Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.  Manufacturers such as Fire Trol produce UL-certified assemblies that meet required fire-resistance ratings.

Yes.  The finished steel shell is intended to provide an architectural appearance suitable for exposed conditions.

Yes.  Because the fire protection is incorporated into the assembly, significantly less field-applied fireproofing is required.

Yes – only the connection and the structural column at the connection site will receive field applied fireproofing.   The structural steel fabricator will apply this when they fire rate their decking, joists, etc.

Fire Trol offers Wide Flange, HSS and Pipe sections.

No, changing the required rating after fabrication will require a new column.  Early coordination is very important.

The building code and project design team determine the required fire-resistance rating based on occupancy, construction type and location of the building.

Yes. In many cases, the same WF, HSS or Pipe structural steel shape can be incorporated into different UL-certified fire-rated assemblies.  The required fire rating is achieved by the tested assembly design, not simply by the steel shape itself.

Selecting the correct fire-resistance rating during schematic design helps avoid redesigns, specification changes and coordination issues later in the project.  Early coordination also improves constructability and helps keep projects on schedule.

Not necessarily.  The required fire rating is based on the tested UL assembly rather than the size of the structural steel alone.  Prefabricated fire-rated columns are engineered to provide the required fire resistance while maintaining a clean architectural appearance.