Lexan Sheetrock

[Guest partyrock]

Was asked to install lexan coated sheetrock in a home this week. Luckily its prohibitively expensive. This stuff is suppose to resist damage and my customer was tired of her kids putting holes in the wall. Turns out the Lexan makes it almost unbreakable. No more smashing through sheet rock with a haligan or ax head. You'd need an axe or power tool to make your cuts. Even after you get your purchase you may not be able to just break off chunks. Then there's the flamability issues. It has the same fire spread as traditional sheet rock because the lexan is under the paper. What is not mentioned is the thick black smoke you'd get from the burning lexan. This is being marketed for schools, commercial, and industrial properties.

Anyone else out there come into contact with it or ever taken a look at this stuff?

[FFD941 20]

This has been around for quite sometime now... I am actually looking to get my hands on some to run some tests...There are videos out there of a small studed wall burning with the High Impact Wallboard, I unfortunately do not have them, but here is a Fire Department which did some testing

Broome County Fire

[ryefd192 2]

As you said, the stuff is meant for mostly commercial use. That said, hopefully you won't encounter it in a situation where you need to breach a wall for survival. We learned about this stuf 2 years ago in my FF1 class because survival poses the biggest problem for us with this stuff (my instructor gave us a brief intro into survival). If for some reason it is in a structure where it is put on an interior wall, if you get stuck you're screwed. But if its in a structure where you are worried about fire in the walls, you may just have to bust out the heavier equipment to open them up.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

I am going to try and get a link to a video I had once seen with a demonstration by an FD with the High Impact Wallboard. In one test, they had a firefighter try and breach a wall set up with it with just hand tools. It took almost 2 minutes, if I remember correctly, to make a hole barely large enough for himself to get through. Secondly, as FFD941 said, they also did ignite a fire on the inside to show fire advancement.

A few things to keep in mind about this stuff:

-the Lexan sheet is on the inside of the wall, normal sheetrock on the interior of the room side

-just by looking you will not be able to tell it is there until you try and breach it, which can prove to be too late when the brown stuff hits the rotating blades

-also, if you have a fire in a stud chase, Lexan IS a plastic material, and we all know how combustible plastic is

As soon as I get a link to that video I will post it here.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Gold Bond Hi-impact 8000 wallboard is no longer being manufactured due to lack of sales/interest. However its important to remember that it could still be found in some buildings in your response area.

Another thing to keep in mind that while the lexan backed wallboard sticks out because of the attention its gotten over the past couple of years, there are also other forms of reinforced wallboard out there that is more prevalent and also can slow any breaching tactics used. One such type is fiberglass infused wallboard and Hi impact XP that is still being manufactured and is fairly popular.

Here is a link to a pdf explaining what was done in the test of the video that is floating around. It is a mainstay of most fire instructors particulary in FF 1 and FF survival and FAST. http://www.firegraphics.org/Hi-Impact%20wa...burn%20test.pdf

Hi Impact 8000 lexan backed

Hi Impact XP Fiberglass mesh reinforced http://www.nationalgypsum.com/products/product79.aspx

[RichC 0]

Anyone have any tips on recognizing this stuff other than putting a tool through the wall and see what kind of resistance you get.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Here are 2 links to 2 videos, both performed by the Roberts Park FD.

***NOTE*** - These are EXTREMELY LARGE files, so be patient and grab a cup of coffee

High Impact Wallboard Test Burn

HIgh Impact Wallboard Breach Test

Thanks to Mr. Dave Walsh for providing these, the Instructor for the Fire Science Program at Dutchess Community College. He has MANY other educational videos, powerpoints, etc, on his page, I HIGHLY recommend everyone check them out!

To see these, click on the Free Training Resources link on the left hand side, and the look on the right, and you can find powerpoints, videos, and audio clips.

Edited March 2, 2007 by xfirefighter484x

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Preplanning is the most effective way to recognize its presence. Also understand that there is no real "putting the tool through it." You will meet immediate resistance unless it is a pointed tool.

Another building construction feature to note is that of row houses, condo's etc. where 2 units meet, often there are 2 studded walls for each unit that are 16" on center, however they are offset so every 8" you will have a stud. Your only option if you faced with breaching this type of wall, is you will have to attack the stud at its anchor point as well.