Wall framing and fire blocking

[green.bubbly]

I am almost finished framing the interior walls on my steel building home. I have been thinking about fire blocking. Does fiberglass insulation qualify as a fire block in place of wood fire blocks in the stud cavity?

I plan on placing R13 fiberglass in the interior walls as well as the perimeter walls. This is for reduced noise between rooms and also I will be doing zoned cooling so i want to help reduce heat transfer between rooms.

I have a couple of double 2x4 walls and I know I need a wood fire block at the top plate to close off the space between the walls. Is it recommended to also caulk around this area with fire caulk? I ask because my wife will have an upstairs craft room and will spend a good bit of time up there while nobody is home. Would the fire caulk provide any additional escape time or am I just wasting money and time?

 

[Buckled]

Try using mineral wool (Roxul/rotten cotton) in your walls instead of using regular insulation. It is denser so it helps with noise transmission better. It's also the same material used in firestopping applications. The fire caulk will help create a smoke seal, stopping smoke from traveling from one room to another. Fire caulk by itself stands up to heat better than regular caulk or foam, isn't fire proof by itself.

 

[rodder98]

I am not positive, but I think any type of caulk will do the job. The purpose is to prevent air from getting up into the rafter/trusses area. Firecaulking won't burn, but the wood fire blocking is combustible, so I don't see the point of fire caulking.

 

[demographic]

Could you put another layer of plasterboard on the walls?

Over here timber stud walls with a layer of plasterboard on each side are rated at half hour and a double layer on each side is rated at an hour fire protection.

 

[Zeke]

Wallboard with a sound rating is now available. It's not so much the hollow walls that transmits sound, but the attachment of the drywall to the studs both sides. I guess those double 2 x 4 walls are staggered studs to prevent that.

 

[Ray-CA]

You could try denim insulation (http://www.soundaway.com/Ultratouch_Denim_Insulation_s/79.htm?gclid=CPjkr93p5qwCFWgaQgodiGRpiQ) Fire resistant, great sound barrier etc.

Ray

 

[Norcal]

Use steel studs w/ steel framing as blocking, insulation will not suffice as fire blocking.