Are laminate sheets fire resistant?
High Pressure Laminates can be placed anywhere. You can place it on your ceiling, interior walls, cabinets, furniture, in your kitchen area or the living room. Its versatility makes it able to do so. This is the same reason why you should greatly consider the materials to place into your home, and know how they respond to fire emergencies. Your safety and security at home depends on your building material’s risk to fire and its reaction to it.
HPL sheets are made up of six to eight layers of kraft paper, mesh, resin, and decor paper. The materials were bonded together using a process consisting of high heat and pressure to produce a compact material. It is a durable material that can match the overall style of any room, and can perform its functions as good as it looks.
In determining whether or not a material is fire-resistant, they go under a series of tests to determine their (1) flammability, or the measure of how fast the material is ignites in a fire situation, (2) spread of flame, or the measure of how fast the fire propagates, (3) heat release, and (4) production of smoke and toxic gases. HPL sheets are proven to have high resistance to heat, meaning, it will only ignite in extremely high temperatures, so it can be placed even in kitchen countertops, and is safe to be placed at home. The materials used in HPL produce a low release of heat and smoke, and retards the propagation of fire, which allows more time for the occupants to escape in a fire situation. In terms of production of smoke and toxic gases, HPL produces a low volume of harmful gases compared to other materials. While fire cannot be fully prevented by having fire-resistant materials, having one would slow down the progress of fire inside the home, saving more lives and properties.
This March is the celebration of the National Fire Prevention month to remind us to remain vigilant and cautious of the risks and causes of fire, and be aware of what we can do to keep our home safe. There are several factors which determine how we choose the material to use, including durability, impact resistance, ease of installation, and cost-effectiveness. Inserting the fire-resistant material as one of your considerations can leave you to enjoy a safe, secure, and warm home.
If you want more information about HPL sheets, contact one of the trusted suppliers of HPL in the Philippines. Lamerra offers a wide variety of choices of wood laminate sheets and solid color laminates, and is available in Decocity branches and selected Polylite branches nationwide.
