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fire wall

BADSIX

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searched all over for this. I'm closing in a carport that has a bedroom above, the floor in the bedroom is 1 1/2 tongue and groove with 1/2 plywood over that .floor joist are 4x12 spaced on 5' centers. is this going to be code or do I need to put sheet rock? I know the door needs to be a min. of 1 3/8 solid wood, so what i'm wondering is the 2" of wood as good as the required sheet rock witch I believe is 5/8 .
Jay D.
 
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sherlocktk

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To my recollection Walls need to have a 1 hour fire rating, where firedoors need 20 minutes for residential. I suspect you need 5/8 sheetrock installed as it is a good fire barrier.
 

strutaeng

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You need to ask your local jurisdiction. You are bound to get wrong answers here.

1/2" gypsum board has zero hour rating.
5/8" Type 'X' has 30 minute rating.
2 layers of 5/8" has 1 hour.

This is for a "rated assembly" meaning penetrations have to be rated also. Single family don't typically have fire rated assembly requirements; however, most local authorities require 5/8" Type X separating the garage from house.

This might help, but check with local codes to confirm:
http://www2.iccsafe.org/cs/committeeArea/pdf_file/RE_15_04_16.pdf
 

matt_i

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Its worth investigating Type C. It is not much more expensive than Type X and is considerably more resistant to the thermal breakdown of a fire's heat.
 

TractorJeff

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Elkhorn, WI
Seems a shame to have inch & half tongue and groove covered with plywood!
Is a 4x12 on 5 foot centers acceptable to local code for a bedroom?
 
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ford33

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Feb 26, 2011
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Chicago, IL. USA
A 4"x5" on 5 foot centers sounds insufficient but if it held up for many years, hard to argue that it is not working. Before you enclose it, check to make sure you are not putting money into a structure that is not built well or to code. Later, when someone wants to buy the house, they will find it.
 

RVDan

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Five foot centers? There's no way that's allowed to have a floor. Sheetrock won't be happy spanning five feet either.

Yeah it's dumb, we all know 1.5" tongue and groove has plenty of strength to span 5' but that won't make it legal.
 
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BADSIX

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oregon coast
You need to ask your local jurisdiction. You are bound to get wrong answers here.

1/2" gypsum board has zero hour rating.
5/8" Type 'X' has 30 minute rating.
2 layers of 5/8" has 1 hour.

This is for a "rated assembly" meaning penetrations have to be rated also. Single family don't typically have fire rated assembly requirements; however, most local authorities require 5/8" Type X separating the garage from house.

This might help, but check with local codes to confirm:
http://www2.iccsafe.org/cs/committeeArea/pdf_file/RE_15_04_16.pdf

thanks , code is 1 sheet of 5/8 sheetrock on the ceiling. i'm going to contact my building insp.


Jay D.
 
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BADSIX

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Seems a shame to have inch & half tongue and groove covered with plywood!
Is a 4x12 on 5 foot centers acceptable to local code for a bedroom?

Why is it a shame, this floor is or was built over a carport (this is a remodel ) and is the master bedroom it was sheeted with 2x6 tongue and groove then a vapor barrier then the 1/2 plywood with carpet over that i'm 185# and and the floor is as solid as can be.
Jay D.
 
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BADSIX

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oregon coast
Five foot centers? There's no way that's allowed to have a floor. Sheetrock won't be happy spanning five feet either.

Yeah it's dumb, we all know 1.5" tongue and groove has plenty of strength to span 5' but that won't make it legal.

The floor has been there for 50 years and with may 185 # jumping on it its very solid.
 

Ggg

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N.W. IL.
I know of no code requirements that your 50 years of jumping would satisfy.
 

6768rogues

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Most codes are on line and you can look up the requirements.
There are books of archaic materials referenced by many codes, and they spell out the presumed fire rating of archaic materials and assemblies. It is very likely that your assembly has little or no fire resistance. Fire resistance provides protection for structural members so they don't fail. Your existing condition appears to have unprotected structural members. It would not matter if you had a foot of wood on top, if the joists fail it is worth nothing.
Assemblies have fire resistance ratings, materials do not. Type X wallboard has no fire rating, but it is used in systems that have fire resistance ratings. All the details have to be followed according to the listing, including fasteners and spacing, penetrations, seams, etc. Otherwise you only have a wallboard covering without any fire resistance rating. By listing, I mean in a manual of fire resistance tested assemblies by UL, GA, Factory Mutual or equivalent accepted testing laboratory.
If you simply want to build an assembly that is fire rated for 1-hour from the garage side, look at Gypsum Association assembly RC2601/FC5406. It used two layers of 5/8" GWB type X but the instructions for support and attachment, etc, have to be followed. You will probably have to add support members.
Take a look at the assembly in this link. It is typical of the instructions for fire resistance rated assemblies. If you go to the building department and tell them you are using GA2601/FC5406, if they know what they are doing they will understand and know what to inspect. The link is an RC assembly, so it works for roofs and ceilings. It is also FC for floor/ceiling.
http://www.americangypsum.com/data/design_library_pdfs/RC2601.pdf
Or take a look at this:
http://glgsupply.yourwebhosting.com/page/resources/gypsum_pdfs/ga-610-02.pdf
There are hundreds of assemblies available, so you have to research and find the easiest to use in your instance. That is what an architect does as part of his paid service. When I was a code enforcer, I wanted an assembly number and I brought the manual with me when I inspected it. Without an assembly number, no building permit from my office. You didn't need to hire an architect, but if not you had to know what you were about to do.
Incidentally, it is not a fire wall; most codes assign a different meaning to those words. Most codes call it a fire barrier, fire partition or a ceiling with a fire resistance rating. Calling it the right thing will help the building department believe that you know your stuff.
 
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