LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068

49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280

Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

Mezzanine floors: Fire protection

What is fire protection and why is it necessary?

So called ‘fire protection’ is effectively

insulation of the mezzanine floor
steelwork to prevent it from heating up
quickly in a fire. Unprotected steelwork
heats up quickly and can suddenly
collapse. Fire protection is specified for
a certain period of time such as ‘half
hour’, ‘1 hour’, ‘2 hour’ or ‘4 hour’. The
time period refers to the time that the
protected elements remain structurally
sound in the event of a fire. The fire
protection required for different parts of
buildings is specified within the Building
Regulations part B.

Fire protecting building elements in accordance with the regulations is a statutory

requirement, protecting lives and property and enabling the fire brigade to assess how
long they can safely fight a fire before a risk of collapse.

Providing fire protection to mezzanine floors is also referred to as ‘fire rating’ them, and a
mezzanine floor fitted with fire protection may be referred to as ‘fire rated’.

Do mezzanine floors always need to be fire protected?

The requirement for fire protection depends upon the use, size and extent of the
mezzanine floor.
Mezzanine flooring that is less than 10m x 10m in size, and occupying less than 50% of
the area of the building in which it is located and which is not permanently occupied and
infrequently accessed (used for storage) does not need to be fire rated.
Mezzanine flooring that is less than 20m x 20m in size, and occupying less than 50% of
the area of the building in which it is located and which is not permanently occupied and
infrequently accessed (used for storage) does not need to be fire rated as long as it is
fitted with an appropriate fire detection and alarm system.

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REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444
LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068
49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280
Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

Any mezzanine floors that are permanently occupied regardless of size will need to be
fire protected such as office areas, assembly and manufacturing, packing, canteen space
or areas such as retail space with public access. Also mezzanines larger than 10m x
10m without an appropriate fire detection and alarm system, all mezzanines larger than
20m x 20m and all mezzanines whose size exceeds 50% of the area within which they
are located.
It can be seen that only in the smallest storage applications can fire protection be
omitted.
How do we fire protect our mezzanine flooring?
The most common means of fire protecting mezzanine floors is through the use of four
key elements of insulation, column casings, a suspended ceiling, bulkheads/fascias and
cavity barriers. This means of fire protecting mezzanine floors is used because of its
speed of installation and low cost.

Column casings comprise a two part sheet metal case lined with ‘Promalit’ or similar
board bonded to the inside of the casing. The sheet metal case usually has a galvanized
or white ‘plastisol’ finish to suit the application, but can be stainless steel or coloured
‘plastisol’, and the two parts have an unobtrusive locking seam enabling them to be
quickly and neatly fitted with a few taps from a rubber mallet.

Suspended ceilings comprise wires hung vertically on clips from the secondary beams of
the mezzanine supporting length of ceiling runner. The runners clip together and are
joined in turn by intermediate lengths of ceiling runner to create a ceiling grid. Minaboard
tiles are then inserted to fill the grid. The grid is commonly and most economically based
around 1200mm x 600mm ceiling tiles, however by adding further intermediate 600mm
ceiling runners, 600mm x 600mm tiles can be used. The tiles fitted must be certificated
to provide the necessary level of fire protection when used in the grid under a mezzanine
floor. This restricts the available choice of tiles and finishes.

Bulkheads or fascias (vertical barriers to close off ceiling cavities to exposed perimeters
at mezzanine floor edges or voids) are achieved by creating a framework from
galvanized section and cladding the framework with plasterboard to obtain the required
level of fire protection in accordance with the manufacturers specifications. Our
bulkheads/fascias are then decorated.

Cavity barriers are vertical barriers within the ceiling void created with mineral wool
insulation to subdivide the void into compartments in accordance with the Building
Regulations in order to prevent smoke or flame traveling through the ceiling void.

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REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444
LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068
49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280
Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

Alternative means of fire protecting mezzanine floors

Sometimes aesthetic or other considerations such as positive pressure fire extinguishing

systems preclude the use of suspended ceilings. Alternatives include taped, jointed and
decorated plasterboard ceilings on a metal furring (MF) ceiling framework and similarly
boxed in columns providing flush finishes or intumescent painting of hot rolled columns
and beams.

Certification

All the components of fire protection should be certified to provide the desired degree of
protection in the application in which they are being used. For example it is not
acceptable to use any old suspended ceiling below a mezzanine floor; the ceiling tile and
grid system must have certification specifically providing the required level of protection
under a steel joist type mezzanine construction, which significantly restricts the range of
manufacturers able to offer a suitable product.

Get advice
This general information relates to mezzanine flooring fire protection and is intended for
guidance only. Each application needs to be assessed on its own merits.
It is always prudent to discuss your specific project with an approved inspector or
building control officer prior to commencing work, a task with which your mezzanine floor
contractor will be prepared to assist.
Mezzanine floor advice and support
If you would like advice regarding the specific requirements for your project, someone to
liaise with building control on your behalf, or a quotation for your project call Llonsson Ltd
on 01883 622068.

Prepared by: Llonsson Ltd © Llonsson Ltd 2009 3

REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444