Fire Egress required from loft?

[NM_Shooter]

Don... that is a good point.  I was thinking of sheeting the exterior of the structure with OSB, and then covering that with the concrete hardi-board material that sort of looks like T111.  It is supposed to be very weatherproof (important since winters provide 8 to 10 feet of snow) and fire resistant. 

-f-

[MountainDon]

For the exterior with fire resistance in mind there are a few things to remember. If you're building a post/pier unit with the cabin elevated somewhat the first step is to use something non flammable for the "skirting".  I was told that wood skirting or no skirting is the prime place for a fire to catch a cabin. That came from a couple of rangers. I'm thinking of using either rock or metal for that. The roof will be ribbed metal, the skirt could be done with the same.

Clearing away all flammable ground cover will greatly assist of course. Remove the top layer of needles.

Overhanging eves can give fire a place to get a toe hold, number two place for catching so I've been told  Metal or something non flammable is a good bet there.

I've thought of using hardiboard or hardiplank. I'm not sure I'm sold on it aesthetically speaking. I would like something that gives real wood tones rather than a painted surface.  Not certain what the exterior walls will be yet.

One more thing about combustible surfaces that could be exposed to flame. There are intumescent paints available. Good if you like/want a painted surface, instead of a natural or stained wood. Intumescent paints and intumescent paint additives, expand when exposed to direct flame, forming a "char barrier" that lifts off the substrate. They could be used inside or outside.

Also available are foam fire suppression systems. I know of one system that does not require water or electricity. When activated it sprays a fire retardant foam through a pipe and nozzle system. It's out of range of my present budget. It can be manually activated, activated by telephone code or activated by a wildfire sensor system.    Info here.

[MountainDon]

There's some info regarding wildfires here.

[John Raabe]

Good thread folks. 

Fire safety is well worth thinking about. And we do all have that charged up fire extinguisher close at hand, right?

[tanya]

I find large garbage plastic garbage cans make a good water storage tank (not drinking water though) but they hold a lot of water and they don't take up much floor space so they are easy enough to keep warm, rain catchments can work to catch the water or when wore comes to worse you can fill them with snow to melt.  If you put them up in the loft you will have gravity flow.  And if you have a generator a small electric pump isn't to expensive. 

[peternap]

Don, I've sprayed outside wood with a Boric Acid/water mix before to make it fire retardant.

I HAVEN"T ever tried burning it so it ,ay well be one of those RURAL LEGENDS ...What are your thoughts?

[glenn kangiser]

I haven't tried the boric acid retardent but have a 5 gallon bucket of borate powder for treatment -- maybe I will try to do a check on that.  Loghomestore recommends a waterproofer such as Defy over the borate or water will remove it.  Great for stopping mold and bugs.  I heard it had fire resistive qualities as does sodium silicate.

[MountainDon]

I think we need someone to do a test.  8)I'd volunteer but it wouldn't be too practical, or accepted here in the suburbs.  Might try it in the mountains over Christmas break if there's enough snow on the ground to make it safer.

Do you have recipe; how much water to borate/borax (whatever is used)?

[peternap]

I'm not very scientific with it Don. I just add water until it will run through a sprayer.....Funny how I came up with it. I had a rifle that was bad about burning patches with hot loads. I called the Fire Marshall to see if he could think of a way to fireproof them. It was his idea and it worked on the patches so I tried it on wood.

[builderboy]

My building inspector had 2 issues with my loft. Fire escape and code stair access IF it was a sleeping/living loft. That made mine a storage loft. I may have to store myself up there if I have overnite guests.