OT. Fire rating for sheetrock

I hope this is a question that someone here can answer for me.

I am in the middle of building a gun safe. I would like some type of fire protection. I am thinking fire rated sheetrock and fiberglass isulation. what would you suggest the thickness (how many sheets) of sheetrock should I line the interior with. Keeping in mind that the safe will be located in my Basement. I would like to be able to keep the inside temp. of the safe down to a level that would protect my guns. I do not care about the safe at all. Would a thickness of 3 inches be sufficient?

Searcher1

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Searcher
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If I remember correctly, 5/8" = 1 hour wall.

Reply to
FMB

One hour wall would be 5/8" on each side of the wall or 2 sheets thick. SH

Reply to
Slowhand

OK, heres my thoughts,

1/16 steel + 3 " fire rated S/R + 1/16 steel inner liner = Time for the fire dept to get there and put out the fire! Sound about right? Now if I can find a locking system....

Searcher1

"Slowhand"

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Searcher

Searcher notes:

How about cementitious board. I'm pretty sure that out-fire-resists Sheetrock (tm).

Charlie Self "Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to." Mark Twain

Reply to
Charlie Self

5/8" Type X gypsum board on each side of a 4" stud will give you a 1-hour fire rated wall. You could even go to a layer of 1/2" on each side with the 2x4 and still get close to a 1-hour wall. You have to have the studs at about 16" OC. You could also do two layers of rock on one side (shaft liner approach) and get the 1-hour. Double layers on each side will give you a 2-hour wall. The UL tests for various walls also regulate the screw placement and rock placement, but I think you could do alright as described. The cemetous board mentioned will also give you some rating.

Per the International Building Code here are the ratings of gypsum board (sheetrock):

3/8" - 10 minutes 1/2" - 15 minutes 3/4" - 20 minutes 2 layers of 3/8" - 25 minutes 1 layer of 3/8" and 1 layer of 1/2" - 35 minutes 2 layers of 1/2" - 40 minutes

Type X:

1/2" - 25 minutes 5/8" - 40 minutes

These values are usually additive when applied to studs. You even get

10-minutes typically for a 2x4 stud.

Allyn

Reply to
Allyn Vaughn

I was thinking about that too. Also, Creating the outer skin and placing the inner liner in place and filling with cement. You'd think 3 " of cement would do the trick. It would actually be less work for me.

Searcher1

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Searcher

If you want real protection, put a layer of "kaowool" in thre somewhere between two fire-resistant something-or-others. It's basically fireproof and will also hold up to direct flame if teh first layer were to disintegrate.

Just be prepared to spend a bit more as it's not an easy material to track down all that cheaply.

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr.

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Reply to
Joe

Gypsum undergoes calcination at ~180 F. That means that the chemically bound water is released and can be driven off as steam. The calcination progresses through the gypsum and the temperature doesn't rise much above 212 F ahead of that progression. From what I can tell from a quick google search, basic portland cement doesn't undergo calcination until it hits 800 - 1200 F. Based on that, I'd guess that gypsum is the better choice if you want to keep the internal temperature down.

If you'd like to pour something, maybe gypsum plaster would make more sense than cement.

As an aside, gypsum is pretty weak once it's undergone calcination. Firecode (type x) drywall is impregnated with reinforcing fibers to keep it from disintegrating as easily as regular drywall.

Reply to
Mike Paulsen

snip

Actually with 3" of concrete, depending upon the mix, you'd be luck to get an hour or an hour and a half. 4 to 5 inches will get you somewhere around 2-hours.

Allyn

Reply to
Allyn Vaughn

Mike Paulsen responds:

I was writing of the board, not poured solid cement. James Hardie claims that

1/4" backerboard can be made part of a 1 hour fire rating. The board is totally non-combustible. Beyond that, I don't have any facts. I'm sure some googling would bring more up.

Charlie Self "Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to." Mark Twain

Reply to
Charlie Self

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> Regards,

Reply to
Joel Corwith

Why not put the safe near a water source and install a fire suppression device over the top?

Reply to
Joel Corwith

RE: Kaowool

Reply to
Joe

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