As much as fire-resistant wood siding sounds like a good idea, the reality is that wood products always retain a certain level of flammability that puts them into question. Though flame retardant finishes can help, there’s a much better – and easier – solution for getting reliable fire protection for building exteriors: modern wood-style siding made from alternative materials.
Continue reading to learn what options are available for fire-resistant wood siding and how to create an exterior you can count on.
Wood Comes with Significant Flammability Concerns
Wood is highly flammable. There’s no way around it! Fire safety remains a significant concern for homeowners and commercial property owners alike. People are sometimes surprised at how common fire damage is. In fact, it’s estimated that every 24 seconds, a fire department is responding to a new call for help somewhere in the U.S.
Whether an accident happens at home – like letting a barbecue get out of hand – or perhaps there’s intentional arson taking place, fires remain a considerable threat that should be dealt with proactively. Building with fire-resistant materials is a great way to provide superior protection in advance – before a fire takes place.
How Heat and Fire-Resistant is Wood Siding?
Most builders know that wood is a flammable material, yet the allure of wood-style siding keeps people interested in this material. The real question: how heat and fire-resistant is wood siding?
First, it depends on the type of wood and whether it’s been treated or not. For example, it’s known that hardwoods like mahogany, oak, walnut, teak, and maple are generally less flammable than softwoods like cedar and pine because of their density. In addition, fire-resistant wood siding treatments can somewhat help to reduce flammability.
With that said, wood always retains a certain level of flammability that is concerning for property owners. So, it’s best to consider alternative materials from the get-go.
Treatment Options for Fire-Resistant Wood Siding
There are some fire-resistant finishes that can reduce the flammability of wood, to a certain extent. These products are typically sold as clear coats or as paints, and they are added to the exterior of natural wood siding to add an additional layer of protection.
It’s important to note that these treatments are actually fire retardants. In other words, they are designed to slow down the spread of fire, not make a building fireproof. Though commonly advertised as fire-resistant wood siding products, these should not lead you to believe that they can make a structure 100% fire-resistant. In reality, these finishes are often used as a means to delay fire damage and avoid the total collapse of a building. They can’t really make wood siding fireproof.
A Better Alternative: Wood-Look Steel with a Class A Fire Rating
There’s an easier way to get fire-resistant wood siding without worrying about fire damage. Modern products are capable of imitating the look, texture, color, and style of natural wood siding while also avoiding the risks of having a wood composition altogether.
Steel siding, for example, can be crafted to resemble genuine log siding, authentic board and batten, traditional lap, and other popular styles. With intricate wood grain patterns and textures, these steel siding panels capture the beauty and elegance of natural timber – yet they’re much better suited for fire safety.
In fact, TruLog steel siding boasts a Class A Fire Rating, which is the top tier of the rating system that assesses flammability risks. Because it’s built with heavy gauge steel, it’s the best type of fire-resistant wood siding you can get – without worrying about the risks of wood in the event of a fire. The high-quality steel composition also provides a better level of durability than other siding materials, to effectively reduce dents, corrosion, scratches, cracks, blistering, chipping, and warping.
The color quality of wood-look steel adds to the allure of using this modern material in place of outdated wood, which requires intensive upkeep and maintenance. With color options like pine, cedar, walnut, and more, it’s easy to find the exact style that you want for your home, barn, garage, or commercial building. It’s even easier to maintain! That’s another benefit of using a modern material like steel. It’s intentionally designed to be maintenance-free, to save property owners time, money, and energy, in the long run.
Build Better with Fire-Resistant Materials
There are lots of reasons for prioritizing fire safety. Whether you want to make wood siding fire-resistant for a welding workshop or simply as a way to protect the structure against everyday accidents that can lead to fire, proactive planning is a must. Why take a risk with natural wood siding when there are beautiful, wood-style alternatives that provide much better fire resistance?
TruLog is an excellent resource for learning how to source and build with fire-resistant wood-style siding.
Contact TruLog today to explore a range of beautiful, fire-resistant wood-style siding products.
