What Is A Fire Batt?

A fire batt is a mineral fibre board, coated in a fire resistant, ablative coating. In the event of a fire, the coating forms a char, stopping the board underneath from catching fire and spreading the fire further throughout the building. 

A fire batt is most commonly used in fire compartment walls, floors and ceilings around penetrations formed for the passage of services. 

The Stopseal fire batt from FSi is a popular product among our customers. It’s tested to BS EN 1366-3 and BS46 20/22 and provides fire and smoke protection for up to 4 hours. It has also been tested with a variety of services such as metallic pipes, plastic pipes and cables. 

Rockwool FirePro® Batts are another great option, with the 50 mm batt providing 2‑hour fire protection and the 60 mm batt suitable for areas that require 4‑hour protection.

Benefits of fire batts

Fire batts are a great solution to maintain the fire rating of a fire wall or floor where services are passing through as they can be cut down to fit the required space or cut to allow pipes and cables to pass through. 

Thanks to their high density, fire batts are a great option if maintaining acoustic performance is a requirement, compared to that of plasterboard for instance. 

Fire batts can also be butted together to cover a larger space, so if it’s difficult to source one sheet large enough for your requirements or transporting it to the location of your project would prove difficult, multiple fire batts can be used together to cover a larger area. 

How long do fire batts last?

Fire batts have a 25-30 year assumed working life, being used internally, depending on the model you choose. 

Types of fitting fire batts

There are two main ways to fit a fire batt. 

Friction Fitting

This approach is where the batt is cut to fit the aperture very tightly, and it is then pushed into the void, and sealed around the perimeter with fire-rated mastic. 

Pattress Fitting

The second option is to pattress fit the batt, which is often helpful in scenarios where the aperture is an irregular shape. The batt is cut to cover the aperture and then face fitted to the wall around the void. However, this does mean the batt is not flush with the wall. 

Conclusion

Fire batts are an effective solution in fire stopping projects thanks to their ease of use and flexibility in a range of scenarios. At FireSealsDirect we stock both fire batts and sealant that work well as a complete solution for your project - in stock and available for next day delivery. 

If you have any questions or queries about your fire stopping projects or our products please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team on 02920 857 959 or [email protected] or take a look at our Advice Centre which answers many frequently asked questions.