In industrial construction, building primarily out of steel offers several advantages when it comes to fire safety. Since steel is non-flammable, it can easily resist fire and the spread of fire within a building. However, working with steel is only a starting point. Factors such as occupancy and location must be considered, plus -at the least- all exterior walls near to other buildings must be fire rated to prevent the spread of fire outside.
These needs can be challenging for architects and engineers to meet – but fire-rated wall panels make it much easier. These panels help you achieve superior fire resistance, at an affordable price, while offering additional benefits.
Fire Rated Wall Panels Create Better and Safer Steel Buildings
What are fire-rated wall panels? Also known as “structural insulated panels,” these are an all-in-one construction solution that acts as both insulation and wall at once. They feature a core of mineral fiber and other fire-resistant materials, with laminated steel applied to either side.
This gives them the strength to act as walls while including plenty of flame-resistant insulation within. The thickness of the panels determines the overall level of insulation and fire resistance. With an R-rating of 4.1 per inch, their insulative properties quickly add up. In addition, each inch of thickness past 4″ adds another hour of fire resistance as well.
A six-inch panel will have an R-rating of R- 24, and when installed according to testing specifications they are able to hold back fire for at least three hours! This makes them a genuinely excellent solution for insulating and fire-proofing a wall.
Beyond this, fire-rated wall panels are also cheap and easy to deploy. They’re shipped pre-fabricated from the factory, ready to be immediately put into place. They utilize standardized locking mechanisms along their edges, allowing them to effectively just snap together. As such, they require significantly less manpower and less time to build with, compared to more traditional solutions such as gypsum wallboard.
In addition, the panels can be deployed almost anywhere in a building, while being painted to match any color scheme. Their design also gives them superior soundproofing properties as well – a major value add for any business which may have to house machinery which is both hot and noisy.
Overall, fire-rated wall panels provide a superior solution for fire-ready steel construction, and Structural Panels, Inc. makes them easy to work with. Contact us for a free quote!