As builders work to fill the needs of a growing population, they look to wood—a versatile, sustainable, and cost-effective building material.
Of course, there’s a caveat: Wood burns.
Fortunately, today’s fire retardant treated wood products help builders minimize the impacts of fire. To ensure acceptance of these products in construction, its essential to have accepted standards for the specification, application, and use of fire retardants.
That’s where the Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI) comes in. As part of their overarching mission, this nonprofit trade organization monitors building codes and standards, advocates for fair standards in defining the performance of fire retardant treated wood products, and provides education about their use and benefits.
Get up to date insights you can use now
Join me as I moderate the upcoming webinar “Fire Retardant Treated Wood for Durable Construction,” September 25 at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Hosted by the Phosphorus, Inorganic and Nitrogen Flame Retardants Association (Pinfa), this webinar shines a spotlight on common fire retardant treated wood applications, related product standards and building codes, and current construction industry trends in fire safety.
Presenter Timm Locke of the Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI) brings a rare combination of technical and regulatory expertise to this always-timely topic.
Why wood construction?
Manufacturers use borates across a wide variety of wood construction products including:
- Lumber and plywood
- Engineered wood products such as oriented strand board (OSB), fiberboard, and particleboard
- Mass timber products such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) and wood plastic composites (WPC)
Today’s builders choose these wood and timber products because they deliver highly practical benefits. Wood construction products can be:
- Engineered to be as strong as steel or concrete in building structures
- Pre-fabricated away from a building site, dramatically reducing build time and costs
- Environmentally beneficial because timber continues to store CO2 even after harvesting
Boron’s role in fire safety
Across building applications, boron is an ideal fire retardant solution, helping builders meet building codes and construction industry standards with its ability to retard both fire and smoke.
During a fire, borates form a strong and stable char that inhibits flame combustion and suppresses smoke formation and afterglow. Slower flame growth and less smoke means people have more time to escape a burning structure.
A pioneer in fire retardancy for wood
U.S. Borax has been a global leader in the search for effective fire retardancy protection for more than 50 years. Our researchers have built upon our vast body of knowledge to expand the efficacy and value of boron flame retardants in wood.
To reduce flammability and provide safety, wood is chemically treated before use. Some of the most commonly used fire-retardant chemicals in the wood industry are borate inorganic salts such as boric acid (Optibor®) or disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT—Polybor®).
Those water-soluble borates are especially effective in vacuum or pressure treating wood. In this method (which is commonly used with products such as dimensional lumber and plywood), the wood is impregnated with flame retardants in an aqueous solution.
In engineered wood products such as MDF, a class A (ASTM E84) fire rating can be obtained by incorporating the borate into the product during the manufacturing process.
The outcome of these treatment methods is that the borate is not just on the surface but is integrated deep into the wood to provide durable, safe, and long-lasting protection.
Besides suppressing flammability and afterglow, borates have minimal impact on the products’ dimensional stability and mechanical performance.
Looking for help with your boron flame retardant formulation or application?
U.S. Borax technical experts are well-versed in the advantages of using boron flame retardants in wood products. We actively support the efforts of WWPI and Pinfa to ensure the highest standards for effectiveness, environmental safety, and protection of human health in flame retardancy products.
Tap into industry expertise in the upcoming Pinfa webinar. And, reach out with any questions. We’re here to support you.
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