Replacing wall, ceiling, and floor finishes and fire ratings

[Phil C]

Hello, gutting a residential 4 unit building. Not reconfiguring any of the spaces, so not creating work areas. It would seem prudent to replace the floor/ ceiling finishes to create a one hour assembly between units as if it were new. But then it starts to open up a can of worms because the property line is a couple feet away from the building. If I follow the same logic and rate the exterior wall I would need to be removing windows and adding additional work. Or if we should just be retuning it to it's original non-rated floor ceiling and stairway walls. (2015 IEBC, 2015 IBC)

 

[Yikes]

You did not say where the building is located; more specifically, what is the applicable codes. so it is hard to provide a specific answer.

Regardless, in most building codes that are applicable to existing structures, there is typically nothing preventing you from voluntarily and incrementally upgrading interior and exterior wall finishes to something considered more safe than the previous existing finishes.
If I were showing that situation on a code analysis, I would first cite the code that allows the previously legally occupied construction and ratings to remain. Then on the details I would describe the exact materials I am installing (such as Type X fire resistant gyp board. then I would have a prominent note describing hwo the wall assembly is voluntarily constructed for one hour rating (list UL or Gypsum association test assembly), but that the openings are not being upgraded under this scope.

Also, please note that if this project was in California and you exposed the stud bays in the exterior wall, our energy codes would mandate the cavities be filled with insulation prior to finishing the wall.

 

[steveray]

There is a difference between finishes and fire ratings…if you are ripping off the drywall or plaster you have to at least put back the equivalent or “one side” of a rating IMO…

 

[Phil C]

You did not say where the building is located; more specifically, what is the applicable codes. so it is hard to provide a specific answer.

Regardless, in most building codes that are applicable to existing structures, there is typically nothing preventing you from voluntarily and incrementally upgrading interior and exterior wall finishes to something considered more safe than the previous existing finishes.
If I were showing that situation on a code analysis, I would first cite the code that allows the previously legally occupied construction and ratings to remain. Then on the details I would describe the exact materials I am installing (such as Type X fire resistant gyp board. then I would have a prominent note describing hwo the wall assembly is voluntarily constructed for one hour rating (list UL or Gypsum association test assembly), but that the openings are not being upgraded under this scope.

Also, please note that if this project was in California and you exposed the stud bays in the exterior wall, our energy codes would mandate the cavities be filled with insulation prior to finishing the wall.

Thank you! It is in Maine. This seems like a good way to go.