Fire proof cladding for timber summerhouse?

[ChiefChirpa]

Hi All,

We're planning on building a timber summerhouse in our garden. For various reasons, it will have to be <1m from the property boundary which ajoins onto the neighbours garden. Building control (in Scotland) have told us we will need to ensure that the wall of the summer house nearest this boundary will need to be non-combustable. I'm trying to find out the best way of making it non-combustable - they've said that fireproof paint isn't an option.

Does anyone know if there's any such thing as fireproof panels that can be fastened to the timber wall? Or any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Chirpa

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Do you have ongoing inspections ie are you actually getting Building Regs approval for this? Assume not just for a summer house. In reality that is the by the book answer and would be more relevant if you were say building a new garage 6" from the boundary and the neighbours house was on the boundary. But if your summer house is in the garden and away from your neighbours house don't worry about it.

 

[ChiefChirpa]

Thanks Freddy - no, we've not had an inspection or any enforcement notice etc. I was just trying to do things by the book. Didn't expect to get tripped up by such silly rules (i.e. the boundary itself (the fence) can be made of combustable materials (wood), but not something 60cms away)

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well its not such a daft rule and it has its place, I'm sure you'd agree if your neighbour built a wooden shed next to your summer house where he stored the petrol for his lawn mower and took up welding as a hobby.

A fence is not likely to self combust.

 

[ChiefChirpa]

A fair point

 

[^woody^]

You will need to clad the frame with a suitable fire resistant board both sides

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Technically as mentioned but overkill unless neighbouring buildings are within close proximity as you well know ^woody^.

 

[^woody^]

Well, if the Scottish regs require it, or if the OP is reading then correctly then that is what he needs to do

And the non combustible thing would apply to the bits of the other walls near to the boundary too, and the roof

But it may be that the op is misunderstanding the requirement for b/regs for this type of work

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I may be wrong but suspect the regs are similar to England, in that non-combustible materials must be used but come on, common sense prevails.

 

[^woody^]

Of course, and the op needs to make sure that the b/regs actually apply

 

[ChiefChirpa]

Thanks guys - I think the regs do apply, although they seem a bit woolly and contradictory in places. Section 2.6.5 says:

Combustibility
Every part of an external wall including external wall cladding (see clause
2.6.4) not more than 1 m from a boundary or the external wall of a high rise
domestic building, should be constructed of non-combustible products. This
does not apply to insulation exposed in a cavity that is between 2 leaves of
masonry or concrete at least 75 mm thick, and which has a cavity barrier
around all openings in the wall and at the top of the wall-head.
However a structural frame which is low, medium, high or very high risk (see
annex 2.B) may be used not more than 1 m from a boundary provided:
• no storey height is more than 18 m; and
• the recommendations in clauses 2.6.1 and 2.6.2 have been followed; and
• any external wall cladding is constructed from non-combustible products.
See the guidance to standard 2.7 for additional recommendations on external
wall cladding and the alternative to the need for non-combustibility mentioned
above

Which I think means that so long as the timber is covered with fireproof cladding, we should be fine. No idea if such things exist though.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Oh flippin eck, you're worryin bout nothing.

^woody^, find me a shed built next to a garden fence in Scotland or anywhere in the UK that's been overclad in fireproof cladding and I'll eat my leotard! Stop freakin out the OP!

 

[^woody^]

The only one being freaked out here is me with the thought of you and your leotard.

The op wanted to know how to fire proof a timber frame. He now knows.

He also now knows what other parts to fire proof on the boundary.

And he now knows to check if the b/regs actually apply to this type of work. And they probably don't

 

[hotrod]

The only one being freaked out here is me with the thought of you and your leotard.

Just for you woods .

 

[^woody^]

Eeeeeek, I've just had to phone in sick