Specifying and Using Fire-Retardant-Treated Wood

For some applications, building codes provide for the use of fire-retardant-treated (FR) wood products as an alternative to noncombustible materials. To ensure that FR wood products are properly specified, it is important to understand how these products are made, their formulations, and the building code references that guide their use in construction. This course offers a review of FR wood products, including their manufacture, the applications and types of fire retardants that are available, and the factors that must be considered to ensure FR wood products are properly specified for code compliance.

Upon completion of this course, the Learner should be able to:

• Summarize the manufacturing process of FR wood, including how fire retardants are infused into FR wood products, offering a deep layer of protection.
• Explain the mechanics of fire and how FR wood products break the combustion cycle, allowing time for safe egress for building occupants and for emergency services to respond.
• Discuss how to identify and correctly specify FR wood products to ensure they meet building code requirements.
• Define the common interior and exterior applications and code-mandated testing standards of FR wood products to confirm their fire prevention properties.
• State where FR wood is required under the International Building Code.

Approximately 1 hour. Delivered online, at your own pace.

Presented by Butch Bernhardt on behalf of Western Wood Preservers Institute. View the Privacy Policy .