In April 2012, DRICON, Arch Timber Protection’s water-based fire retardant will celebrate 25 years of continuous British Board of Agrément (BBA) accreditation, giving confidence and reassurance of long-term and safe fire protection to the contractors, designers and most important of all, occupants of buildings and structures that use timber for all or part of their construction.
Timber is a valuable and versatile building material, but just like concrete or steel, it can be open to the threat of fire. DRICON, which has been used to protect solid timber and timber panels for more than 30 years worldwide, is the only BBA-approved fire retardant protection for timber.
BBA sales and marketing director Alan Thomas says: "BBA is recognised as an important approval by architects and specifiers sourcing assured and proven products. With 25 years of continuous approval DRICON is one of our longest certified products covering both its production and in situ performance."
As well as BBA accreditation, Arch has classification reports from independent certification organisations for a wide range of species and thicknesses of timber for a number of different end uses, to confirm customers’ confidence in the fire retardant properties.
Arch fire retardant product manager Jacqui Hughes says: "Correct design specification of timber components and the use of proven modern fire retardant treatments can make wood into a long-lasting and safe choice of material. By slowing the rate of combustion and the spread of flame, DRICON can provide extra minutes that can help save lives and reduce damage to buildings. Our BBA accreditation is a prime indication to specifiers that DRICON is a fully independently tested and approved product, from its production right through to its long-term performance.
DRICON is applied by vacuum-pressure impregnation in factory-controlled conditions and is suitable for interior and weather protected exterior situations. It has been used in schools, hospitals, theatres and airports. DRICON has a fully-approved listing on London Underground’s product register for underground and aboveground projects and is also protecting some of the iconic 2012 Olympic facilities.