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Wall and ceiling linings are required to meet different prerequisites for different building types, location within the building and whether it is sprinkled or not. Material used for wall and ceiling linings is required to have a Group Number of 1, 2 or 3 and buildings not fitted with sprinklers are required to have a smoke development rate not more than 100, or an average extinction area less than 250m 2/kg.
Generally speaking, Group 3 materials refer to timber products, Group 2 materials are predominately fire retardant timber and Group 1 materials are non-combustible or near non-combustible. With this said they all are required to be assessed. Summary of group numbers for common solid timber species *
| Group Number | Average Extinction Area |
|---|
| Ash, Alpine | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Ash, Mountain | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Ash, mountain (Tasmanian oak) | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Ash, Silvertop | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Beech, Myrtle | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Blackbutt | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Blackbutt, New England | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Blackbutt, WA * | 3
| Less than 250m2/kg | | Blackwood | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Bloodwood, Red | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Box, Brush | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Box, Grey | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Brownbarrel | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Cedar, western red | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Cypress pine, northern (white cypress pine) | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Gum, Blue, Southern | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Gum, Blue, Sydney | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Gum, Manna | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, River Red | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, Rose | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, Shining | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, Spotted | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, Sugar | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Gum, Yellow | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Ironbark, Grey | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Ironbark, Red | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Jarrah | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Karri | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Kwila (merbau) | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Mahogany, Red | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Messmate | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Oak, red, American | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Pine, Celery-top | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Pine, Radiata | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Rosewood, Papua New Guinea | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Stringybark, Yellow | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Tallowwood | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg | | Turpentine | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Walnut, black (American walnut) | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
| Wattle, Silver | 3 | Less than 250m2/kg |
* Note: All data are for a timber thickness of 9 mm or greater
Refer to RIR 45980.4.
For veneered panels that have a veneer density greater than 500 kg/m2 and are either on a MDF or particleboard thickness of 6 mm or greater,
RIR 45980.4
has assessed that these panels have a Group Number 3 and an Average Specific Extinction Area of less than 250 m2/kg.
This covers most timber veneers except for Douglas fir, poplar, calantas and New Guinea walnut. For these species individual tests have been done on MDF substrates and all were found to have Material Group no 3 and an average Extinction Area of less than 250 m2/kg. Refer to Warrington Fire Research Reports 21164000A, B, C and D.
Assessment of Solid Timber, Plywood, & Timber Veneers to Spec. C1.10a
(PDF, 0.3 MB)
Warrington Fire Research (RIR 45980.1)
This report is an assessment of the Fire Hazard Performance of solid timber, plywood and timber veneers on MDF and Particleboard
substrates for use as wall and ceiling linings in accordance with the requirements of specification C1.10a of the Building
Code of Australia.
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