Man has been using natural materials, such as Western Red Cedar, for siding and roofing since the beginning of time, especially in areas where it grows naturally. And while Cedar is somewhat fire-resistant naturally, when it will be used in areas where fire danger is high, adding a permanent fire retardant can be extremely helpful.
There are three classes of fire treating available for Western Red Cedar Shingles and Shakes. Class “A” is effective against severe fire exposures, Class “B” is most effective against moderate fire exposures, while Class “C” would be effective against light fire exposures.
Where required, optional fire retardant treatments that have passed the California State Fire Marshall & ICC 10 year real-time weathering test are available. Be sure to check with your local building officials to determine which class of fire treatment is best for your particular area. All of our Classes of fire treating meet all local and state wildland-urban interface requirements.
We routinely work with the Nation Park Service to provide them with Fire Treated Western Red Cedar Shingles and Shakes for fire lookouts in Washington state, especially those that are in high-risk areas. The Western Red Cedar Shingles blend beautifully with the surrounding area, and because they are treated with fire retardant, are less likely to catch fire.
In order to begin fire treating the Western Red Cedar shingles or shakes, all the air and moisture must be removed from the wood. This is done in a large pressure autoclave cylinder. Next, the cylinder is filled with the fire retardant. As the chemicals fill the cylinder, the vacuum that was previously created by pulling the moisture and air out pulls the fire retardant into the wood. The pressure is then increased in the container, and the fire treatment is pushed even deeper into the Cedar. Once the required amount of treatment is retained in the Cedar, any remaining fire treatment is drained, and the Cedar shingles and/or shakes are transferred to a kiln for drying. The Cedar is dried over the course of several days very slowly to ensure the chemicals are completely bonded with the wood.
After Western Red Cedar is treated with fire retardant, the color of the wood may be slightly darker, but no other difference is generally noticed. Over time, they will grey just as natural Cedar would, but the treatment does not diminish.
A limited Lifetime Warranty is provided on the fire retardant treatment when the Western Red Cedar Shingles and/or Shakes are installed properly and used for intended purposes. For information on installation, please click HERE.
Our team would be happy to discuss your fire treating options with you. Please give us a call today! We ship nationwide!
Before your next project, be sure to visit us!
Toll-Free 866.757.6343