UPM Plywood introduces a new fire retardant WISA-SpruceFR structural plywood for building and construction end uses. WISA-SpruceFR combines the market leading quality and structural performance with B-s1, d0 fire classification – the highest a wood product can have.
“This is uniquely different type of plywood product released to the market,” says Riku Härkönen, Product Manager at UPM Plywood. “There are products which are either extremely expensive, pressure treated, or they come with conditions and requirements for other structural solutions,” Härkönen describes.
Unlike in many other fire-resistant wooden products, the fire-retardant treatment in WISA-SpruceFRdoes not compromise the plywood’s technical properties; the panels preserve the original qualities of untreated WISA-Spruce plywood. Also, different from many other wood panels, WISA-SpruceFRdoes not require any special structural design to achieve the fire classification. It can be used just like a regular plywood panel.
“A significant development is that WISA-SpruceFR can be installed leaving air gaps between the panel and other structures and insulation and still retain the product’s fire-retardant properties and classification,” says Härkönen. The fact that the fire-retardant treatment is already applied on the panels during manufacturing is a substantial benefit for contractors and developers. It saves time, material and costs in various project phases,” Härkönen points out. “For a customer this means efficiency made easy as fire retardant properties can be built into a normal structure”.