GAF VersaShield Fire-Resistant Slip Sheet
Jan. 8, 2010 — It may not look like it out the window, but spring will be here soon, and it's not too early for co-op boards and condo boards to starting thinking about building improvements that might involve interviewing contractors and going through the bid process. And as the tragic case of the barbecue explosion and fire that we wrote about recently shows, one such improvement might involve fire safety — especially for those co-ops and condominiums with outdoor storage sheds, garages and other such outbuildings, to say nothing of rooftop decks. One way to improve such places' fire safety: Updating their roofs, and asking your engineer about whether to use a type of fire-retardant layer called a "slip sheet."
The latest such product from the the 123-year-old dean of roofing materials GAF, is the VersaShield Solo, a patent-pending new type that employs a proprietary fire-resistant coating on a heavy, dimensionally stable fiberglass mat designed to be mounted below your standard TPO (ThermoPlastic Olefin) polymer-blend roofing membrane. (Note: The VersaShield isn't waterproof, so it shouldn't be exposed to the elements between the time you install it and install the membrane. Just sayin'.)
According to the company, a layer of this slip sheet qualifies the roof or other surface for Underwriters Laboratories' Clas A Fire Ratings. You can find details at the product's Data Sheet and Material Safety Data Sheet PDFs, along with the company's VersaShield website.The product comes with a 10-year limited warranty.
GAF Materials Corp. • 1361 Alps Road, Wayne, N.J. 07470 • (973) 628-3000 • toll-free (800) 766-3411 • commercialsales@gaf.com
For local distributor, contact the Halex Corp. • 750 South Reservoir Street, Pomona, Calif. 91766 (909) 622-3537• toll-free (800) 576-1636 • jpalys@halexcorp.com