Virtually non-combustible
The impact of a fire can be catastrophic. Therefore, in homes, apartment buildings, offices, care facilities, schools, stores and other places where people live, sleep or work, you have to consider the safety of the building and its users. With SVK's fireproof fiber cement products with fire reaction class A2-s1, d0 you limit the risks and ensure that buildings and users remain safe.
Family business SVK from Sint-Niklaas has been a trusted manufacturer and distributor of fiber cement building materials for over 120 years. From cladding panels and slates to corrugated sheets, with a high commitment to sustainability, safety and design. "Designful and safe fiber cement façade and roofing is one of our priorities," outlines façade expert Kelly De Waegeneer. "All fiber cement products in our range have fire reaction class A2-s1, d0 according to the European standard EN 13501-1. This means that our fiber cement materials are virtually incombustible and therefore contribute little to no spread of any fire. Moreover, the products hardly cause any smoke development and no burning particles fall down from the sheets. In short: with our products, facade and roof meet the strictest fire safety standards."
As a result of the deadly fire at London's Grenfell Tower in 2017, fire safety requirements for facades have been tightened in 2021. A good development, according to De Waegeneer, because too often the facade still contributes to fire spread. She recently saw it happen before her eyes at a large Belgian department store, whose facade cladding consisted of insulating material with a foil or coating. "Unfortunately, the entire facade burned out all around. So again, the fire could have had a disastrous effect if the low-rise building had been a high-rise building! To prevent such fire spread in the future, we are happy to advise architects and other stakeholders on the correct application of rear structure, insulation material, rainscreen and façade finish. Because only when these components are perfectly matched is a truly fire-safe facade possible. In doing so, we expressly take into account the function of the building, the building height and applicable laws and regulations such as EN12467:2004 (Fiber cement flat panels - Product specifications and test methods).
If required, we can also put the architect in touch with various partner companies whose systems have been tested in combination with our products."
When it comes to the facade finish, architects at SVK have a choice of different facade slabs with low calorific content (the amount of heat developed when burning, where the content of SVK slabs is barely higher than concrete), which differ in finish and color.
As an example, De Waegeneer mentions the Puro Plus facade board, without coating, where the natural and lively structure of the fiber cement remains visible. But also the Decoboard with scratch- and UV-resistant acrylic coating, which is available in a variety of timeless RAL and NCS colors.
"Also very popular is our Ornimat cladding panel with durable and UV-resistant two-component coating, which is cut according to the specified dimensions: angled, curved, with or without pre-drilled holes. The sheets and edges are simultaneously colored to create a ready-to-use product that can be assembled immediately on site. The sheet has a uniform and matte appearance, giving the facade a uniform appearance. Regardless of the angle of incidence."
Last but not least, architects can indulge in the Colormat line of mass-colored facade panels. "But no matter which panel architects choose: with SVK, they are always assured of a designer facade and fire reaction class A2-s1, d0."
Neem dan rechtstreeks contact op met SVK.