Anybody know if any shou sugi ban products are approved for use in Los Angeles VHFHSZ? Code says:
"Exterior walls shall be approved noncombustible or ignition-resistant material, heavy timber, or log wall construction or shall provide protection from the intrusion of flames and embers in accordance with standard SFM 12-7A-1 (704A.3)"
..but I have yet to find any such product that has been tested according to SFM 12-7a-1.
I am in the paint-and-coatings manufacturing business, although I have avoided fire-retardant products simply because there are too many folks already offering such products. I prefer to offer unique products.
This post caught my attention because, having recently developed a surface-stabilization treatment for Shou Sugi Ban that eliminates the flaking and charcoal contact-transfer, in the course of that I had to learn something about this wood-treatment.
The essence of it is that it develops a char of essentially charcoal on the surface.The charcoal thickness may be less than a millimeter, **or may be many millimeters**, and there we have an opportunity to do some thermal engineering.
The charcoal itself is combustible, although far less than plain wood. The charcoal is porous, (and if thick-enough offers a degree of thermal insulation) which suggests that some commercially available fire retardant treatment might be a candidate to impregnate that charcoal layer and thus give a surface that would certainly be more fire-resistant than chemical-impregnated cellulosic material, namely wood.
I googled your referenced specification and found this
and it clearly states that appropriately fire-retardant-treated wood may meet its requirements, because it gives that as an option. If plain wood so treated can meet its requirements, I suggest that wood bearing a layer of fire-retardant-treated-charcoal ought to more easily meet that specification.
If you have a client that wants to support your development work, the above might offer a Path Forward.
There are two other suppliers of Shou Sugi Ban; Delta Millworks https://deltamillworks.com/sho... in Texas and reSAWN Timber Co https://resawntimberco.com/sho.... in Pennsylvania, these latter three offering the Made In America option; there maybe others but I only see those four suppliers on a casual Google search.
You can also make your own if you have a contractor you trust and the time / money / interest to do enough mock-ups. If you can find a coating that you can convince your AHJ to allow (using an engineering judgement or similar) that could work.
Shou Sugi Ban in VHFHSZ?
Anybody know if any shou sugi ban products are approved for use in Los Angeles VHFHSZ? Code says:
"Exterior walls shall be approved noncombustible or ignition-resistant material, heavy timber, or log wall construction or shall provide protection from the intrusion of flames and embers in accordance with standard SFM 12-7A-1 (704A.3)"
..but I have yet to find any such product that has been tested according to SFM 12-7a-1.
Thanks..
I am in the paint-and-coatings manufacturing business, although I have avoided fire-retardant products simply because there are too many folks already offering such products. I prefer to offer unique products.
This post caught my attention because, having recently developed a surface-stabilization treatment for Shou Sugi Ban that eliminates the flaking and charcoal contact-transfer, in the course of that I had to learn something about this wood-treatment.
The essence of it is that it develops a char of essentially charcoal on the surface.The charcoal thickness may be less than a millimeter, **or may be many millimeters**, and there we have an opportunity to do some thermal engineering.
The charcoal itself is combustible, although far less than plain wood. The charcoal is porous, (and if thick-enough offers a degree of thermal insulation) which suggests that some commercially available fire retardant treatment might be a candidate to impregnate that charcoal layer and thus give a surface that would certainly be more fire-resistant than chemical-impregnated cellulosic material, namely wood.
I googled your referenced specification and found this
http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/downlo...
and it clearly states that appropriately fire-retardant-treated wood may meet its requirements, because it gives that as an option. If plain wood so treated can meet its requirements, I suggest that wood bearing a layer of fire-retardant-treated-charcoal ought to more easily meet that specification.
If you have a client that wants to support your development work, the above might offer a Path Forward.
http://nakamotoforestry.com/
http://charredwood.com/
ask these guys, almost the only ones offering it in the states.
There are two other suppliers of Shou Sugi Ban; Delta Millworks https://deltamillworks.com/sho... in Texas and reSAWN Timber Co https://resawntimberco.com/sho.... in Pennsylvania, these latter three offering the Made In America option; there maybe others but I only see those four suppliers on a casual Google search.
You can also make your own if you have a contractor you trust and the time / money / interest to do enough mock-ups. If you can find a coating that you can convince your AHJ to allow (using an engineering judgement or similar) that could work.
I'm waiting for Hardiplank to introduce man-made Shou Sugi Ban panels.
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