To meet the requirements of fire resistance testing, ALL elements of the glass and frame must provide INTEGRITY and INSULATION protection (INSULATION meaning a surface temperature rise limited to an average of 140° C and a ‘spot’ temperature rise of 180°C).

For STEEL FRAMES, this typically means an insulated frame type, suitable for holding this glass type for the specified time period.
Insulated steel frame types by FORSTER, JANSEN and approved others are suitable.

The use of TIMBER FRAMES as glazed fire screens is widespread and, due to the high natural insulation given by timber, they can also provide INTEGRITY with INSULATION for up to 60 minutes at least.

The design of a timber 30 or 60-minute fire screen is critical, as there needs to be attention to several key elements:

Selection of a suitable timber species (most dense timbers have a slower charring rate).
Sufficient material/section size of the timber frame and beads, to allow for the charring during the desired fire period and still allow glass retention and freedom from ‘burn-through’.
Selection of compatible fire glass type.
Position, size and frequency of bead fixings.

Use of suitable and proven glazing system/medium.

Given the absence of a widely available ‘proprietary’ frame style, CGI International has worked together with various test houses to agree the following timber frame details which would serve as typical minimum dimensions as far as fire resistance is concerned.

For structural design and other factors, other features of a frame may need to be considered.