Vermitex^® 'AF'

Floor Ceiling
(Interior applications)

Product Description

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ is a Gypsum-Vermiculite blend plus trace chemical additives. Formulated to provide passive fire protection to elements of building construction on a variety of backgrounds, it does not contain asbestos nor other forms of fibre.

Recommended Uses

The Vermitex^® ‘AF’ Floor Ceiling system is a popular Fire Rated Ceiling systems for Commercial Buildings. The system is commonly applied to the underside of timber floors and today is synonymous with older structures being refurbished.

Vermitex^® ‘AF' Floor Ceiling system offers a simple and cost effective solution to the problems associated with reinstatement of Fire Resistance Levels from 60 to 180 minutes in existing buildings.

A two (2) hour FRL Floor Ceiling system (Incipient spread of Fire included) is very light and at only 35 mm thick is also very thin, with space encroachment kept to a minimum. Vermitex^® ‘AF' Floor Ceiling systems also have inherent noise abatement properties across the entire frequency spectrum (2).

Application of the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ may be carried out by hand but preferably by mechanical means to suitable reinforcing substrates such as expanded metal lath, ripple iron, riblath etc. This Data Sheet addresses application to Floor Ceiling elements.

Product Characteristics

Tested Properties

Application Instructions

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ is a mill-mixed compound that can be sprayed onto substrates requiring protection at the corresponding thickness stipulated by the Manufacturer (refer Thickness Tables over). The floor ceiling being protected should be free from: ceiling battens, services (ducts & pipes), light fittings, nails or any other components, which may impair proper adhesion of the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ to the background. Mechanical reinforcement is required for interpolated thickness specified in the thickness tables.

Vermitex^® ‘AF’, when applied in well ventilated areas to a thickness of 25 mm, will dry in 2-3 weeks. Please note that Vermitex^® ‘AF’ is prone to frost damage and temperatures surrounding the areas being sprayed should not be allowed to fall below 4°C for a week, after installation. The material can be applied to a thickness of 20 mm in one application, thicker applications are possible, however this will depend on the state of the background being sprayed, its water-uptake capacity and the experience of the applicator. Multiple coatings will achieve a smooth and even textured finish, however a new coating should only be applied over one that has partially set. Where this is not possible the last coating surface should be left with a ‘deep & rough texture’ or purposefully scratched. When ‘Trowelling’ or ‘Ruling’ is unavoidable the applicator should not ‘overwork’ or ‘polish’ the surface as well as not apply too much pressure in order to avoid dislodgment of the material from the mesh.

In the case of Timber Floors the floor joists must be not less than 250 mm x 50 mm.

Any partition that is allowed to abut to the underside of the floor joists, should have the same FRL as the Floor Ceiling system being installed. If the Designer chooses the partitions to be non-fire rated, then the Fire Rated Ceiling system should be allowed to continue uninterrupted throughout the area, to avoid Fire integrity failures.
Penetrations through timber floors require special attention to ensure the Insulation Criteria is not compromised, such as in the case of metallic pipes, ducts fire dampers etc. Some Building Codes and/or Standards specify tolerances and details to account for such circumstances.

In refurbishment of old buildings, it may be common to encounter existing Floor Ceilings in place. These are costly to remove. They create health issues with their disposal, and slow down the construction program. With the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ Floor Ceiling system, existing ceilings may be left in situ, however care must be taken to ensure that the new Vermitex^® ‘AF’ Floor Ceiling system being installed is fixed to the floor joists and not to the existing ceiling battens.

Where light fittings are required they should be recessed with the whole enclosure fire rated or surface mounted. In both cases the electrical wiring should penetrate the mesh, travel 100 mm along the mesh, then be allowed to drop down from the mesh. Suitable electrical ties should be used (CAUTION: DO NOT USE TIE WIRE!)

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ may be painted over, however suitable sealers and paints are required (2).

Bond Coat, Primer Compatibility and Corrosion prevention

When applying Vermitex^® ‘AF’ to mechanical reinforcement a ‘Bond Coat’ equal to Vermitex^® ‘7’ is not required. However when Vermitex^® ‘AF’ is being sprayed to Ripple iron or any smooth sheet metal backing a ‘Bond Coat’ equal to Vermitex^® ‘7’ must be applied. No specific thickness is required when spraying Vermitex^® ‘7’, however coverage of between 50 and 75 % of the area is required. Vermitex^® ‘7’ will enhance the adhesion of the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ to the substrate as well as facilitate application of the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ by reducing its ‘slippage’ on smooth vertical backgrounds.

In certain applications, Vermitex^® ‘AF’ may be applied directly onto the bare steel without the need for a steel primer (Refer to LAF for further detailed advice). If a concern exists about moisture levels, the substrate should be suitably primed with an approved rust preventative primer. Where primers are required alkali resistant zinc-rich primers are recommended, however the paint manufacturer should be consulted to ensure compatibility with the Vermitex^® LAF have a comprehensive list of compatible primers and will supply on request.

Chemicals, which have an impact on gypsum will also have an impact on Vermitex^® ‘AF’, in these circumstances the Vermitex^® ‘AF’ must be top coated with suitable sealers and paints for protection (2).

Vermitex^® ‘7’ may react with Aluminium and Aluminium alloys and a suitable primer is recommended.

Steel members and separating construction

When steel elements intersect or form part of a Separating Element (eg, partition, ceiling, etc) care must be taken to ensure that the Insulation Criteria requirement (ie mandatory in some Building Codes & Standards) for the Floor Ceiling element is not impeded.

Coverage

One 50 litre bag of Vermitex^® ‘AF’ will cover approximately 1m² at a nominal thickness of 50 mm (without wastage considerations).

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ Specification (Broad Form)

Mechanical reinforcement equal to Expanded Metal Lath, Ripple Iron or Rib Lath, shall have been installed in accordance with the Manufacturers instructions and any relevant Code and Standards.

Prior to Vermitex^® ‘AF’ application commencing, the substrate shall be inspected by the Main Contractor to ensure all elements to be sprayed are free from any substances which impair proper adhesion of the spray material. (2)

All adjacent areas not requiring treatment shall be suitably protected against droppings and overspray.

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ as manufactured by L & A Fazzini Manufacturing Pty Ltd shall be installed by an approved Specialist Contractor to the thickness of ..xx.. mm to provide a Fire Resistance Level of ..aaa / bbb / ccc ..(insert required thickness and FRL).. .

The Specialist Contractor shall provide all materials, accessories, spray equipment, tools, inspection services and labour to satisfactorily carry out the works in best trade practice. All workmanship and installation techniques shall comply with the Manufacturers ‘Application Instructions’, relevant Building Code Statutory requirements and applicable ASTM, BS or AS Standards.

Refer to Test Data for more information

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ Thickness Table

Tested to AS 1530.4

assessed as complying with BS 476, Part 20 & 21 and ASTM E 119 Standards

Assessment for refurbishment of Floor Ceiling system

Health Statement

Vermitex^® ‘AF’ contains no asbestos and presents no known health hazard before, during or after application. Normal precautions relevant to the handling of gypsum products apply: dust mask, eye protection and covering of sensitive skin.

For more information or MSDS on Vermitex^® ‘AF’ or any other products,

please see the technical data page, or contact: L & A Fazzini Manufacturing Pty Ltd

Email:sales@lafgroup.com