James Hardie Wall System Put to the Test During Hobsonville Fire

FRR60 is often used to describe system performance requirements, but it’s not often designers and builders get to see how those numbers and letters act in the real world. Recently RAB Board by James Hardie was put to the ultimate test.

In late 2017 a large fire broke out in row of townhouses at Hobsonville Point. At the time of the fire, the property was still under construction, with HomeRAB Pre-Cladding installed on a number of external walls and James Hardie JHETGR30 — a 30 minute fire rated external wall system on the others. The system used Linea Oblique Weatherboard as the external cladding, R2.2 Insulation, and RAB Board 6mm direct fixed to framing.

The fire had been burning for at least one hour before FENZ made an entry into the building, but thanks to the fire rated wall system, the fire was well contained within the single unit and the external Linea Oblique Weatherboards on the adjacent units were not extensively damaged by the fire.

Moreover, the HomeRAB Pre-cladding used was not consumed by fire, nor did it contribute to the spread of fire, keeping damage to a minimum, and exceeding the fire safety requirements.

Further to proven fire performance, RAB Board now has a 9mm thickness which offers even more versatility. With options for SED shear wall design, as well as improved acoustic performance, RAB Board also ticks the boxes with BRANZ, offering 180 days exposure time, and is gun nailable for all applications including bracing to help improve install time.

To help specifiers navigate the complexities of fire design, James Hardie have developed a number of boundary wall systems. The Fire and Acoustic Design Manual can be found here.

Options include 30, 60, and 90-minute walls, with or without RAB Board, and with or without mineral insulation depending on specific project requirements.

Further to online resources, James Hardie has an experienced technical support team who can answer questions or assist with helping designers find the ideal system for their projects.

RAB Board

James Hardie

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RAB™ Board is a pre-sealed, cost effective rigid air barrier for use in medium to high-rise construction.

NZ Made

An alternative to traditional building underlays for use in medium to high-rise construction
Designed for use in Extra High wind zones and in Specific Engineering Design projects exposed to high wind pressure
RAB Board 9mm is suitable for specific design shear wall for residential or commercial applications where the structural design require strong/stiffer shear walls
60 minute fire ratings when installed as per the current James Hardie Fire and Acoustic Design Manual
RAB Board is also suitable for bracing

Clause B1 Structure
Clause B2 Durability
Clause E2 External Moisture
Clause F2 Hazardous Building Materials
Clause C3.5 & C3.7 External Vertical Fire Spread

See BRANZ Appraisal 611 for full information

BRANZ Appraised

Oblique Weatherboard

James Hardie

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Oblique™ Weatherboard is a fibre cement cladding and can be used in both horizontal and vertical applications enabling a range of different looks and designs.

NZ Made

Used to create colourful feature walls, full cladding for new builds, cladding for additions and renovations and internal feature walls
Suitable for both horizontal and vertical applications
Ideal for overhangs, protective cantilevers, and other architectural features
Up to 60 minute fire resistance rating (FRR) can be achieved when installed as per the James Hardie Fire and Acoustic Design Manual
A vertical jointing option is available to create feature along long walls
Engineered to stand up to harsh conditions, including coastal conditions
Can be painted a large variety of colours, even the darker shades

The following clauses of the NZBC are applicable to Linea Oblique Weatherboard and it complies with these requirements as explained below;

Structure B1: Wind load tests have been completed at a NATA accredited James Hardie laboratory and the suitability of its fixings has been verified to meet wind pressure requirement in various wind zones classified in NZS 3604 and meets the requirements of B1.3.1, B1.3.2 and B1.3.4.
Durability B2: Linea Oblique Weatherboard has been tested at a NATA accredited laboratory in accordance with AS/NZS 2908.2 and meets the durability performance requirements as per B2.3.1(a) and B2.3.2 of this clause.
Fire Performance C: Linea Oblique Weatherboard has been tested and is classified as non-combustible material and is suitable for use on external walls close to boundaries.
External Moisture E2: Linea Oblique Weatherboard as per the details published in its technical specification has been tested for weathertightness as per E2/VM1 (as contained within NZBC Clause E2, Third Edition, Amendment 5).
Hazardous Building Materials F2: Linea Oblique Weatherboard complies with the requirements of F2.3.1 and will not present a health hazard.
Energy Efficiency H1: Linea Oblique Weatherboardl walls constructed using bulk insulation meets the construction R-Value requirements as per Table 1 of Clause H1.

BRANZ Appraised

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