About - FireCrunch

ABOUT FIRECRUNCH

FireCrunch is an Australian owned and operated company which focuses on providing high quality and sustainable fire-resistant building materials for interior and exterior cladding in residential, commercial and all types of industrial and public buildings.

We nationally distribute our products in major capital cities, regional cities and country areas. We focus on CSIRO fire tested and NATA labs approved building boards that go above and beyond certifications in a progression to future-proof construction and high rise residential and commercial buildings today.

FireCrunch acknowledge the major threat of all fires and the need for bushfire resistant building boards to protect lives and homes against bushfires which destroy many homes every year in Australia.

FireCrunch meets the major threat of ALL fires and the need for bushfire resistant building materials to protect lives and homes in areas to BAL FZ for which it certified.

Our goal is also to protect and strengthen homes and properties from such unpredictable threats. Our CSIRO fire tested and approved building boards are unique and totally different to conventional so called fire proof plasterboard products. FireCrunch is high impact and termite resistant, whilst maintaining a very low carbon footprint of only 5% compared to cement based and plasterboard products.

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) / Sulphate FireCrunch is an innovative Magnesium Oxide (MgO) composite using only Magnesium Sulphate supplement (MgSO4) and not the metal corrosive Magnesium Chloride which is contained in all MgO available in Australia to date.

See our Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for magnesium oxide products and more information about the benefits of FireCrunch.

Victorian fire storms

Black Saturday 2009 was Australia’s most damaging bushfire in Victoria , with the death toll being 173. Over 2000 homes were destroyed and It was from these horrific scenarios that the team at FireCrunch decided there needed to be a change, a change giving people the opportunity to build their houses with a more sustainable and fire-resistant building material.

We have this FCA material fully tested to the most aggressive BCA requirements under AS1530.4 and also as shown in the real time CSIRO video located under “About Us” web site browser home page firecrunch.com.au showing it will ensure buildings constructed with this FireCrunch product will survive fire storms. It was tested in real time live full scale Bushfire simulation test by the CSIRO and subsequent additional tests shows FCA meets AS 1530.8.1.2 BAL FZ and the VERY aggressive AS1540.4, 1000 deg c wall systems fire test for 1.5 hours FRL 90/90/90

See our Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) more information about the benefits of FireCrunch.

FireCrunch Building board of the future!

AS 1530.4-2014/19 FRL 90/90/90.

FIRE SEPARATION WALL, SYSTEMS FIRE TESTED BY THE CSIRO, A NATA ACCREDITED TESTING AUTHORITY FOR (BCA) Building Code of Australia TESTING COMPLIANCE.

FireCrunch is an environmental and extensively NATA tested 21st century fire proof building board used in modern construction. It is made from a composition of Magnesium Oxide (Mgo), non-organic minerals, bonders and fibre mesh composites. FireCrunch is completely free of toxins, including formaldehyde, chloride ,silica, no asbestos, heavy metals, or organic solvents.

It is non-toxic, completely resistant to fire, water, impact, sound, termites, bacteria and mould. FireCrunch increases the R value in any panel insulation application. FireCrunch is recommended and CSIRO tested for bushfire safe building for home fire protection.

FireCrunch has extensive applications in construction for residential and commercial properties. It is a lightweight material and suitable for modern construction, where fire tested and fire rated building boards are mandatory in Australian standards. Construction in fire separation walls; FireCrunch is compliant with BCA standards fire tests. FCA Australia Pty Ltd commissioned the CSIRO Infrastructure Technologies NATA accredited (North Ryde, NSW) to conduct these mandatory fire resistant building board tests under ISO/IEC 17025.

Non-asbestos content Australian tested certificates AS 4964. Ask us at technical@firecrunch.com.au

FireCrunch is also of interest to those concerned in BUSHFIRE home fire protection living in, or contemplating living or building in a bushfire BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rated area such as BAL FZ. Flame Zone as bushfire building and safe bushfire building are two very different matters.

Conventional building is not only expensive but as past experience shows to date will not protect your home in home in a bushfire Fire Storm as well as you may think.

Fire tested plasterboard is only useful at very low FRL (Fire Resistant Level). When one sheet of 10mm Plasterboard is used there is NO FIRE CAPABILITY to meet the very minimum FRL standard at all.

Fire proof plasterboard does not reach the required level of FireCrunch fire tested building board in high-rise or home building fire protection , without installing multiple layers of 13mm or 16mm fire tested plasterboard or adding CFC sheeting like Blue Board.

This is not only much more expensive in materials, but is dramatically higher in labour cost, where the real extra labour cost is borne with multi-layers of plasterboard board requirements in 13mm and 16mm. FireCrunch CSIRO fire tested building boards enable a FRL of 90/90/90 with only 1 x 10mm board required on each side of a steel frame.

Other benefits and costings:

Fire resistant and fire proof building board.
High rise building sites benefit in less material haul up costs, with up to 2/3 saving in labour installation of multiple layers of fire proof plasterboard, and a corresponding gain in extra rentable area by using 10mm each side and not 26mm, 32mm or 39mm in combinations of 13mm and 16mm fire tested plasterboard. The overall effect being a far better ROI when using FireCrunch building board with greater rental space per floor.
Just one layer of FireCrunch 10mm will fire load to 90 minutes. FRL 90/90/90 ( 55kN)with one FireCrunch building board on each side of a ( 1.0 BMT steel frame ) For a higher FRL 120 plus use one additional 10mm to each side (/NCC alternative solution).
Massive cost savings in direct labour of up to minimum 50% due to the use of FireCrunch. Furthermore, an increase in overall rental or lease space in major projects increasing the ROI.

FireCrunch Specifications:

o FireCrunch environmental building board is more expensive than paper lined, fire proof plasterboard, but with substantial additional benefits in low loss and breakage due to the sheer strength of the product, eight to ten times stronger than standard plasterboard.

FLOOD RESISTANT BUILDING BOARD :

As FireCrunch does not degrade in water, there is no replacement requirement after flooding. Simply unscrew boards from framing, dry out, light sand and repaint.
When combined with its wet area applications, low moisture retention levels, resistance to mould, mildew and bacteria, and an acoustics rating of Rw 62 (Rw + Ctr52), it is a real benefit to developer and end user alike.
In free standing housing, FireCrunch is a termite proof building board and protects all timber framing resulting in zero termite damage.
It is the best home fire protection and home flood protection product, very different and substantially more cost-effective than alternative plasterboards, or timber products.
Replaces a host of other “singly” unsuitable products with a multipurpose efficient alternative providing a plasterboard class five surface finish.

FIRE SAFETY

Providing home fire protection to properties in Australia is our top priority. FireCrunch is a 21st century fire tested building board, non-comparable to fire rated plasterboards. The FCA fire rated building board wall panels have been thoroughly tried and tested to ensure all requirements have been met ( NATA/ CSIRO) and are therefore compliant with Australian building standards to AS1530.4 -2014/19the highest rating fire test in Australia. Here at FireCrunch, we give priority to safety and security.

Fire tested building boards and fire rated building boards are mandatory to comply with Australian standards in construction. In addition, fire separation walls and BCA standards fire tests are also obligatory. Our MBE, magnesium oxide building boards go through rigorous CSRIO testing, and FireCrunch is considered the top ranked, light weight, fire resistant building board in Australia.

CSRIO (North Ryde, NSW) has approved our Fire resistant building boards through mandatory fire tests. Additionally, FireCrunch is a bushfire safe building board, fire tested to BCA standard and AS 3959 with AS1530.4 Fire Certificates and assessments from the (CSIRO) Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation to FRL 90/90/90.

FireCrunch fire tested building boards are completely non-combustible building boards. AS1530.1. FCA will not burn at temperatures 1000⁰C (AS 3837) and is system tested fire separation walls under AS 1530.4 -2014/19. It has a BAL rating to maximum BAL FZ Flame Zone and FireCrunch meets AS 3959, AS 3837 and AS 1530.8.2. ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS (NCC).

Bush Fire Scenario Test – Feb 2012 AS 1530.8.2 CSIRO

FireCrunch fire tested and bushfire safe building board is ideal for Australian building where quality products are required for home fire protection. Where bushfire safe building is a regulated priority, FireCrunch is the smart, less expensive dependable and economic building choice.

FireCrunch is a completely non-combustible building board (AS1530.1) and will not burn in high temperatures of over 1000⁰c, AS 3837 and system tested fire separation walls under AS 1530.4

Don’t just take our word for it though, FireCrunch is a 21st century fire tested building board not comparable to plasterboard. FireCrunch is a magnesium oxide (MgsO4), OXYSULPHATE, NON METAL CORROSIVE ,fire proof building board, fire tested to Australian standards BY NATA labs CSIRO.

AS 1530.4-2014/19. CSIRO to FRL 90/90/90 including, bushfire home fire protection and bushfire safe building which has a BAL rating to max BAL FZ (Flame Zone) meeting AS 3959, AS 3837 and AS 1530.8.2. ( NCC)

For BCA compliance check test certificate under Certification.

FireCrunch meets FRL to 90/90/90 load bearing steel frame 55kN, 1.0 BMT Cold rolled formed steel framing.

Non-load bearing (2 x 10mm board each side of steel frame plus Rockwool fire batt 64kg ) FRL……/120/120.**

Timber frames are approved to BAL FZ ( NCC) FRL 30/30/30 to 60/60/60 (depends on timber type)..
See FRL 60/60/60 certificate for timber framing (see fire manual under Technical Specifications or ask us.

Bushfire test report see Technical/FAQs.

For more information on fire manuals see Technical/FAQs.

HEALTH SAFETY

FireCrunch is completely free of harmful toxins and asbestos free building material , therefore eliminates the risk of any negative health impacts. Only environmentally friendly building materials used to produce FireCrunch; mould, mildew and bacteria are unable to live or breed on it. This makes our leading building boards an ideal solution for health sensitive areas including medical centres, hospitals, age care centres, schools, prisons and high traffic public buildings

FireCrunch contains no asbestos or formaldehyde and no toxic chemicals. (See SDS and Technical/FAQs).

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Hygiene and FireCrunch

Due to the manufacturing process and the IP materials used to produce FireCrunch, mould, mildew, germs, viruses, bacteria and the like are unable to live or breed. This makes FireCrunch an ideal solution for use in areas where there are concerns with allergies and health.

BENEFITS AND COSTING
Typical 10mm non-fire rated plaster board or so called 13mm fire proof plasterboard as well as single sheets of plasterboard cannot meet high-rise and commercial building FRL Fire resistance levels over 60 ,90 and 120 minutes, without the need for multiple layers of fire proof plasterboard in fire separation walls. The 10mm FireCrunch fire proof building board will however move the fire resistance level to FRL 90/90/90 with one 10mm MgO sheet each side of a 92mm steel framed fire separation wall or double stud timber frame. This results in a huge reduction of direct costs in material; more so the expensive labour rate per m2 to install, at least double, and in some cases three layers on each side. The extra hidden costs of the extra site work can increase time and delivery fees for double and even treble the material handling. This should not be overlooked and can vastly help to improve the all-important ROI for the developer builder.

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Our FCA fire rated and fire tested building boards have a low production and low labour cost. When using FireCrunch in high-rise construction, there are the benefits of less material costs with up to two-thirds of savings in labour installation of just one x 10mm FireCrunch board compared to multiple layers of 13mm building boards, or using a combination of 13mm and 16mm Fyrchek plasterboards.

A cost saving of at least 50% from direct labour cost can result from the use of FireCrunch building materials, including an increase in overall rental or lease space in major projects, therefore increasing the ROI. Just one layer of FireCrunch will fire load to 90 minutes, and for a higher FRL, using a additional FireCrunch 10mm building board layer will significantly increase the fire load to FRL 120/120 120 and more.

FireCrunch is more expensive than paper lined plasterboard; however, the fact that less sheets are required still lowers the overall material cost plus a substantial number of labour saving cost benefits well outweighs the end cost per. You are guaranteed excellent BCA complying results with highly durable, fire rated and fire safe building boards that are eight to ten times stronger than so called fire proof plasterboards. FireCrunch will also withstand bushfires and meets the maximum BAL FZ Flame Zone , when just one exterior sheet of 10mm is used in construction.

TOOL Requirements
No special tools are required to use FireCrunch. It can be sawn, drilled, screwed and planed just like timber. Once in position, our fire rated building boards have an exceptionally long-life span, exceeding that of all homes using conventional plasterboards, paper lined plasterboards or timber lining methods. In addition, no replacement is required after flooding; simply unscrew the building boards from the framing, dry it out, light sand and re-paint. FireCrunch is made for your convenience, adhering to the highest Australian (BCA) standards.