Articles

In-depth guides and practical articles on designer wallcoverings.

• ASTM E84 and what a Class A rating actually certifies The Steiner tunnel test, a Flame Spread Index at or below 25, and a Smoke Developed Index at or below 450 — the exact numbers behind the words 'Class A.'
• When the tunnel test is not enough: Class A wallcovering and NFPA 286 For textile, expanded-vinyl, and other heavy wall coverings, the code can require a full-scale room-corner burn on top of ASTM E84. Here is the trigger and the pass criteria.
• Reading a flame-spread report before you spec A test report is only as good as the fine print. What to verify on an ASTM E84 or NFPA 286 report so the Class A claim survives a plan checker.
• Where code actually requires Class A: occupancy, egress, and the sprinkler tradeoff The building code does not ask for Class A everywhere. It maps required flame-spread class to occupancy group and to where in the egress path a surface sits.