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Q. What are the different fire ratings and codes?

Flame Spread is based on:
ASTM E-84/UL 723/NFPA 255:
"Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials."
Roofing Classes are based on:
ASTM E-108/UL 790,
"Test for Fire Performance of Roofing Materials."
Hourly Ratings are based on
ASTM E-119
"Fire Tests of Building Materials. (more info)

Q. What is Flame Spread?
Flame-spread, used to describe the surface burning characteristics of building materials.  The most widely recognized laboratory test of such fire characteristics is defined in several tests:

Method of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials

These are commonly known as the tunnel test or "Method of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.  (NFPA No. 255, ASTM E 84, UL No. 723). 

The flame spread is a number, calculated from the results of a test, which indicates the relative rate at which flame will spread over the surface of the material as compared with flame spread on asbestos-cement board, which is rated 0, and on red oak, which is rated 100.

Note that this rating is not the rate at which the flame actually spreads along the surface and is not at all an indication of the fire resistance of the material.

For the purpose of applying flame spread limits to interior finish material, NFPA Standard No. 101 — The Life Safety Code groups flame spread ratings into five classes (A-D), the top 3  are listed below.  The UBC and BOCA codes use the I-II-III designation.
Class A or "I" - Flame-spread 0-25, smoke developed 0-450.
Class B or "II" - Flame-spread 26-75, smoke developed 0-450.
Class C or "III" - Flame-spread 76-200, smoke developed 0-450.

NFPA 101 primarily applies this classification to interior wall and ceiling finish materials. Roof coverings must meet a different set of criteria.

Q. What is ASTM
Formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International provides standards that are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems, and commercial transactions around the globe.

Q. What is the purpose of the flame spread test?
The purpose of this test method is to determine the relative burning behavior of the material by observing the flame spread along the specimen. Flame spread and smoke developed index are reported.

Q. What is the test method for flame spread?
The tunnel test measures how far and how fast flames spread across the surface of the test sample. In this test, a sample of the material 20 inches wide and 25 feet long, is installed as ceiling of a test chamber, and exposed to a gas flame at one end. The resulting flame spread rating (FSR) is expressed as a number on a continuous scale where inorganic reinforced cement board is 0 and red oak is 100.

Although several small-scale tests have been developed to predict flame spread ratings based on the tunnel test, these are primarily bench tests for product development. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has not accepted any alternate methods for determining the flame spread characteristics of materials to be used in buildings; for this purpose, NFPA recommends only the Tunnel Test.

Q. What is ASTM E-119?
ASTM E-119 is an assembly test, not a product test. This is the test method (UL) used for fire resistance rated assemblies.

Q. What is the difference between fire retardant and fire resistance?
A fire retardant material slows burning across the surface of a combustible substrate.
A fire resistive material delays heat penetration through a substrate.

Q. Fire resistance - what is an "hourly rating" and does it compare to flame spread?
A fire-resistive rating is the time that exterior wall construction can withstand fire exposure as determined by a standard fire test. Wall construction can be classified as 4-hour, 3-hour, 2-hour, 1-hour and non-rated construction.   This rating is determined by a different test, known as "Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials" NFPA No. 251, ASTM E 119, UL No. 263). 

The test exposes an assembly to heat and flame on one side and tests for heat transmission, burn-through, structural integrity and ability to withstand a hose stream from a fire hose.

Hourly Ratings are assigned only to complete assemblies, of structural materials for buildings, (wall, floor, door, ceiling, roof, etc.) and generally require use of a noncombustible membrane (e.g. gypsum, masonry).  Hourly ratings have are NOT assigned to any one single component of a complete assembly such as a paint coating, wall covering or other single building material. There is no such thing as a paint coating, additive or treatment that can be applied to any and all wall or ceiling configurations which will give a 1, 2 or 3 hour rating.