The Auxiliary Properties of Fire-Retardant Treated Wood

The development of an all-weather, fire-retardant treatment for wood products actually began its initial phase in the mid 1950’s with the general acceptance of conventional fire-retardant treatments in model building codes. Impregnation of wood with water-borne solutions of inorganic mineral salts afforded sufficient fire protection. However, wood treated with these water soluble salts when exposed to moisture, lost its fire protection as the salts were leached out. Developmental work aimed at improving the auxiliary properties of fire-retardant treatments resulted in the theory that fire protection could be extended to wood used on an exterior surface by using a water soluble monomer that could be polymerized in situ. Non-Com Exterior satisfied this requirement. Tests established by Underwriters’ Laboratories proved that this new development was both leach resistant and an acceptable fire retardant. Initial commercial application was in the treatment of wood shakes and shingles. Later it extended to commercial species of lumber and plywood.

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