Steel Ceiling a Fire Retardent

The illustration above is from an actual photograph of a storeroom after a disastrous fire, at Davenport, Iowa. Please note the effect on the plaster sidewalls, where the fire has exposed the lath, the metal ceiling remaining intact, confining the fire to lower floor, and saving the building from destruction.

Much has been claimed for steel ceilings as a fire retardant and to get definite authentic information on this subject, an official test was made by The Columbia University Fire Testing Station at Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, November 11, 1914, under the auspices of The Fire Underwriters. Steel Ceilings resisted 1,369° F for over one hour and ten minutes, the entire duration of the test. The wood and plaster ceilings collapsed in twelve minutes after the fire was started, the heat having risen only to 849°. This determined conclusively the superiority of steel ceilings and the fact that they would remain in place five or six times longer than wood lath and plaster ceilings under intense heat.

The advantages of Steel Ceilings over wood and plaster are apparent. They give almost perfect protection against fire, water, dust, vermin and rodents; they do not crack and never shrink, warp, peel or fall off.

Steel Ceilings and Side Walls completely satisfy the need for a non-combustible, decorative and durable finish for all buildings, whether public, churches, theaters, court houses, business blocks, shops, garages and especially for private residences.

The development and expansion of the Steel Ceiling industry in the past twenty years proves conclusively that the Architect, Contractors, Owners, and the Public generally have been quick to appreciate and utilize the advantages of Steel for Ceilings and Side Walls which combine ornamental features with perfection in construction and durability in service, Steel Ceilings are not only the proper protection for new buildings but are being used quite extensively to replace other types of Ceiling, such as plaster and wood, due to their superior advantages and appearance.