf’s products and their fire classifications.
REACTION TO FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS
The Euroclass EN 13501-1 system is divided into the following classifications:
A1 – Non-combustible materials. No contribution to fire.
A2 – Non-combustible materials. No noticeable contribution to fire.
B – Combustible materials. Little or no contribution to fire.
C – Combustible materials. Limited contribution to fire.
D – Combustible materials. Contributes to fire.
E – Combustible materials. Major contribution to fire.
F – Combustible materials. Not within classes A1-E.
S1 – The material contribute little or insignificantly to the development of smoke.
d0 – The material do not create flaming particles or droplets when subjected to fire.
REACTION TO FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS
The Euroclass EN 13501-1 system is divided into the following classifications:
A1 – Non-combustible materials. No contribution to fire.
A2 – Non-combustible materials. No noticeable contribution to fire.
B – Combustible materials. Little or no contribution to fire.
C – Combustible materials. Limited contribution to fire.
D – Combustible materials. Contributes to fire.
E – Combustible materials. Major contribution to fire.
F – Combustible materials. Not within classes A1-E.
S1 – The material contribute little or insignificantly to the development of smoke.
d0 – The material do not create flaming particles or droplets when subjected to fire.
EUROCLASS FIRE RATING & REACTION TO FIRE FOR GUSTAFS’ PRODUCTS
The table below shows the fire class for the final product as they are installed.
| Product | Core Material | Fire Class – Final Product |
|---|---|---|
| Gustafs Panels | Fibre Gypsum Core | A2-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Panels | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Panels | Fire Retardant Improved Plywood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | Fibre Gypsum Core | B-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | MDF | D-s2,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | Fibre Gypsum Core | A2-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | MDF | D-s2,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Fire Retardant Improved Solid Wood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Fire Retardant Improved Plywood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Plywood | D-s2,d0 |
Fire Retardants VS Material Composition
* please note that the Reaction to Fire for these products has been improved by adding fire retardants (impregnations and lacquers). Read more about this in the link below.
EUROCLASS FIRE RATING & REACTION TO FIRE FOR GUSTAFS’ PRODUCTS
The table below shows the fire class for the final product as they are installed.
| Product | Core Material | Fire Class – Final Product |
|---|---|---|
| Gustafs Panels | Fibre Gypsum Core | A2-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Panels | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Panels | Fire Retardant Improved Plywood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | Fibre Gypsum Core | B-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Rib | MDF | D-s2,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | Fibre Gypsum Core | A2-s1,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | Fire Retardant Improved MDF* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Plank | MDF | D-s2,d0 |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Fire Retardant Improved Solid Wood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Fire Retardant Improved Plywood* – B-s1,d0 | Core Class |
| Gustafs Linear Module | Plywood | D-s2,d0 |
Fire Retardants VS Material Composition
* please note that the Reaction to Fire for these products has been improved by adding fire retardants (impregnations and lacquers). Read more about this in the link below.
REACTION TO FIRE TEST METHODS
Reaction to fire tests
Reaction to fire testing methods are designed to simulate the incipient and growth phases of a fire. The purpose is to evaluate how products and materials contribute to the early stages of a fire in terms of:
- Ignitability
- Flame spread
- Heat release
- Smoke production
- Occurrence of flaming droplets/particles
European standards for interiors
Wall and Ceiling claddings used in public rooms must only make a small contribution to the fire development and to the production of smoke, meaning that normally minimum Euroclass B-s1,d0 is required.
- Reaction to fire, standard EN 13501-1 Construction products, including walls and ceilings
- Reaction to fire, standard EN 13501-1 Floorings
European standards for exteriors
For outdoor building elements like façade claddings, the same reaction to fire standard (EN 13501-1) is used, but alternative specific façade standards are available and valid in some of the countries belonging to the European community. In for example the Scandinavian countries such a specific façade standard is “SP FIRE 105”.
TESTS TO DETERMINE REACTION TO FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS ACCORDING TO 13501-1
The following 2 tests are conducted for the classification of building products (i.e. wood-based materials) according to EN 13501-1.
Test method EN ISO 11925-2
Inflammability of building products with direct exposure to flames.
Test method EN 13823
Thermal load from a single burning object.
CLASSIFICATIONS FOR WOOD-BASED MATERIALS
Plywood, OSB and Chipboards not improved by fire retardants will have a reaction to fire classification as stated in the table above.
REACTION TO FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS
The reaction to fire of construction and building materials, is divided into 7 classes (Euroclass A1, A2 and B through F). Class B-s1,d0 is normally the minimum requirement for public rooms. The actual trend is that more and more European countries start to require the A2-s1,d0 class for wall and ceilings in buildings with many floors, rooms for large crowds and escape routes, including the elevator and stairway sectors.
GUSTAFS PRODUCTS ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE TABLE ABOVE
The classifications are including the additional surface layer, surface finish, eventual acoustic perorations and the installation construction. In other cases the “core class” is shown.
