Fireproofing wood

Wood is a robust, insulating and particularly attractive building material, and is the material of choice for the construction of structures and frameworks. Despite all its advantages, wood is a living material that is subject to the vagaries of climate, biological agents, wood-eating insects and fire. With all these enemies, it’s important to protect wood with the right means, which is why Group Berkem is talking to you today about fireproof wood protection.

What is fireproof protection?

Fireproofing is a passive, preventive solution for converting flammable material into non-flammable material. This protective process, known as fireproofing, involves applying a protective chemical primer in the form of a coating or paint to a material to prevent it from burning and heating up.
Fire retardant protection is perfectly suited to wood materials and can be applied to all types and species of wood, whatever their use: facade, cladding, framework, etc.

Why fireproof wood?

Like most building materials, wood is sensitive to flames, but contrary to popular belief, wood is a moderately flammable material. Its high density means that it burns slowly and evenly, unlike steel or concrete, which melt when heated.
However, despite its safety properties, it is strongly recommended that wooden structures or works be given fireproof protection to make them completely fireproof, thereby protecting the heritage and ensuring the safety of those present. This is why Group Berkem has developed the XILIX 500 RF fireproofing solution to protect existing wood.

XILIX 500 RF treatment to protect your wooden structures

XILIX 500 RF is a fire-retardant protection product in the form of a ready-to-use emulsion. This product is applied professionally by spraying or injection to all wood materials, whether structural or not, in the home.
After this treatment, the wood adopts new fire-retardant properties and obtains the following classification according to its species:

• Softwoods and BS1 become classified C-s2 and ed0, equivalent to M2. M2-rated wood is not highly flammable.
• Hardwoods are now classified d0, equivalent to M1. M1-rated wood is very difficult to burn.

XILIX 500 RF is an effective, long-lasting way of protecting wood from fire, and is compatible with a finish that has the same fire rating as XILIX 500 RF.