Technical guidance

GRP Fire and Resin Guidance

Resin choice and fire evidence must follow the product form, end use, installation and project requirement. Start with the duty, then verify the exact tested configuration.

Discuss the specification Technical documents

Fire performance is configuration-specific

A resin description alone is not a fire classification. Product thickness, reinforcement, surface finish, orientation, joints, mounting, fixings and substrate can affect the result. Ask for evidence that covers the intended form and end use rather than assuming one result applies across a whole GRP range.

End use

Floor, stair, guardrail, platform, profile, cover or enclosure, plus internal or external location.

Jurisdiction

Record the country, building or industrial regime, fire strategy and project-specific standard.

Product form

Confirm exact material, resin system, thickness, colour, finish, reinforcement and manufacturing route.

Installation

Match the tested orientation, joints, support, mounting, fixings and any substrate or backing.

Reaction to fire is not fire resistance

Reaction to fire

Describes how a product contributes to ignition, flame spread, heat release, smoke and flaming droplets under defined test conditions. BS EN 13501-1 classifies construction products using reaction-to-fire test data.

Fire resistance

Describes how an element maintains functions such as loadbearing capacity, integrity or insulation for a period under fire exposure. A reaction-to-fire class must not be presented as fire resistance.

England update: from 2 March 2025, Approved Document B removed the national BS 476 route for reaction-to-fire and roof classifications, leaving the BS EN route for new work subject to the stated transitional arrangements. Confirm the current rules for the project jurisdiction and application.

What to request with a fire-performance claim

Evidence item	Why it matters	Check against your project
Test report and classification report	Shows the test route and resulting classification rather than a marketing summary.	Standard edition, laboratory, report number and validity.
Product identification	Connects the report to the supplied product and manufacturing specification.	Resin, reinforcement, thickness, finish, colour and product family.
Field of application	Defines which variations and end uses are covered by the result.	Orientation, substrate, air gap, joints, fixings and support arrangement.
Smoke and droplet classification	These can form part of the reaction-to-fire classification and may affect suitability.	Required project class and whether the evidence reports the relevant sub-classifications.
Installation and maintenance conditions	Some systems rely on a specific build-up, coating or ongoing maintenance.	Installer instructions, inspection requirements and permissible substitutions.

Resin selection starts with the whole environment

GRP products may be offered in general-purpose, fire-retardant or enhanced chemical-resistance resin systems. Availability and performance vary by product and supplier. Do not select on the resin name alone.

General industrial exposure

Record weather, moisture, UV exposure, cleaning regime, temperature and mechanical duty before confirming a standard system.

Corrosive or chemical exposure

Provide chemical names, concentrations, temperatures, contact duration, cleaning agents and whether exposure is splash, vapour or immersion.

Fire-sensitive applications

Provide the required classification, test route, product form and end-use build-up. Request the applicable report before substitution or approval.

Send the project requirement before ordering

Include drawings, environment, product format, quantity, fire strategy or classification, chemical exposure and the evidence your project team needs to review.

Request technical support Material properties

Fire and resin FAQs

Does fire-retardant GRP mean non-combustible?

No. Fire-retardant terminology does not by itself establish non-combustibility or a project classification. Review the applicable classification report and field of application.

Can a test result for one thickness or colour be used for another?

Only where the classification report or its field of application permits that variation. Confirm the supplied configuration is covered.

Is a chemical-resistance chart enough to approve a resin?

It is an initial screen, not a substitute for reviewing concentration, temperature, exposure mode, duration, stress, cleaning and the exact product construction.

What should be sent for technical review?

Send the required standard or class, jurisdiction, product type, dimensions, installation build-up, environment, chemicals, temperature, drawings, quantities and approval timetable.

Technical references: BSI: BS EN 13501-1:2018, Approved Document B fire-safety FAQs and 2025 reaction-to-fire update.

Fire, resin and project checks

Resin choice should be checked against the product family, exposure, project specification and any fire-performance requirement. Do not select by colour or product name alone.