Common Questions:

What wood should I use for my project to align with flame spread building codes?

Depending upon occupancy, location of the material in the building, and the presence of sprinkles, there are different maximum flame spread indices that are permitted.

To view, the full list of flame spread indices, please click the download. (PDF Download)

The download outlines the different flame spread indices of solid wood products which “shows that most tested wood products have a flame spread index less than 200, making them acceptable under current building codes for a wide range of interior finish uses.”

How are code requirements for wood interior finish material measured?

Most flame spread requirements for wood interior finish material are represented in terms of ‘flame spread index’ numbers. The flame spread index is determined by a standard fire test that evaluates the surface burning characteristics of a material.