Fire protection is an increasingly important part of today’s building industry largely due to urbanization. The more concentrated environments we live in, the higher the risk is for a life-threatening fire to spread quickly. Buildings and structures need protection against this imminent threat. Consistent use of integrated, passive fire protection is the most effective way to minimize this risk and protect people’s lives, their property and the environment
While active fire protection systems such as sprinklers can extinguish fires, passive fire protection is designed to prevent the spread of fire and contain it in defined compartments to minimize damage and even more importantly, to allow people in other areas the time to evacuate safely. In the event of a fire, the heat and smoke will spread through penetrations and joints in walls and floors, causing damage, endangering people and potentially also blocking escape routes. Sika’s passive fire protection solutions are designed to be able to seal all different types of building joints and penetrations, in order to help keep a fire in defined compartments for a certain period of time, thereby allowing people to evacuate safely. Sika passive fire protection solutions comply with the most relevant national and international standards (including EN, UL, EAD (ETAG), ASTM, AS, Certifire), in order to confirm that they meet the highest fire resistance requirements and consequently can help save people’s lives!
Benefits of a Firestop System
- Limits the spread of fire by containing it in a single compartment in its area of origin
- Slows the spread of toxic gas and black smoke, allowing people more time to escape more safely
- Provides vital escape time for people during fire incidents
- Protects escape routes, building structure and critical structural members
- Minimizes costs to rebuild after the fire
- Protects owners’ built assets
Sika provides comprehensive solutions where fire-resistant construction is required such as commercial, public and residential buildings, steel structures and others. Fire-resistant sealants, fillers and backing materials for linear seals as well as solutions for penetration seals enable safer buildings and infrastructure to be built.
Sika firestop products were used on the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, shown above.
Key Sika Brands
- Sikaflex®
- Sikacryl®
- Sikasil®
- SikaSeal®
- Sika Boom®
- Sikacrete®
About Sika
Sika is present locally in more than 100 countries, which allows them to bring their customers and their clients not only a proven range of products but additional services, such as wind load calculations, application training, CAD details, BIM objects and technical consultations, guarantees, etc. Sika is the only full-range materials supplier for materials used in concrete production, waterproofing, roofing, flooring, sealing, bonding, grouting, reinforcing, concrete repair and protection, structural glazing, firestop systems and more, for all types of buildings and civil engineer structures.
