brick firewall party wall


  #1  
Old 10-04-18, 10:34 AM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
brick firewall party wall

This is the firewall of a house built in 1910.
You can see the neighbours' wall on the other side with a cavity in between.
We have had to remove the plaster as there is a small issue with some of the brick moving so it will need to be replaced.
My question is what is all the wood framing in between the brick? How can this be an effective firewall if it contains wood? Surely the wood would just burn and then all the bricks would collapse?
 
Attached Images      
  #2  
Old 10-04-18, 12:13 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
Firewalls are about air barriers and the time it takes for fire to get through. Not about whether the material is flammable or not. Fire blocking in wood frames houses is made of wood. Depending on the drywall thickness the same wall might be rated differently.
 
  #3  
Old 10-04-18, 12:42 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
A modern day firewall is typically 2x framing covered with 1-2 layers of 5/8" firerock/drywall. How many layers of drywall is typically determined by local code.
 
  #4  
Old 10-04-18, 06:02 PM
Q
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,657
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
even between attached buildings? I thought it always had to be brick or cinder blocks otherwise neighbours would just have insulation and drywall between them?

-Materials- typically the fire-resistance rating of a firewall, (except closures-i.e. doors, windows) are
to be provided by masonry or concrete. There are exceptions: if 2 hr. or less fire resistance fire
separation, not a Group B-division 1 or 2 occupancies, and occupancies on both sides of the wall are
sprinklered then it is permitted to be gypsum board and steel stud. (OBC 2006). The firewall does
have requirements as to how it stands.
 
  #5  
Old 10-05-18, 02:38 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Bldg codes can vary between locales .... and you are in a different country so you might have different regs. I've painted 100s of condos/apartments in the southeast. Most of them had wood studs between the units with 5/8 firerock on each side [including the attic] I've worked a few places where they required at least one side of that wall to have the firerock double laminated with the joints staggered.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: