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Detached Garage - Floor Question

N

No Soup for you

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Feb 13, 2020
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Location
New York
Hello there,

I have a homeowner that wants to build a detached garage but wants it to look like an old barn.

The architect is asking me about the floor. The homeowner wants a wood floor

email below....


Client asked for a wood floor, like a barn. We were reviewing what we could find in the 2020 IRC code for garages and it says the floor should be an approved noncombustible material and sloped to the doors.
Since the building is a garage and not a barn, what do you think about wood flooring? Have you seen any examples of approved non-combustible materials used in a residential garage? Fire-rated wood decking or similar? The building is freestanding.


Obviously R309 says "approved non-combustible material"

Any ideas on what other material could be considered "non combustible" besides concrete or equivalent?

I thought I would throw this out there for some input. I cant approve a typical wood floor.

Other than telling them to call it a barn and if he parks in there its on them when it burns down, any ideas?

I cant think of anything.

Thanks
 
Fire retardant wood??? Meeting ICC non combustible definition??

Or seal it with a non com finish??
 
Plus the wood would have to meet this::

The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.


And take this:::

406.4.5 Floor Surface

Parking surfaces shall be of concrete or similar noncombustible and nonabsorbent materials.



They want to use sheets, or planks??
 
ok it finally made it into the 2018

NONCOMBUSTIBLE. [SFM] Noncombustible as applied to building construction material means a material which, in the form in which it is used, is either one of the following:
  1. Material of which no part will ignite and burn when subjected to fire. Any material passing ASTM E136 shall be considered noncombustible.
  2. Material having a structural base of noncombustible material as defined in Item 1 above, with a surfacing material not over 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) thick which has a flame-spread index of 50 or less.
"Noncombustible" does not apply to surface finish materials. Material required to be noncombustible for reduced clearances to flues, heating appliances or other sources of high temperature shall refer to material conforming to Item 1. No material shall be classed as noncombustible which is subject to increase in combustibility or flame-spread index, beyond the limits herein established, through the effects of age, moisture or other atmospheric condition.



WAS it taken out of the 2021 ibc?????????????
 
If it's not attached and meets the separation requirements, then I'd have no problem calling it a "barn" and not a "garage" and letting them put whatever kind of floor they want to in it. Just because there's an overhead door doesn't mean I have to automatically assume he's going to park a vehicle in it.
 
JCraver said:
If it's not attached and meets the separation requirements, then I'd have no problem calling it a "barn" and not a "garage" and letting them put whatever kind of floor they want to in it. Just because there's an overhead door doesn't mean I have to automatically assume he's going to park a vehicle in it.
Click to expand...
That is the route I was going to go.

Just wanted to get some other ideas before I told them that :)
 
I've never been too fond of the label game. It's actually the reason I became involved in code development over 30 years ago. The "if we call it this, we dont have to have that" is not a path to safety. If the building is to park cars in, the code intends non combustible floor, non absorptive, and a slope for drainage. Besides neither barn not garage is defined in IRC.

I've seen some great stamped concrete work.
 
CT has a gimmie for that.....

(Amd) R309.1 Floor surfaces. Garage floor surfaces shall be of approved noncombustible
material. The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to
facilitate the movement of liquids to an approved drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.
Exception: Detached garages that are separated from the dwelling by a minimum distance
of 10 feet (3048 mm).
 
cda said:
Can you have a barn on the property??

Maybe call it a flower shop or art studio ???
Click to expand...
Yes, a barn on the property is no problem.




Anyone ever hear of this stuff?


Found this while searching around. looks interesting.


Anyway, I spoke to the architect , he is going to try and persuade his client to do a concrete floor.
(I liked the stamped concrete suggestion above as Joe B said which I suggested to the architect)

Lets see what they actually submit :)
 
No Soup for you said:
Yes, a barn on the property is no problem.




Anyone ever hear of this stuff?


Found this while searching around. looks interesting.


Anyway, I spoke to the architect , he is going to try and persuade his client to do a concrete floor.
(I liked the stamped concrete suggestion above as Joe B said which I suggested to the architect)

Lets see what they actually submit :)
Click to expand...


have not seen it in use


 
We had to use exterior FRT wood once to build a temporary exit stair when putting an addition onto a building, because a steel stair would have taken too long to get. It ended up costing more than the steel stair would have.
 
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