PRANCE metalwork is a leading manufacturer of metal ceiling and facade systems.
What is the fire resistance rating of aluminum drop ceilings?
This question requires clarifying the difference between material fire performance and assembly fire resistance rating. Aluminum itself is a non-combustible material. According to standard fire tests like ASTM E84 (Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials), aluminum typically achieves a Class A rating, meaning it has very low flame spread and smoke development indexes. This is a significant safety benefit, as the ceiling panels themselves will not contribute fuel to a fire.
However, a "fire resistance rating" (e.g., 1-hour, 2-hour) refers to the ability of an entire construction assembly (like a floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assembly) to contain a fire and prevent its passage for a specified duration, tested under standards like ASTM E119. A standard aluminum drop ceiling system (panels and grid) installed below a floor or roof structure does not inherently provide a fire resistance rating to that assembly.
To achieve a fire-rated ceiling assembly using aluminum panels, the entire system must be designed and tested for that purpose. This typically involves using specific fire-rated heavy-duty suspension grid systems, potentially special hold-down clips for the panels, fire-rated insulation above the ceiling, and compliance with specific installation details outlined in tested assembly designs (e.g., UL/ULC listed designs). The aluminum panels become one component within that rated assembly. Therefore, while our aluminum panels are non-combustible (Class A), achieving an hourly fire resistance rating requires specifying and correctly installing a complete fire-rated ceiling assembly system.