If you need to install a firestop system but aren’t really sure about which products to opt for, CableOrganizer.com is ready to help get you on the right track with a summary of our fire protection materials and the applications they’re best suited to. All our suggestions are appropriate to their applications, but please keep in mind that building and fire codes change from town to town. Be sure to consult your local standards before making a final decision on any fire protection product. Happy firestopping!
WHAT SHOULD I USE FOR A LARGE THROUGH-PENETRATION FIRESTOP?
Right off the bat, we can recommend two different solutions from 3M. For larger through-penetration firestop applications, a product like the 3M™ Fire Barrier Composite Sheet is a great fit. This offering from 3M™ is super thin and lightweight, easy to install, and is perfectly suited for use at cable tray, pipe and conduit penetration points in walls and floors. With a 4-part intumescent design that delivers excellent heat conductivity, zero-mess factor installation and a 4-hour fire protection rating, the Fire Barrier Composite Sheet is a highly effective product.
3M’s Fire Barrier Pillows are another ideal solution for filling in both blank openings and larger-scale penetration gaps where cable trays and conduit pass through fire-rated walls. These intumescent pillows are simple to install and replace, are UL-listed for 3 hours of fire protection, and have been designed in compliance with NEC, NFPA, SBCCI, BOCA and ICBO building codes.
WHICH PRODUCTS ARE BEST FOR FILLING IN THE SMALL GAPS IN LARGE PENETRATION FIRESTOP ASSEMBLIES?
It’s pretty much inevitable that you’ll end up with small gaps that need filling in. For this job, we recommend materials like Abesco Fire Foam Spray, as well as several products by 3M™, including 3M™ Fire Barrier Water Tight Sealant. The intumescent foams and sealants by Abesco and 3M™ are easy to install, versatile, provide great adhesion, and will maintain the integrity of your penetration firestop.
WHICH PRODUCTS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR SEALING THE EDGES OF FIRESTOP SYSTEMS?
There’s no point in installing an entire firestop assembly if smoke and flame will be able to sneak through around the edges! That’s why we carry such a wide variety of intumescent caulks and sealants. For putting the finishing touches on your penetration firestop system, CableOrganizer.com recommends products like Fire Barrier IC 15WB Sealant, Fire Barrier CP 25WB+ Caulk and Fire Barrier 2000 Silicone Sealant from 3M™, as well as Abesco’s CP 310 Intumescent Caulk.
WHAT IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR INSULATING DUCTWORK?
If firestopping commercial kitchen grease ducts is the job you’re tackling, we suggest that you reach for 615 Plus Fire Barrier Duct Wrap by 3M™! In the world of duct wrap, 3M™ surpasses the competition with its thin, flexible, foil-encapsulated design and safer fiber content. This product is ideal for use in applications where space can get tight and is listed for up to two hours of fire protection.
WHAT CAN I USE TO FIRESTOP CABLE BUNDLE PENETRATIONS?
When your application calls for cable bundle penetrations through fire-rated walls and floors, you’ll need a gap-filling compound that can be worked into the bundles, so that you get the most effective fire protection seal possible! We recommend SpecSeal® Firestop Mortar. This polypropylene-reinforced cement-like product is completely free of asbestos and MMMF (man-made mineral fibers). It comes ready-to-mix in a variety of ratios, which allows you to adjust the mortar’s consistency so that it perfectly suits your installation method.
Another great product for cable bundle through-penetrations is Abesco’s CT120 Cable Transit. This is one-shot firestopping at its best…there’s no need mix or cut materials to size because everything you need is incorporated into one neat package. The CT120’s clever design incorporates a sleeve made of 22-gauge stainless steel with a graphite-based lining material that snugly holds cables in place and intumesces in fire conditions to block the passage of smoke, fumes and flame.
IS THERE A FIRESTOP PRODUCT THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY SEAL LARGE AREAS OF WALL-FLOOR PERIMETER JOINTS?
We highly recommend FireDam™ Spray 200 by 3M™ for situations like perimeter-joint sealing. Not only does it provide excellent fire protection, but it also allows you cover a lot of ground in a short time. This product offers great adhesion to just about any building material, flexibility to accommodate joint movement and is UL-classified in both Canada and the U.S. to provide four hours of smoke and flame protection. FireDam™ Spray 200 is applied to surfaces with an airless sprayer and dries faster than many other firestop products on the market: it becomes tack-free in four hours, completely dries in 24 and is even paintable when cured.
Shop at CableOrganizer® for more fire protection products including fire caulks, sealants and mortar.
