Sure Footed Fire Protection From Pilkington Pyrostop™

Located in the entrance concourse, the fire-resistant glass floor has been designed to protect the main access route, while casting daylight into a basement room. Constructed and installed by specialist fabricator T & W Ide Fire Products Ltd, the multi-laminated fire-resistant glass floor consists of a bottom layer of 23mm Pilkington Pyrostop™ and two layers of 25mm Pilkington Optifloat™ sandwiched either side of two resin interlayers, forming a single glass construction.

Specified for its excellent fire resistant qualities by Architect, APEC Architects, Pilkington Pyrostop™ is ideally suited for fire-resistant glass floor applications. Tested in sizes up to 1300mm x 1300mm for this application, 23mm Pilkington Pyrostop™ is a clear, laminated fully insulating fire and safety glass that offers the highest levels of fire protection. It provides both the integrity requirement of a barrier to flames and hot gases as well as ensuring effective insulation from the radiant heat of a blaze for a time period of 60 minutes.

Complying with the exacting temperature criteria defined in British, European and International test standards, it has special interlayers which react to heat. These interlayers then foam to provide an opaque barrier, minimising the effect of panic and acting as a pointer for fire services to indicate the presence of a fire on the other side. Furthermore, 23mm Pilkington Pyrostop™, has achieved a Class A impact fire safety rating in accordance with BS 6206 maintaining 60 minutes integrity and 60 minutes insulation.

When combined with Pilkington Optifloat™ to create a fire-resistant glass floor solution the unit provides the required fire protection and strength, providing a concentrated load bearing capability of 4.5kN, representing a typical maximum design load for glass floor applications.

Trevor Vass of APEC Architects commented “We designed the fire-resistant glass floor to cast daylight into an existing subterranean room which we wanted to bring into use as a meeting space. Situated just inside a south-facing window, the glazed floor eliminates the need for artificial lighting. It also creates a visual link with the meeting room for people entering the building.

The fire-resistant glass floor had to provide one-hour fire integrity and insulation, whilst maintaining load-bearing capabilities imposed by the Building Regulations. For the degree of transparency required, as well as for its fire resistance properties, the combination of 23mm Pilkington Pyrostop™ and Pilkington Optifloat™ was the ideal solution.”

For details of Pilkington Pyrostop™, Pilkington Optifloat™ or any other Pilkington products please contact the Helpline on: 01744 692000 or email pilkington@respond.uk.com.