Material Testing Standards and Interior Finish Requirements

Vocabulary flashcards covering interior wall, ceiling, textile, flammability, toxicity, indoor air quality, fire resistance, and accessibility standards based on lecture notes.

Table 803.13

Building code table specifying interior wall and ceiling finish requirements by occupancy group, sprinklered vs. nonsprinklered status, and location within a building.

Flammability

The tendency of a substance to burn or ignite, leading to fire or combustion.

Class A Fabrics

Fabrics that will not ignite or burst into flame, but can char when exposed to flame, and do not contribute to or spread a fire.

Flame Resistance

The characteristic of a material that does not continue to burn after the heat source is removed.

NFPA 701

Standard flame test for window treatments such as drapery and curtains using vertical ignition (Test 1 for lighter fabrics, Test 2 for heavier fabrics).

ASTM E84 / UL 723

The Steiner Tunnel Test, which tests wall and ceiling materials for surface Flame Spread Index (FSI) and Smoke Developed Index (SDI).

Class A Wall Finish Rating

Wall finish flammability classification under ASTM E84 having a Flame Spread Index of $0\text{ to }25$ and a Smoke Developed Index of $0\text{ to }450$.

Class B Wall Finish Rating

Wall finish flammability classification under ASTM E84 having a Flame Spread Index of $26\text{ to }75$ and a Smoke Developed Index of $0\text{ to }450$.

Class C Wall Finish Rating

Wall finish flammability classification under ASTM E84 having a Flame Spread Index of $76\text{ to }200$ and a Smoke Developed Index of $0\text{ to }450$.

ASTM E648 / NFPA 253

The Flooring Radiant Flux Panel test, which evaluates floor coverings for Critical Radiant Flux (CRF), classifying Class I as $0.45\text{ watts/cm}^2$ or greater and Class II as $0.22\text{ watts/cm}^2$ or greater.

ASTM E662 / NFPA 258

The Smoke Density Test (or Smolder Resistance Test), which measures the amount of smoke generated from a flaming or smoldering material for wall finishes.

Toxicity

The quality of being poisonous, referring to interior materials or finishes that burn and release noxious gases, smoke, or fumes.

NFPA 269

Standard Test Method for Developing Toxic Potency Data for Use in Fire Hazard Modeling.

ASTM E1678

Standard Test Method for Measuring Smoke Toxicity for Use in Fire Hazard Analysis.

CAL TB 117-2013

Standard defining requirements, test procedures, and apparatus for testing the flame retardance of resilient filling materials used in upholstered furniture.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

The air quality within and around buildings and structures, primarily related to the health and comfort of building occupants.

ASTM D5116

Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products.

ASTM D6670

Standard Practice for Full-Scale Chamber Determination of Volatile Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products.

ASTM E1333

Standard Test for Determining Formaldehyde Concentrations in Air and Emission Rates from Wood Products Using a Large Chamber.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2

Standard defining ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality requirements in low-rise residential buildings.

ASHRAE Standard 62.1

Standard defining ventilation requirements for acceptable indoor air quality in commercial buildings.

Clean Air Act (CAA)

Federal law regulating air quality, including National Ambient Air Quality Standards established under US Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR 50.

ASTM D2859

The Methanamine Pill Test, used to test carpet flammability.

ASTM D6413

Vertical flame chamber test method measuring the vertical flame resistance of textiles in general without evaluating fire risk or hazard.

CAL 133

California Technical Bulletin 133, an open-flame test for upholstered seating requiring flame-retardant chemicals that was repealed in January 2019.

NFPA 260

Standard Methods of Tests and Classification System for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Components of Upholstered Furniture.

CAL 117

A smolder test establishing flammability compliance for upholstered furniture without requiring manufacturers to use flame-retardant chemicals.

NFPA 265

Room Corner Test evaluating the contribution of textile and vinyl wall coverings to room fire growth.

NFPA 286

Room Corner Test evaluating non-textile wall/ceiling finishes for fire growth, smoke, and heat release (limiting peak heat release rate to $800\text{ kW}$ and total smoke release to $1000\text{ m}^2$).

NFPA 289

Fire test for individual items of furniture or objects.

ASTM E2573

Standard practice detailing how to prepare and mount site-fabricated stretch systems for fire testing.

AATCC 16

Textile test using a Fade-Ometer (most commonly with continuous light xenon arc lamps) to determine colorfastness under light exposure.

AATCC 8

Test method for determining colorfastness of textiles to crocking or rubbing.

ASTM E119

Standard fire test for building construction materials, including walls, floors, and columns.

NFPA 252

Standard fire test for door assemblies.

NFPA 257

Standard fire test for window openings and glass block assemblies.

Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF)

Ratio of the force required to keep a surface already in motion sliding over another divided by an object's weight, with ANSI requiring a minimum ratio of $0.42$ for wet floor surfaces.

Figure 302.2 (Carpet on Floor Surfaces)

Accessibility standard requiring exposed carpet edges to be fastened to the floor with trim along the entire length, and carpet pile height to be a maximum of $\frac{1}{2}\text{ in}$ ($13\text{ mm}$).

Figure 302.3 (Openings in Floor Surfaces)

Accessibility standard specifying that openings in floor surfaces shall be maximum $\frac{1}{2}\text{ in}$ ($13\text{ mm}$) wide with their long dimension perpendicular to the predominant direction of travel.

Figure 303.2 (Vertical Change in Level)

Accessibility standard permitting vertical changes in floor surface level up to a maximum of $\frac{1}{4}\text{ in}$ ($6.4\text{ mm}$) in height.

Figure 303.3 (Beveled Changes in Level)

Accessibility standard requiring floor level changes between $\frac{1}{4}\text{ in}$ ($6.4\text{ mm}$) and $\frac{1}{2}\text{ in}$ ($13\text{ mm}$) to have a beveled slope not steeper than $1:2$.