Commercial Carpet Fire Resistant Rating - Flame Retardant Grade of Different Carpet Materials

The legislation proposes classifications of the different floor coverings that are used in

buildings. It concerns coverings that are laid from wall to wall, and are fixed in such a way as

to form an integral part of the building. It, therefore, does not concern standard carpets, but

rolls or large cuts.

Carpet Fire Rating

The purpose of the fire classification of carpets is to calculate, in the event of a fire, the

flammability and the speed of flame propagation on a material that has been securely fixed

to the ground.

Fire Resistant Demand

Fire classification is required for premises open to the public (shops, collective offices, hote

restaurants) and for residential premises located in high-rise buildings (more than 35 m high).

European Fire Rating Standard

The Decree of 21 November 2002, issued by the Minister of the Interior and the Ministe

Delegate for Industry, laid down the test methods and classification categories concerning

the reaction to fire of construction products and design materials (by virtue of the decision of

the European Commission of 8 February 2002 and the opinions of the Committee for the

Study and Classification of Building Materials and Elements in Relation to the Fire Danger

(CECMI) in dates from 22 February 2000, 03 July 2000, and 17 September 2000.

Textile carpet and floor coverings have been classified as 'construction products' by

Directive 89/106 of the Council of the European Communities of 21/12/88.

European Standard EN 13501-1

This term refers to seven categories of classification with regard to the reaction to fire of soils,

which range from A1Fl (Fl pour floor) to FFl. Only the first six categories correspond to a

classification whose concordance with the M classifications is determined in Annex 4 of the

Decree.

The coatings are therefore classified from A to F followed by "fl" for "floor" (ground) and

completed by an "s" for "smoke" (smoke) ranging from 1 to 3.

Combustibility is classified into 3 main families:

Classes A1fl and A2fl determine very little or little combustible floor coverings.

Then come to the coatings whose combustibility is very limited (classified Bfl), then limited

(noted Cfl) or still significant (identified Dfl)

Finally, there are coatings whose contribution to flashover is considered significant, they are

classified Efl and Ffl.

Fire Classification Of Floor Coverings:

A1fl = incombustible

A2fl = non-flammable

Bfl = hardly flammable

Cfl = moderately flammable

Dfl = Highly flammable

Efl = very easily flammable

The level of smoke opacity in quantity and speed:

s1: low quantity and speed of smoke propagation.

s2: average quantity and speed

s3: high speed and amount of smoke diffusion.

Commercial Carpet Fire Ratings

There are four kinds of flame-retardant carpet fiber materials:

There are four common types of flame-retardant carpet fiber materials, wool, nylon, polypropylene, and acrylic. In terms of flame retardant properties, wool and nylon can reach B/C grades, while polypropylene and acrylic fibers can only reach D/E grades.

Flame retardant grade of Household wool material carpet 

Wool is naturally flame retardant and does not melt for excellent safety. Therefore, for carpets with wool content of 80%-100%, the flame retardant grade of the carpet can reach Class B, that is, it has passed the fire protection standard.

Flame retardant grade of the nylon material carpet

Nylon is the main variety of nylon 6 and nylon 66. The main properties are: strong and wear-resistant, good wear resistance. Therefore, the gram weight of 100% nylon 66 reaches 1200 grams per square meter and above, and the flame retardant grade of the nylon carpet can reach B

Fire retardant grade of Axminster carpets commonly used in hotels

If the hotel carpet needs to pass the fire protection class B, generally use Axminster carpets, nylon and wool printing carpets of 1200 grams and above, and handmade wool carpets.

Fire retardant grade of commonly used nylon carpet in office

If the office carpet needs to pass the fire B/C level, it is generally made of nylon + PVC bottom square carpet or 100% wool carpet.