AIM Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing has launched a ‘Red Edition’ of its Wall Cavity Barrier range. New product features and investment means that the Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) is approved for a wider scope of applications. Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) also has IFC Third Party Certification.
All Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) products are tested in accordance with BS EN 1366-4: 2021, recognised throughout the UK and EU as an appropriate resistance to fire test standard for this type of product. The tests encompass the 10:1 ratio.*
High density foil faced stone wool barriers, AIM Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) products are for use vertically and horizontally to provide a fully closed cavity fire barrier along compartmentation lines in the outer leaf of a building. They are available cut to size or in slab form for on-site cutting and manufactured in 75mm, 100mm and 125mm thicknesses.
Suitable for use in all masonry cavity walls, as well as for fire stopping between a masonry wall system and a concrete floor slab, Wall Cavity Barriers (Red Edition) prevent the passage of heat, flame and smoke within cavities for 30, 60 or 120 minutes. Third Party Certification now covers normal masonry to masonry use for cavities up to 400mm.
The Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) products are also now tested for use in cavities up to 600mm, an increased void scope, in SFS substrate construction and non-standard constructions, such as rainscreen cladding systems.
‘Red Edition’ WCB products can be identified by their red foil print. The previous ‘Blue Edition’ was tested to BS 476-20 a less onerous test standard than the BS EN 1366-4. In order to achieve the new performances, under BS EN 1366-4, the barrier is slightly thicker than before to give the same fire rating. So that site inspections are clear, i.e., so that it is apparent which version of standards have been installed, the colour of the print has been changed from blue to red for easy identification.
Furthermore, Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) has been tested for use at masonry support interfaces, where the external cladding is masonry, such as brick or rendered concrete block. Quite often the masonry support bracket is located at the same place that the fire barrier needs to be positioned. Consequently, there is a need to show that the two items can be installed together.
“Considerable investment has been made in product development and testing in order to extend the application potential of our Red Edition Wall Cavity Barriers,” explains Ian Exall, AIM’s Commercial Director. “With the Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) product range, we now have one of the most comprehensive full fill cavity barrier bundles on the market.”
AIM’s Wall Cavity Barriers are often used in conjunction with AIM’s Open State Cavity Barriers (OSCBs) in high rise and rainscreen projects.
The Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) has the additional benefit that it can reduce airborne transmission of sound through the external wall cavity by a minimum of 21dB Rw.
In a further new development, Red Edition WCBs do not require joining tape. Fitted correctly, fire tests showed that they work well without having to seal joints.
AIM provides technical, specification, training and on-site support. New Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) technical literature, including fixing instructions, can be downloaded from the website: https://www.aimlimited.co.uk/solutions/wall-cavity-barrier/
“AIM is geared for quick order turnaround and we flexible in accommodating small orders,” notes Ian Exall.
Part of the Performance Technology Group, UK-based AIM Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing has over 30 years-experience in the design, testing and manufacturing of high-quality fire, thermal and acoustic barriers. The company produces a wide variety of bespoke insulation products to customer specification and a range of standard fire, thermal and acoustic insulation products.
www.aimlimited.co.uk
*Testing to 10:1 ratio
Cavity barriers and fire stops must be tested with a width to length ratio of 10:1. For a cavity barrier in a 100mm cavity a 1000mm long seal must be tested. For a 250mm cavity a 2500mm long seal must be tested. Because the maximum furnace length is circa 2800mm, the 10:1 ratio is deemed to have been met for all cavity widths providing a 2600mm long seal is tested.
