California Code of Regulations
Title 19 - Public Safety
Division 1 - State Fire Marshal
Chapter 1 - General Fire and Panic Safety Standards
Subchapter 1 - Administration
Article 3 - General Provisions
Section 3.21 - Interior Finish of Decorative Material

Universal Citation: 19 CA Code of Regs 3.21

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Unframed Rigid Combustible Decorative Material. Rigid combustible decorative material and assemblies of materials not more than 1/4 inch in thickness used for folding doors, room dividers, decorative screens and similar applications, which do not create concealed spaces and which are installed with exposed edges, shall be flame resistant in accordance with the following:

(1) Test specimen shall be 12 inches wide and 24 inches long. Four specimens shall be tested, two in each direction of the material.

(2) The specimen shall be suspended vertically with its lower edge 2 inches above the top of a 3/8 inch diameter Bunsen Burner. The test shall be performed in a draft-free area.

(3) The flames from the burner shall be 4 inches long and shall be adjusted with sufficient air supply to eliminate any yellow flame tips but without any distinct inner blue cone.

(4) The specimen shall be exposed to the flame at each corner and at not less than one other point along the lower edge. Each exposure shall be of sufficient duration to determine if the material will ignite and continue to burn, but shall be not less than 20 seconds.

(5) The criteria for acceptance shall be as follows:
(A) There shall be not more than intermittent flaming appreciably beyond the area exposed to the test flame.

(B) No flame shall reach the top of the specimen.

(C) On removing the test flame there shall be not more than one second of after flaming except there may be nonprogressive flaming of short duration in areas of accumulated char which were directly exposed to the test flame.

(b) Framed Rigid Combustible Decorative Material. Rigid combustible decorative material and assemblies of materials not more than 1/4 inch in thickness used for folding doors, room dividers, decorative screens and similar applications, and which are installed with all edges protected, shall conform to the following:

(1) All exposed edges shall be protected with frames of metal or other noncombustible material, or solid wood of minimum 1/4 inch dimension.

(2) The total square foot area of the material shall not exceed ten percent of that of the floor area of the room in which the material is installed.

(3) When tested as follows, no flames shall reach the top edge of the specimen.

The test shall be conducted in a draft free area, on a specimen of the material 12 inches by 12 inches suspended at a 45 degree angle from the horizontal with the upper and lower edges in a horizontal plane. The test flame shall be 3 inches long from a Bunsen Burner of approximately 1/2 inch inside diameter with the air supply completely shut off. The burner shall be so positioned so that its top is 1 inch vertically below a point on the lower surface of the test specimen, 1 inch up from its lower horizontal edge, and mid-way between the inclined edges. The exposure to the test flame and the duration of test shall be for a period of 2 minutes.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 13108, 13143, 13143.6, 13211 and 18897.3, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 13100- 13146.5, 13210- 13216 and 18897- 18897.7, Health and Safety Code.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. California may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.