Fire-retardants coatings
for hotels
Passive fire protection for hotels, holiday residences and accommodation facilities with wood-based cladding,
furnishings and panelling.
RTV V.5 (Vertical Technical Regulation) of the Fire Prevention Code governs fire safety for tourist accommodation and hotel establishments with more than 25 beds, including hotels, B&Bs, hostels and holiday villages. The deadline for completing fire safety upgrades for existing premises is 31 December 2026
Do you need to protect wall coverings, ceilings and wooden parquet flooring in a hospitality venue?
Request a technical consultation on firewalls to identify the most suitable fire-retardant treatment for your project.
Why hospitality sector needs
fire-retardant coatings?
Hotels and accommodation facilities welcome guests who are often unfamiliar with the building, the escape routes and the layout of the premises. For this reason, passive protection is an essential part of fire prevention.
Overcrowding
guests, staff, lobby and meeting rooms
Flammable materials
wooden furniture, decorative wall and ceiling claddings, panelling, parquet flooring, carpets, interior doors and windows, curtains, cushions and mattresses
Escape routes
hallways, staircases, lobbies and communal areas
Interior design
wainscoting, ceilings, reception area and guest rooms
Historic building
renovations using high-quality materials
Documentation
systems, certifications and fire-safety plan
Active and passive protection
The role of fire-retardant coatings
Active protection
Systems that come into operation when a fire breaks out: fire extinguishers, hydrants, sprinklers, detectors, alarms and fire-suppression systems.
Passive protection
Solutions that limit the spread of fire and smoke: fire-retardant coatings, fire doors, fire compartments, certified cladding.
Firewall coatings fall under the category of passive protection: they do not extinguish fires, but help to reduce the contribution of treated substrates to the fire, within the limits of their certified performance.
Where to apply fire-retardant coatings in hotels
Typical usage
counters, ceilings, decorative walls, bespoke furnishings, flooring
Design considerations
high aesthetic value
Typical usage
headboards, wardrobes, panels, panelling, ceilings, floors
Design considerations
visual comfort and high-quality finishes
Typical usage
cladding, panelling, doors, ceilings, flooring
Design considerations
escape routes and continuous surfaces
Typical usage
ceilings, walls, decorative features, floors
Design considerations
crowd of people
Typical usage
Conference rooms, backdrops, movable walls, panels, ceilings, flooring, crowd capacity and temporary installations
Design considerations
overcrowding and temporary installations
Typical usage
furniture, wall coverings, ceilings, flooring
Design considerations
integration of aesthetics and security
Compatible materials
What to check before applying the system
Fire-retardant performance does not depend solely on the product, but on the test system: substrate, primer, topcoat, grammage, thickness and application methods. Compatibility must always be checked against the latest technical documentation.
Used substrates
- solid wood
- MDF
- plywood
- veneered
- chipboard
- decorative panels
Required checks
- required certification class
- certified system
- transparent or pigmented finish
- grammages and thicknesses
- application method
- intended use
Good to know
A fire-retardant coatings does not make wood non-combustible and is no substitute for a fire safety plan.
Its role is to improve the fire performance of the treated substrate, provided the application process is certified and carried out correctly.
European legislation always stipulates that the material to be installed – such as panelling in a hall – must be tested. Every product has its own shape, density, adhesive, thickness and wood species, and no two fire tests are ever exactly the same. The tests we carried out to obtain our certifications were conducted on a range of materials in an effort to meet market demands, but the results will never be identical to those of the myriad materials available, as many variables significantly influence the test.
A project must be managed from the outset by selecting, in consultation with architects and designers, the right material to ensure compliance with regulations and aesthetic requirements.
European legislation always stipulates that the material to be installed – such as panelling in a hall – must be tested. Every product has its own shape, density, adhesive, thickness and wood species, and no two fire tests are ever exactly the same. The tests we carried out to obtain our certifications were conducted on a range of materials in an effort to meet market demands, but the results will never be identical to those of the myriad materials available, as many variables significantly influence the test. A project must be managed from the outset by selecting, in consultation with architects and designers, the right material to ensure compliance with regulations whilst meeting aesthetic requirements.
Why choose a certified system?
In the fire protection sector, it is not the certified process that matters: it is the products, the quantities applied, the preparation of the substrate and the drying method.
1
Substrate
analysis
2
Requested
classification
3
Firewall
system
4
Compliant
application
The Firewall technical support
Renner Italia supports designers, joinery workshops, contractors, furniture manufacturers and technical managers in selecting the fire-retardant treatment best suited to the substrate, the environment and the required documentation.
Fire safety regulations for hospitality
Essential references
Fire safety in accommodation facilities must be assessed by a fire safety professional on the basis of the building’s characteristics, the number of beds, the intended use of the premises and the applicable regulations.
Useful references include the RTO (Horizontal Technical Regulation) Fire Prevention Code, the technical regulation for tourist accommodation and hotel establishments, and subsequent RTV (Vertical Technical Regulation) updates.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using products that are not certified or are not suitable for the substrate.
- Changing the coating cycle without technical verification.
- Reducing coating weights, thicknesses or the number of coats.
- Failing to provide the documentation required for the project.
- Confusing reaction to fire with fire resistance.
Fire safety regulations for hotels
Are fire-retardant coatings mandatory in hospitality?
Absolutely. There is a Vertical Technical Regulation (RTV), Chapter V.5, dated 14 February 2020 (Tourist accommodation and hotel establishments with more than 25 beds). (Tourist accommodation and hotel establishments with more than 25 beds) and it depends on the fire safety design, the intended use and the applicable requirements. The assessment is the responsibility of the fire safety professional. Absolutely yes. There is a Vertical Technical Regulation (RTV), Chapter V.5, dated 14 February 2020 (Tourist accommodation and hotel establishments with more than 25 beds). (Tourist accommodation and hotel establishments with more than 25 beds) and depends on the fire safety design, the intended use and the applicable regulations. The assessment is the responsibility of the fire safety professional.
Does a fire-retardant coating make wood non-combustible?
No. It can improve the fire performance of the treated substrate, within the limits of the certified system.
Is it possible to preserve the natural appearance of the wood?
Certainly, by using matt, water-based fire-retardant coatings
To which materials can Firewall systems be applied?
On wooden substrates and wood-based materials, subject to verification of technical and documentation compatibility.
Who should choose the right system?
The decision must be agreed upon by the fire safety designer, the installer, the substrate manufacturer and Firewall technicians