Indoff    -  nationwide sales
860-632-2026
860-632-2028 Fax
ahutton@ahutton.com

for complete boards with frames see
Bulletin Index

For Many School applications the fire rating is very important to your choice of tackable surfaces.

For example:  Areas that fire marshalls require A rated materials are School Hallways, Classrooms that are Hospitals, Convalescent homes, College Dorms.   There may be specific requirements in your locale so check. This page is just a guideline.

What is the ASTM E-84 requirement on a spec? Standard Test method for Surface Burning Characteristics of building material

 Flame-spread, used to describe the surface burning characteristics of building materials. The best known test for developing this rating is the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Test Method E-84, commonly known as the tunnel test.

The tunnel test measures how far and how fast flames spread across the surface of the test sample. In this test, a sample of the material 20 inches wide and 25 feet long, is installed as ceiling of a test chamber, and exposed to a gas flame at one end. The resulting flame spread rating (FSR) is expressed as a number on a continuous scale where inorganic reinforced cement board is 0 and red oak is 100. The scale is divided into three classes.  

1. Fire-rated classifications:
   • Class A or I – Flame spread 0-25
   • Class B or II – Flame spread 26-75
   • Class C or III – Flame spread 76-200
   • Smoke developed is less than 400

Rated Fabric on fire Retardent Micor (or Claridge fire-retardent Duaracor)31 

Rated Vinyl (FabriCork) on fire Retardent Micor (or Claridge fire-retardent Duaracor)32 
Also can be made into framed 800 Series Boards 04 

There is no cork that is Class A.  The tackable surfaces are made by putting special fabrics or vinyl's over fire retardant cores.

Forbo Cork (Claridge Cork)   30 
Rated B for all

Natural Corks (NuCork)  28 
Come in both B and non-rated.  There is a substantial upcharge for the rating of 20 to 40%

Fire rated natural cork Spec