Fire-rated partitions: what 30, 60 and 120 minutes mean

What the number means

A 60 minute partition has been tested to resist fire for 60 minutes. Tests measure integrity, meaning flames and hot gases do not pass through, and insulation, meaning the side away from the fire stays below set temperature limits. Loadbearing walls are also tested for how long they carry their load.

Where you need one

• Protected corridors and escape stairs
• Walls between fire compartments or between tenants
• Plant rooms, risers and stores with a higher fire risk
• Wherever your fire strategy or building control says so

It is a system, not a board

The rating only holds if the wall is built exactly as the manufacturer tested it: the same studs, board type and thickness, fixings and head detail. Mixing parts from different manufacturers usually means there is no test evidence for the wall.

Doors, glazing and services

A fire wall is only as good as its weakest opening. Doors must be fire doorsets with the right rating, glazing must be fire-rated, and every cable, pipe and duct passing through must be fire stopped with a tested product.

What to ask for

• Which tested system is it, and what rating does it achieve?
• Does the wall run to the structural soffit, not just to the ceiling?
• Who fire stops the service penetrations, and is it in the price?
• Will you give me the test evidence and photos for my fire safety records?