Fire retardants for wood. Impregnation for wood for outdoor use

For many years now the tree is considered the most popular building material. Its environmental friendliness, ability to breathe and reliably keep the heat inside the premises does not leave many owners of private property indifferent. In addition, such structures are characterized by an extremely beautiful appearance and a favorable internal microclimate. But, aside from the positive sides, wood has one big drawback - it's a quick flammability. That is why even at the stage of construction of such structures it is necessary to use fire retardants for wood, helping to reduce its combustibility and make the building less fire dangerous.

What kind of funds are they, what kinds of them can they be, the principle of action and the criteria for their choice will be considered in our article.

What are flame retardants and how do they work?

Fire retardants are special compounds for the treatment of wooden elements, which in various ways prevent the rapid ignition of such structures. Materials impregnated with these agents can for some time withstand the harmful effects of fire and can not be burned. Fire retardants for wood have a sufficiently low melting point, so their active substances begin to perform their protective function even before the wood itself lights up. The components of the solution emit non-flammable gases during melting, which prevent oxygen from entering the ignition source, so that it does not spread further and begins to decay.

Salt impregnations on the basis of boric and phosphoric acids during heating form a protective film on the surface of the wood, which does not allow the penetration of the flame into the structure of the material.

It should be noted that some combined formulations may be marked "Antiseptic - fire retardant". This means that the powder for the preparation of the working solution can be used for two purposes: protection against fire and prevention of colonization by microorganisms.

Types of fire retardant

Protection of wood from fire is carried out with the help of impregnations or coatings.

The latter includes paints, varnishes and special pastes. It is used much less often, since it has a significant drawback. Coverings completely hide the natural structure of wood, which negatively affects the appearance of the whole structure. For this reason, it is recommended to use them only on hidden surfaces. Fire-resistant impregnations do not paint beautiful woody reliefs and even emphasize them.

This species is subdivided into weatherproof and unstable solutions. Unstable (in other words - leachable) funds are used in closed rooms, where the humidity level does not exceed 70%. Such solutions are characterized by low cost. For the treatment of facades is used impregnation for wood for outdoor works, Which is endowed with increased resistance to moisture.

Choice of means

Choosing this or that means, it is necessary to know that absolutely all fire-retardant products must have documentation confirming its quality. If the seller can not show the relevant certificates, it is not worth making a choice in favor of his product, since, most likely, it was produced without regard to requirements and can be dangerous for a person.

To protect the most important elements (such as beams and load-bearing structures), impregnation is applied for wood for outdoor work, which guarantees the maximum degree of protection.

For interior surfaces that perform a decorative function, water-based impregnations can be used that can be supplemented with various dyes.

In any case, the fire retardant for wood must meet the following requirements:

- do not have components that release harmful substances into the air;

- not to violate the natural properties of the tree (ecological compatibility, air exchange, etc);

- comply with the environment of use.

Positive features of the flame retardant procedure

1. High degree of protection of buildings from fire. In the event of a fire, wooden structures may become charred, but do not light up.

2. Fire-resistant impregnations have many types, differing in composition, purpose and value. Therefore, the buyer can choose an option that meets any requirements.

3. The process of applying funds for wood is quite simple, processing can be done with your own hands without resorting to costly specialist services.

Degree of penetration of impregnations into the surface

Fire retardant for wood can be deep or superficial penetration.

In the process of household treatment, surface impregnations are used. Often, the owners cover the walls of already finished buildings, so it is impossible to carry out deep impregnation. The cost of surface solutions is low, so the protective characteristics are also low. The solution is applied with a brush, roller or spray.

Deep processing is carried out by soaking the bar in special containers, after which the material is thoroughly dried and already used for building construction. Such protection is considered the most reliable.

Of course, deep penetrating flame retardants can be used for wood and for surface application, but in this case the degree of their absorption into the wood structure will be significantly less than during soaking.

Useful tips on flame retardant treatment

Whichever fire retardant is chosen for wood impregnation, the reliability of protection depends on the strict observance of the rules for its application. So, treatment with salt solutions should be carried out exclusively in warm weather, at an air temperature of 5 to 25 degrees and low humidity. Avoid contact with metal elements, as the high content of salts can cause corrosion.

Fire retardants for wood based on water should not be used to impregnate old and withered wood, as it absorbs moisture and swells.

Non-porous impregnations can be applied in the temperature range from -15 to +40 degrees. These species penetrate the structure of the material as quickly as possible, but differ in toxicity. Based on this, these funds can be used only for outdoor works.

The surface to be treated must be dry enough and not covered with paints, varnishes and other compounds. Preliminary heating of the wood allows to increase the penetration depth of the protective agent from 3-4 mm to 5-8 mm.

Protective paints and varnishes

As mentioned earlier, wood protection can be carried out with the help of wear-resistant façade varnishes and paints. Such coatings are divided into 2 categories: intumescent and non-expandable.

The first group is characterized by the fact that as the temperature rises the material begins to crack, moisture and inert gas are released, as a result of which the fire does not extend to the wood.

Means of the second group include fire-fighting fillers and liquid glass. Such coatings can withstand the fire for 100 minutes.

With the help of paint and varnish compositions, protection from mold, rot and settling by microorganisms is carried out.

Expenditure and duration of service

Salt solutions are very poorly fixed on the wooden surface, therefore, to achieve the maximum degree of protection, it is necessary to use not less than 400 grams of product per each square meter of surface. Due to weak fixation, impregnation does not penetrate deep into the wood and is quickly washed away. For this reason, re-treatment should be carried out no later than 2 years.

Nonsolar impregnations very easily penetrate the structure of the tree, therefore, much less solution will be required to impregnate. At 1 m ² should use about 280 grams of funds. The service life of such protection is 5 years for outdoor use and 15 years for indoor use.

The periodicity of coating with varnish -and -paint materials is 6-7 years.

During the operation of wooden surfaces, it is necessary to regularly inspect their condition. If chipped, noticeable otspadiny protective coatings or impregnation was washed more than 70%, should be re-processed as soon as possible.

How to test the quality of a fire retardant

In order to be sure of the fire safety of the treated structure, it is possible to test the quality of the purchased product.

To do this, a small piece of wood is impregnated in an existing solution and allowed to dry thoroughly. Then the sample is ignited and the chemical reaction is observed. If a qualitative solution was used for processing, the piece will not burn and smolder. After 0,5 minutes, the surface of the bar may become charred, darken, but in no case will it catch fire!

If the flame did not appear, the impregnation was made in accordance with the requirements and can be used for further processing of the building.

In conclusion, we note that the timely processing of materials and walls made of wood, helps several times reduce the possibility of a fire and even save life. Therefore, you should not save on your own safety and health of all family members. Use the products of well-known and well-proven brands that guarantee the excellent quality of their funds.