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Registered User
I'm trying to confirm the fire code regulations with respect to mounting acoustic panels on a ceiling, in proximity of a ceiling sprinkler head. This is a 6-story residential building in Bellevue, WA.
I'd like to increase the current size of the black panel from 6x6' to 8x8'. The method of mounting consists of two 4x8' sheets of 1/4" plywood to the ceiling, then mounting the panels to the plywood (the thickness with the plywood is just under 2"). The panels use fire rated materials and I don't know if there's any issue with using plywood on the ceiling, but if there may be I'd like to know.
An 8x8' panel would leave 6-7" between the edge of the panel and the center of the sprinkler head. Someone from our local fire department suggested I need to look into the "Beam Rule" of the NFPA; a post on this site suggested that according to the Beam Rule, a 2" thick panel must be at least 12" from the head (I assume that's from the center of the head).
I appreciate any feedback you can offer about whether the 12" interpretation is correct and whether I can use standard 1/4" plywood.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6vYbX1pB8ixY2pzRFp3OENIU0JqMVdZZ3o2WEctb1plYjNB
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6vYbX1pB8ixeVRfOHI3WnBYTVE
I'd like to increase the current size of the black panel from 6x6' to 8x8'. The method of mounting consists of two 4x8' sheets of 1/4" plywood to the ceiling, then mounting the panels to the plywood (the thickness with the plywood is just under 2"). The panels use fire rated materials and I don't know if there's any issue with using plywood on the ceiling, but if there may be I'd like to know.
An 8x8' panel would leave 6-7" between the edge of the panel and the center of the sprinkler head. Someone from our local fire department suggested I need to look into the "Beam Rule" of the NFPA; a post on this site suggested that according to the Beam Rule, a 2" thick panel must be at least 12" from the head (I assume that's from the center of the head).
I appreciate any feedback you can offer about whether the 12" interpretation is correct and whether I can use standard 1/4" plywood.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6vYbX1pB8ixY2pzRFp3OENIU0JqMVdZZ3o2WEctb1plYjNB
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6vYbX1pB8ixeVRfOHI3WnBYTVE