ENGINEERED WOOD SIDING, TRIM AND FENCING WITH FIRE RESISTANT PROPERTIES

Abstract

A multi-layer fire-resistant (FR) panel or board, for use in exterior applications, such as siding, cladding, trim, fencing, or sheathing. The panel or board may be OSB or other form of engineered-wood, with an integrated fire-resistant laminate incorporated during a manufacturing process. The laminate may be placed on top of or under a fines layer. The laminate may be placed under an overlay layer, such as a resin-impregnated paper overlay, or other form of weather- or water-resistant barrier (WRB). The laminate itself may also serve as a WRB, and may thus be combined with or substituted for the overlay layer. A second FR laminate may be applied on the bottom of the panel or board. In addition to providing FR characteristics, the laminate also protects the structural integrity of the panel by preventing or reducing the splitting and/or cracking of the panel or board during a fire event.

Claims

1. A fire-resistant integrated panel or board; comprising: a base substrate layer comprising one or more layers of manufactured-wood strands, said base substrate layer with an upper surface and a lower surface; and a fire-resistant laminate layer, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer is both flame-spread resistant and burn-through resistant.

2. The panel or board of claim 1, further comprising a fines layer.

3. The panel or board of claim 2, wherein the fines layer is located between the base substrate layer and the fire-resistant laminate layer.

4. The panel or board of claim 2, wherein the fines layer is located on a surface of the fire-resistant laminate layer opposite the base substrate layer.

5. The panel or board of claim 1, further comprising an outermost layer comprising an weather-resistant and/or water-resistant barrier.

6. The panel or board of claim 5, wherein the outermost layer comprises a resin-impregnated paper overlay.

7. The panel or board of claim 5, wherein the outermost layer is the FR laminate layer.

8. The panel or board of claim 5, wherein the outermost layer is affixed or adhered to a face of the FR laminate layer.

9. The panel or board of claim 1, further comprising a second fire-resistant laminate layer.

10. The panel or board of claim 9, wherein the second fire-resistant laminate layer is both flame-spread resistant and burn-through resistant.

11. The panel or board of claim 9, wherein the second fire-resistant laminate layer is affixed to a bottom surface of the base substrate layer.

12. The panel or board of claim 1, wherein the base substrate layer comprises at least three layers of oriented manufactured-wood strands, including one or more core layers.

13. The panel or board of claim 12, wherein one or more layers of the at least three layers are treated with fire-resistant chemicals.

14. The panel or board of claim 13, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer resists leach of the fire-resistant chemicals from the base substrate layer.

15. The panel or board of claim 1, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer provides structural support to the panel or board.

16. The panel or board of claim 1, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer increases the structural integrity of the panel or board when exposed to fire.

17. The panel or board of claim 16, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer prevents or reduces cracking and/or splitting of the panel or board when exposed to fire.

18. The panel or board of claim 1, wherein the fire-resistant laminate layer comprises one or more of a woven fiberglass veil, a nonwoven fiberglass veil, a fire-resistant woven fabric, and a fire-resistant nonwoven fabric.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a perspective cutaway view of a reinforced panel with a combined fire and weather/water resistant laminate as the outer layer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a perspective cutaway view of a reinforced panel with an FR laminate located between the fines layer and a paper overlay, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a perspective cutaway view of a reinforced panel with an FR laminate located between the base panel layer and the fines layer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the panel of FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the panel of FIG. 2.

[0028] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the panel of FIG. 3.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the panels of FIG. 5 or 6, without a fines layer.

[0030] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of a panel with a second FR laminate located on the bottom face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0031] In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a multi-layer fire-resistant (FR) panel or board 2 for use in exterior applications such as, but not limited to, siding, trim, fencing, wall sheathing, roof sheathing, or other sheathing. The multi-layer panel or board 2 comprises a base engineered-wood panel layer 10, such as OSB. This base panel layer may be multilayered, such as multiple layers of oriented strands 12. An optional fines layer 14 may be placed thereon. In several embodiments, a fire-resistant (FR), and possibly also water-resistant or weather-resistant (weather-resistant including both resistance to water and other external environmental conditions, such as resistance to UV radiation), laminate 20, 22 is then used in place of, or in addition to, the typical resin-impregnated paper overlay 30 that often serves as an outer layer for a panel or board. These components layers may be arranged in various orders, as described below.

[0032] FIGS. 1 and 4 show a weather/water-resistant and fire-resistant laminate 20 serving as the top layer in place of a resin-impregnated paper overlay (i.e., performance overlay). FIGS. 2 and 5 show an FR laminate 22 located between the fines layer 14 on the upper (outer) surface of the base panel layer, and the outermost resin-impregnated paper overlay 30. In this configuration, the FR laminate 22 typically does not need to be weather-resistant as that function is carried out by the paper overlay layer 30, which protects the underlying FR laminate, the base panel layer, and any other layers. In a further embodiment, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the FR laminate is located between the fines layer 14 and the base panel layer 12. In yet a further embodiment, as seen in FIG. 7, there is no fines layer.

[0033] The various forms of the FR laminate 20, 22, including the water/weather-resistant and fire-resistant embodiment 20, improve the fire resistance of the engineered-wood siding, trim, fencing, or sheathing product 2, as well as improving the structural integrity of the engineered wood product 2 during a fire event by preventing or substantially reducing the cracking and splitting of the product 2 that can occur during a fire event. In several embodiments, the FR laminate gives the final product 2 fire resistant (FR) characteristics, and may be used in one to three hour fire-resistance-rated assemblies, such as those described in U.S. Provisional App. Nos. 63/306,671, filed Feb. 4, 2022, or 63/433,462, filed Dec. 18, 2022 (both of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by specific reference for all purposes), where such FR characteristics are required by building or other codes.

[0034] In several embodiment, the present invention can be used independently or in combination with other products. to meet requirements to reduce wildland fire risk, such as those set forth in the International Code Council's (ICC) International Wildland-Urban Interface Code 2021 (UWUIC 2021), especially, but not limited to, Chapters 5 (Special Building Construction Regulations) and 6 (Fire Protection Requirements), and any subsequent updates and/or versions thereof.

[0035] In several exemplary embodiments, the present invention is produced as follows. Strands of wood or lignocellulosic material are coated with adhesive resin, wax and other proprietary additives in blenders. The strands then are oriented into a mat on a forming line to form the base panel layer 12. A fire-resistant laminate 20, 22 is placed on the top side or bottom side of the mat. In some embodiments, the laminate is placed on both the top side and bottom side of the mat. The mat is then placed in a press where elevated temperature and pressure are applied to consolidate and bond the strands by heat activation and curing of the adhesive resin. The fire-resistant laminate must be compatible with typical engineered wood manufacturing processes, such as, but not limited to, a thermal hot press which ensures the laminate bonds to the wood composite matrix through heat activation of curing of the adhesive resin or other adhesives.

[0036] In several embodiments, an optional fines layer 14 is added. The fines layer may be added to base panel layer 12, and under the FR laminate 20, 22. Alternatively, the fines layer 14 may be added to the upper surface of FR laminate 22, which rests on the base panel layer.

[0037] In additional embodiments, an overlay 30, such as a resin-impregnated paper overlay, is used as the top layer. As noted above, the FR laminate 20 may be combined with and/or substituted for the overlay.

[0038] After pressing or formation of the panel, the panel may then be primed, painted and/or coated, depending on the end use application. Branding or markings, if any, to be applied to the panel are then applied or printed on the coated surface of the desired face, such as by using a digital printer or other stamping process. The markings also may be performed in the primary manufacturing process or a secondary manufacturing process.

[0039] The various layers (e.g., base layer, fines, FR laminate, overlay) may be pressed together to a single primary pressing process (i.e., applying heat and pressure). Alternatively, one or more of the layers, such as, but not limited to, the FR laminate and/or paper overlay layer, may be added through a secondary pressing process to a panel formed by the primary pressing process.

[0040] Thus, in some embodiments the laminate is not placed on the mat prior to the initial or primary pressing. Instead, the laminate may be applied to an engineered wood composite panel, which has already undergone primary pressing, in a secondary laminating process. The secondary laminating process may occur prior to or after the final machining of the initial panel into the desired siding, trim, fence, or sheathing component. In this embodiment, the laminate may be, but need not be, a dry, sheet-like product. The laminate may instead comprise a viscous liquid or semi-solid film that is applied, which then solidifies and bonds to the underlying substrate using suitable and compatible processing (e.g., UV light). Another feature of this embodiment is that the laminate may replace, or be used without the need for, a fines layer. A further feature of this embodiment is that the laminate may be formed (i.e., wrapped) around the edges of the product.

[0041] The multi-layer, engineered composite, described in the present invention results in a structurally reinforced and fire-resistant product suitable for those applications where the building-code or other standard requires protections against fire, such as in a wildfire exposure event or in a fire-rated assembly. This novel approach, combining fire resistance with structural reinforcement, may also provide a synergistic benefit when further combined with other strategies, such as those focused on flame spread reduction. End use applications include, but are not limited to, exterior siding, trim, fencing, and sheathing applications in residential, single- or multi-family, and commercial construction.

[0042] In panels where one or more of the strand layers of the base OSB panel have FR characteristics (e.g., some or all of the oriented strands have been blended or treated with FR chemicals or materials), the laminate layer, in combination with the overlay protective layer(s), if any, as described above, can help prevent or reduce FRT (fire resistant treatment) chemical loss by limiting or preventing the base panel layer from being exposed to water and/or weather, and by keeping or limiting FRT chemicals from leaching out of the base panel. Examples of FR-treated panels are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/365,731, filed Nov. 13, 2016, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/491,367, filed Sept. 30, 2021, which are incorporated herein in their entireties by specific reference for all purposes.

[0043] In several of the above embodiments, the FR laminate provides both burn-through resistance and flame-spread resistance. The FR laminate applied to the surface of an FRT panel (e.g., an FRT base OSB panel), as described above, thus provides burn-through resistance (and its own flame-spread resistance) in addition to the flame-spread resistance provided by the underlying FRT panel, thereby enhancing overall performance in a fire event, internal or external. This is addition to the FR laminate helping to reduce FRT chemical treatments from leaching from the underlying FRT panel.

[0044] Examples of a FR laminate that may be used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: woven or nonwoven fiberglass veils; woven or nonwoven FR fabrics; or combinations thereof. These FR laminates allow the resulting engineered wood panels, which can be used individually, to also be used in approved fire-rated assemblies, or where FRT protection is needed and or required by building codes, as discussed above.

[0045] Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.