# Fire rating requirements for a drop ceiling



## inquiring_mind

Hello, sorry if this has been already asked/answered, but I was reading multiple posts and didn't find what I was looking for so here goes:

Our local high school is concrete block walls with brick exterior.  It has a drop-ceiling with detectors and sprinklers that drop down through the lay-in ceiling tiles.  There are no clips holding any of the tiles in place (not sure that matters, just read other posts and thought I would add that).  In the football locker room, we are looking to repaint the walls and replace the old lights with LED panels to cut down on energy costs and replace the ceiling tiles with smooth ones so they are easier to keep clean and help prevent infection/smell.  When buying new ceiling tiles, what do I need to look for specifically so I don't buy something that will not be approved by the fire marshall?


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## Rick18071

Need to know what code is being used construction type, how many stories, what story is the locker room, fire sprinklered, if ceiling is rated, etc. to give you a accurate answer.
If the suspended ceiling wasn't rated before there is a good chance that it still is not required.


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## inquiring_mind

it is a single story building.  there are sprinklers that drop through the tiles.  how do I find out the "construction type" and if the ceiling is rated?


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## cda

More than likely it is not part of a rated ceiling assembly

Go to lowes and buy a load!


If you look on the back, if they are rated tiles, there will be stamps saying so


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## classicT

Rated drop ceilings are not all that common. As others have indicated, unless the tiles are marked as being rated, then replacement would not need to be rated as well.

The rated tiles will typically be affixed in place by a clip or weigh a minimum of 10-15psf if my memory is correct.


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## ADAguy

How old is the buliding? Not a lot of quakes in Tenn. so no clips and ties?
Are you proposing to self-install the tiles?


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## Builder Bob

If the sprinkler heads are located to spray water  from the ceiling grid level , chances are it doesn't matter. In the rare occasion that the sprinkler head are high against the structure deck above and no sprinkler heads are visible from beneath the ceiling grid...... then you got problems.


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## ICE

As you stated, there are sprinkler heads below the grid....how about above the grid....are there heads for the space above the grid?

There’s not a lot to burn in a locker room.


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## Builder Bob

Inquiring mind, in the old days when ACT ceiling were used and rated, the light fixtures were required to have tents built around them out of rated ceiling tile.... If no tents are there, go buy what ceiling tile you desire.


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## north star

*# ~ #*

inquiring_mind,

If moisture content is a concern \ problem in the Locker Room,
you may want to look at an anti-sag type of ceiling tile......A
2'  x  2' ceiling grid seems to hold up better than a 2'  x  4' grid.

*$ * $*


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## JPohling

We still have a building that we work in that has a 1 hour rated floor ceiling assembly that uses the lay in tiles as a part of the assembly and the lights protected with gyp board boxes.  It is terrible.

All the brokers are pushing an open to structure visual these days and they keep trying in this building.
good luck.  intumescent coatings are expensive.............


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