Question about pull down attic stairs

[waksell]

I understand that an attic access in a garage needs to be fire rated, usually 5/8" drywall.

But what about pull down attic stairs?

I've only seen the ones with plywood on the bottom.

Do they make them with a fire rated bottom?

Are the plywood ones only for interior use? (not the garage)

What do you guys say, or recommend, when you come across this?

Is there an acceptable fix for this situation?

I hate to criticize something without offering a recommendation.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Pull down stairs are generally not fire rated and should be called out.
Many times where there is a warning where the stairs attach to use NAILS there are no nails.

[waksell]

Thanks Brian. Is there any other other material, other than 5/8" drywall, that is fire rated?

[Brian E. Kelly]

Sheet metal.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Needs nails here.

[cbottger]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Sheet metal.

Brian have you not seen sheet metal burn I set a large air handler on fire once with a torch, the galvanized made the darnest bunch of white smoke you ever dreamed of evacuated the whole research and development building I think that effected my next pay raise
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[rwhite6]

Originally Posted by waksell

Thanks Brian. Is there any other other material, other than 5/8" drywall, that is fire rated?

Georgia has added this exception to the section in the IRC pertaining to Garage separation (R309.2):

Exception #2:

A disappearing/pull-down stairway with minimum 3/8-inch (9.53 mm) (nominal) fire-retardant-treated structural panel is deemed to meet the 20-minute thermal barrier test based on ASTM E 119, Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, or deemed to have the fire resistance of or equivalent to ½-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wall board.

(Effective January 1, 2007)

I found a company (in Mississipi or Alabama, I believe) in a web search last year that claims to make pull-downs that meet the referenced thermal barrier test. I don't remember the name, but I'll try to find it again.

[Michael D. Thomas]

Saw one of these once - *very* nice:


http://tinyurl.com/yov9qt
http://www.rainbowatticstair.com/att...re-ladder.cfm#

[Gerry Beaumont]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Needs nails here.

AW, come on Brian be fair, at least that label is properly affixed

Gerry

[ntoll]

Originally Posted by gbeaumont

AW, come on Brian be fair, at least that label is properly affixed

Gerry

Maybe not. There is only one screw securing the label and it it crooked.
Also, the screw is slightly stripped. Might make it difficult to remove the label for repairs.

[Barry Adair]

Memphis Folding Stairs, Inc. used to sell a unit with Fire Retardant applied to the 1/4" plywood door I contacted them for documentation and they never responded.

X indicates recommended location of nails or screws

USE ONLY

Note: Due to different display options and printer setups, actual size may not be represented

[rwhite6]

Thanks, Barry.

Memphis is the company I was thinking about.

Your photo jarred my memory. I remember it from a thread on another forum from last year.

Memphis still offers the Fire Guard retardent treated units on four of their five pull-down products.

The describe it thus:

FIREGARD OPTION
The fire retardant plywood door panel is chemically treated to provide slower ignition, low flame spread, lower smoke production, and has self extinguishing features (burning ceases when ignition source is removed or exhausted.) Class A, or 1, pressure treated plywood is approved by building codes throughout the US for specific applications within fire resistant buildings as an equal alternative to non-combustible construction.

but they don't give any more information anywhere on their site.

[Bruce M. Graham, III]

Have only seen one so far. this house was a joy to inspect the builder was great too.
And yes it was put in with nails

[David P. Valley]

If the garage pull-down stairs are not fire rated then you can always recommended this fire rated pull-down.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by dvalley

If the garage pull-down stairs are not fire rated then you can always recommended this fire rated pull-down.

Nice Dave and I agree that is what should be installed, but how many developers and Contractors or Homeowners will go for that expense?

They will do like all of them and buy the $125 one from Home Depot.
And the AHJ will not even notice it. ha. ha.

It will give us something to write in our reports though, right?

Marcel
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