UL Certifies First NFPA 285 Exterior Wall System with FRTW
Originally published by: Hoover Treated Wood Products, Inc — January 3, 2020
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NEWLY LISTED EWS MEETS IBC FLAME PROPAGATION REQUIREMENTS
UL recently tested and promulgated a listing for an exterior wall system (EWS) containing pressure-impregnated fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW), which makes the plan approval process for Type I, II, and III construction quicker and easier for architects.
The new NFPA 285 listing, UL System No. EWS0045, is the first FRTW exterior wall system to be tested by UL for the vertical and lateral flame propagation requirements of the International Building Code (IBC). The system requires the use of Hoover Treated Wood Products’ Pyro-Guard® fire-retardant-treated lumber and plywood.
“With this new listing,” said Thomas Meyers, President of Building Intuition, LLC, a Colorado-based code consultancy, “Hoover is now the first and only FRTW manufacturer in full compliance with the new provisions of the IBC.”
Pyro-Guard® lumber and plywood are widely used for weather-protected applications in buildings of Type I, II, and III construction. As pressure-impregnated, FRTW products listed by UL, Pyro-Guard® lumber and plywood comply with all requirements in the model codes and standards, including but not limited to: IBC, IRC, and IWUIC, as well as NFPA 101, NFPA 703, and NFPA 5000.
The corresponding UL Evaluation Report (UL ER7002-01) contains more information about Pyro-Guard® FRTW lumber and plywood products. Hoover Treated Wood Products also produces an FRTW Design and Construction Guide with more information about FRTW, including framing, other interior, and exterior applications. Using their AIA-approved (HSW credit) seminars and taught by their ICC Preferred Education Providers, Hoover Treated Wood Products also offers complimentary seminars on FRTW.
