The fire-resistant properties of aluminium make it an excellent building material for use on multi-story building facades, bushfire-prone houses and everything in between.
The fire resistant properties of solid aluminium exceed those of other common building materials such as composites and timber, and solid aluminium building products have been tested to National Construction Code (NCC) requirements and meet the criteria for classification as a non-combustible building material.
Aluminium is a uniquely fireproof material. This is because it has a natural oxide layer that prevents the metal reacting with oxygen and causing ignition.
Non-flammable: solid aluminium does not catch fire. At a temperature of 750-800°C it will melt, but it will not combust.
Does not spark: solid aluminium does not produce sparks if it comes into contact with flame. Unlike some other metals, it also does not produce sparks when cut of subjected to impact.
No smoke release: When heated, aluminium does not give off any smoke.
Why Doesn’t Aluminium Spread Fire?
Aluminium has excellent thermal conductivity, meaning it conducts heat rapidly away from its source. This means:
No hot spots: aluminium dissipates heat evenly across its surface, unlike other metals. This means it won’t concentrate heat in one spot and ignite surrounding materials.
Cools quicker: because aluminium spreads heat evenly over its surface, it cools down quicker than other materials after being heated up.
What About Aluminium Composite Panels?
Aluminium Composite Panels (ACPs) have been the cause of devastating cladding fires in Australia and overseas, including the Lacrosse Fire in Melbourne in 2014 and the Grenfell Tower fire in the UK in 2017. These fires were not caused by the aluminium itself, but by the flammable High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) core, which combusted rapidly and ignited surrounding particles of HDPE. This was exacerbated by the flammable wet paint coatings used on these panels.
Non-flammable: solid aluminium does not catch fire. At a temperature of 750-800°C it will melt, but it will not combust.
Does not spark: solid aluminium does not produce sparks if it comes into contact with flame. Unlike some other metals, it also does not produce sparks when cut of subjected to impact.
No smoke release: When heated, aluminium does not give off any smoke.
Fire Safe Cladding: A Solid Solution
Choosing solid aluminium building products such as Fire Safe Cladding can make all the difference in ensuring your building is protected from flame spread or burning ember attack.
Fire Safe Cladding Products are made from 100% solid aluminium, with no flammable chemicals, coatings or cores. Coated in Powdershield™, our unique fire-resistant finish, FSC building products can withstand a range of fire attacks, from multi-story building fires to burning ember attacks from bushfires.
Fire Rated Products 
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