Understanding differing needs is vital in product selection the right fire solution

As one of the UK’s largest glass distributors, the supply of fire resistant glazing products is an important part of Float Glass Industries’ (FGI’s) offering. From our experience, fabricators and installers who understand their customers’ differing needs and the solutions available are best placed to maximise this market’s sales potential. Faced with an array of fire glasses and performance claims many designers and specifiers look to their chosen fire door manufacturer or glazing contractor for advice. Being able to recommend and source the right product represents an added value service, and so it makes real commercial sense to gain at least a basic knowledge of fire glass technology and the latest products.

Insulation and integrity

Although wired glass continues to win the largest slice of the fire glazing market it is limited by its dated and institutional appearance. The glass industry has developed a wide range of more sophisticated, clear view glasses, of which multi-layered intumescent laminates provide the most attractive performance characteristics. Much is also made of a product’s integrity in a fire situation, that is the time period the glass will prevent flames from breaking through, such as 30 minutes or 60 minutes. However, at FGI we strongly recommend the use of products that are able to offer in addition a degree of insulation as well as the specified integrity, for the following reasons. If there’s a fire burning on one side of a fire resistant glass that offers no insulation value, the temperature on the non fire side will rise rapidly. This represents an increased danger to people passing by and could cut off what may have been intended as a safe means of escape.

Fire glass that offers the appropriate level of integrity required with the added benefit of an insulation value can, therefore, be a real lifesaver in the event of a fire. At FGI we believe we have a role to play in raising awareness within the glass trade of fire glass developments, and, of course, to provide the products that meet current and future requirements in this fast moving field. That’s why we have been working closely with Pilkington, to add products like its Pyrodur range to our fire glass collection. In fact, we are one of the few independent stockists of the complete suite of Pilkington Fire Resistant Glass in the UK.

Pyrodur Plus

Let’s take a closer look at Pyrodur Plus, which is an excellent example of a tried, tested and trusted integrity-only glass offering a degree of insulation. Pilkington’s Pyrodur Plus is only 7mm thick and contains just one specially designed intumescent layer sandwiched between two pieces of glass. It offers 30 minutes integrity and also provides insulation against the heat generated by a fire being radiated through to the non-fire side. In the event of a fire the glass cracks allowing the intumescent interlayer to swell and protect both people and property. It will sustain a very steep temperature gradient across its thickness and continue to hold the pieces of glass together even though they have been broken by the heat. This makes Pyrodur Plus one of the safest choices in the market place today. Pyrodur Plus also boasts good acoustic qualities, thereby incorporating privacy and security into what is primarily a fire safety package. Additionally, being a clear glass it is especially suited to installations where visual appeal and fire protection are both important considerations. As such it is an ideal solution for all kinds of internal glazing applications, such as fire doors, screens and partitions in schools, hospitals, offices and other public buildings.

Of course, once a particular fire glass has been technically specified for a project, it is vital to find a reliable stockist that can supply the quantity and sizes required and, perhaps most importantly, deliver on time. As the UK’s largest glass distributor we source high quality products from leading producers worldwide and can assure the best prices on volume orders.

At FGI we’re constantly developing our service package to keep one step ahead of market demand. This commitment to investment and innovation, backed by a sound knowledge of fire glass specifications and legislation, means we can also help our customers make the most of one of the industry’s fastest growing markets.