Fireblocking in Façades: The Sunshine State Version.

Un“block” the magic between Central Florida’s Top Division Seven Architectural Expert and the United States’ leading passive fire protection manufacturer.

Hot, humid climate, extreme weather conditions, astronomical energy building costs are just a small reason why Floridians were searching for an optimal building practice that can combat these severe elements. As a result, leading construction professionals have opted in specifying ventilated rainscreen systems into their new development projects. With its ability to control moisture-related issues such as mold, mildew, and structural degradation, ventilated rainscreens are engineered to mitigate these problems by allowing air circulation between the building’s exterior cladding and its inner wall structure. With this airflow, it promotes a proper drying mechanism – eliminating the risk of trapped moisture.

In addition to its capability to thrive in humid climate, ventilated rainscreen assemblies are able to create a thermal buffer zone that permits the regulation of indoor temperatures – optimal for air-conditioned buildings in Florida’s sweltering summers. However, this system’s ventilated air cavity creates a major life safety hazard – the ultimate pathway for an active fire outbreak. In order to resolve this issue, building code officials have implemented stringent regulations that enforce fireblocking within this gap. As fireblocking technology was developed, one of the main complications was its inability to maintain the proper gap sizing – depreciating the moisture control and energy efficiency benefits of ventilated rainscreen systems.

When discussing the development of a fireblocking solution for façade applications, Tenmat’s on-site engineers brought up the question, “Why block the cavity when it doesn’t need to be blocked”? Thus, we engineered a solution that can 1) meet the fireblocking requirements of the most stringent building regulations, and 2) offer the full performance and benefits of a ventilated air cavity – meet Tenmat’s Intumescent Fire Blocks for Ventilated Rainscreen Systems.

So, how does Tenmat’s Intumescent Technology allow for full-scale performance of the cavity within a ventilated rainscreen system? An intumescent is a remarkable material that reacts and expands aggressively when exposed to heat. This expansion fills gaps, accommodates changes in an opening, and forms a high-performance fire barrier that lasts for extended periods. Unlike traditional solutions, intumescent technology allows construction professionals to create custom fireblocking solutions tailored to specific project requirements—be it application type, thickness, shape, expansion rate, or char formation—rather than relying on rigid, one-size-fits-all options.

At Tenmat, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with ventilated rainscreen experts and building code officials to develop optimal fireblocking solutions for façade applications. Our products are designed not only to meet but to exceed the demands of modern construction projects.

Tenmat’s FF102/50 Intumescent Fire Block

  • NFPA285 Fire Tested Component
  • Intertek Listed (SPEC ID: 55536)
  • UL Classified under the Exterior Wall System Component category (FWFX)
  • ASTM E84 (UL 723): Flame Spread: 0 Smoke Developed: 0
  • Continuous Free Air Space up to 2″ (50mm)
  • Allows for ventilation and moisture dissipation
  • Expands up to 25x of its thickness in case of a fire
  • Creates a fire block to prevent “chimney” effect
  • Fire & Age Tested

Tenmat’s FF102/50Plus Ventilated Fire Block

  • Creates a hidden fire barrier/fireblock behind the cladding
  • Allows for ventilation and moisture dissipation
  • UL Classified under the Exterior Wall System Component category (FWFX)
  • NFPA285 Fire Tested and Approved
  • Continuous Free Air Space from 2″ (50mm) up to 19.6″ (500mm)
  • Quick & Easy Installation
  • Fire & Age Tested
  • Prevents “chimney” effect

About Taylor Architectural Products:

Taylor Architectural Products is built on a strong commitment to delivering innovative architectural solutions to leading design professionals and providing hands-on educational support to general contractors. As a trusted partner, they specialize in rainscreen cladding systems, insulation, and weather-resistant barriers.

To connect with Taylor Architectural Products, please contact Bob Taylor.

Finding the Perfect Fit in Façades.

Tenmat announces partnership with Midwest Architectural Rep, Blue Line Building Products.

With the recent surge of US energy conservation code requirements, a vast amount of new construction projects have adopted the practice of ventilated rainscreen systems into their developing projects. With its wide range of energy efficient capabilities, ventilated rainscreen assemblies are an attractive, newly found construction practice – which has been rapidly adopted from all over the country. Unfortunately, this construction method produces a critical life safety hazard – the chimney effect.

In normal conditions, the ‘open state’ cavity allows for the structure to have proper ventilation and improvement in the overall building’s energy efficiency. However, in the event of a fire outbreak, this open void allows for the heat, flames, and smoke to travel vertically and horizontally throughout the structure – at an accelerated pace. As a result, recent building code adoptions have implemented a fireblocking requirement to eliminate this life safety hazard – protecting the lives and properties within our communities.

As a response, numerous forms of fireblocking technology have been developed to meet recent building code adoptions and resolve the issue of the chimney effect. However, a majority of these fireblocking solutions seal off the internal cavity of the assembly– which diminishes air ventilation, increases moisture dissipation, and decreases the building’s overall energy efficiency.

At Tenmat, we specialize in the development and manufacturing of intumescent technology – allowing us to meet the demands of construction professionals, based on application, thicknesses, shape, expansion rate and char formation after heat interaction. An intumescent is a material which reacts and expands aggressively when exposed to heat. In addition, this technology is designed to react and expand to fill all the gaps and changes in an opening, and therefore, can maintain a high-performance fire barrier for an extended duration. With this type of technology, it allows the construction application to shape a fireblocking solution to accommodate its demands rather than the opposing.

In the effort to protect growing communities and offer the latest in fireblocking technology, such as the Midwest, Tenmat has partnered with the architectural representative, Blue Line Building Products. With their dedication to finding the right product for the right applications, Blue Line BP offers the highest quality building envelope products and design-assist services in the rapidly growing Midwest.

Specialties Include:

  • Faux Wood Façades
  • Composite Stone
  • High Density Fiber Cement
  • HPL Panel Systems
  • Metal Panels
  • Porcelain Façades
  • Architectural Mesh

To contact Blue Line Building Products directly, please contact Matt Martino.