Fire Safety

Fire Safety

Although timber is a combustible material, in construction it performs strongly against fire and is thus considered a fire-resistant and fire-safe material.

The good fire resistance feature of wood comes from the nature of wood material: the moisture and humidity in wood protects it from ignition and also the burnt surface of wood efficiently prevents fire from spreading.  In case of fire, wooden structural members develop a charcoal layer that reduces thermal conduction, combustibility and flame spread, and thus protects the inner part of the cross section. 

As, on average, wood burns down at a rate of 0.7 mm per minute, the cross section of the material is reduced by approximately 20 mm in 30 minutes, and by 40 mm in 60 minutes. This is why the load bearing potential of the remaining cross section is of major importance. The respective fire resistance grades F 30 and F 60 refer to the fire endurance of these wooden members. It is interesting to note, after all, that F 30 and F 60 can be obtained without additional flame-retardant treatment.

Due to the inherent material properties of this natural building material, the fire-resistance characteristics of wooden structural members are excellent.

Specifically, Kontio log structures have been tested against fire and have high fire resistance classification values. The fire resistance classification system for construction is based on international testing methods and rules in accordance with European standards.