Commercial Building Product Headed Home

New codes are sending fire retardant treated wood into residences.

Guest Post By Huck DeVenzio, Arch Wood Protection

Commercial, public, and military buildings have used fire retardant treated (FRT) wood for a century in order to minimize damage from fire. In many applications, building codes have long required a noncombustible material or suitable substitute, such as FRT wood.

Now, this wood is likely to see greater use in single-family homes, and changing residential codes are prompting the trend.

As more people build homes closer to natural areas and closer to each other, the potential consequences of wildfire have increased. Officials in fire-prone areas are closely reviewing codes written for the "wildland-urban interface."

The International Code Congress has established a model code, the International Urban-Wildland Interface Code, and California's state fire marshal has developed Wildland Urban Interface Building Standards. These documents emphasize designs and materials that are less susceptible to ignition from firebrands and radiant heat. They effect choice of building products for roofing, siding, windows, trim, and even decks.

FRT wood is pressure-treated with fire retardants that reduce flame spread and smoke development in lumber and plywood. It is available in interior types and exterior products that retain fire retardance when exposed to the elements.

For more information on FRT wood, including videos on residential usage, visit www.usefrtw.com.

For practical homeowner tips, see www.firewise.org.

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Author Bio: Huck DeVenzio is manager of marketing communications at Arch Wood Protection, Inc., a leading producer of wood treating chemicals and licensor of some of the best known brands of treated wood, including Wolmanized® lumber. Mr. DeVenzio has been involved with wood preservation since 1973. For more information, visit www.wolmanizedwood.com.