• Using Rosco Fire Retardants
• How Fire Retardants Work
• Laundering Treated Materials
• Testing Treated Materials
• How to Apply Roscoflamex

USING FLAME RETARDANTS
The prevention of fire hazards has become increasingly more important in the entertainment industry. No single fire retardant can effectively handle all the materials used in modern stagecraft; but, Rosco manufactures a range of products that offers a solution for all of the most common materials. This booklet will help you select the right Roscoflamex for your project and guide you through the process of treating your scenery.

This wide variety of scenic materials make compliance with fire regulations very difficult. Adding to this challenge is the fact that regulations vary from state to state, and in some cases, city to city. It is important to realize that, ultimately, your local Fire Marshall has total jurisdiction and discretion. Consult with your Fire Department for more details.

Roscoflamex Fire Retardants do not prevent a material from igniting and burning. The goal of fire retardant treatment is to retard ignition and slow the spread of fire. Roscoflamex products achieve this by creating an extinguishing effect. Roscoflamex lowers the ignition temperature of the treated material. When burned, it produces inert gases which retard the production of oxygen and develops a non-combustible char. Materials that have been successfully treated may ignite, but will self-extinguish within two seconds after the flame has been withdrawn.

The chemicals used in Roscoflamex can only be effective when applied properly, and in sufficient quantities. However, the effectiveness of the treatment is not directly proportional to the amount of chemical added on to the material. Below a critical add-on level, there is little or no flame retardancy. Adequate treatment requires an application of sufficient Roscoflamex to increase the fully dried weight of the sample by 10-20%. While 10-20% is a typical add-on, the amount required for good flame retardance will vary with the composition of the material being treated. Always treat and test a sample first.

Roscoflamex is water soluble and can be easily removed by laundering and exposure to water. However, the flame retardants are not soluble in most dry cleaning solvents and the retardance of treated fabrics will not be altered by dry cleaning, if the solvent is free of moisture and other detergents. Always retest your fabrics after dry cleaning.

FLAME TESTING ROSCOFLAMEX

TEXTILES
The effectiveness of flame retardant treatment of textiles can be checked with the following simple test:

• Hold a completely dried, three-inch-wide x 10-inch-high strip vertically, and light the lower edge for 12 seconds with a butane lighter, propane torch or a long wooden kitchen match.
• The material may ignite, but after the flame is removed, sufficiently treated material should self-extinguish within five seconds, leaving no glowing embers.

Note: Fire regulations vary widely. Be sure the treated materials meet the standard which applies to your theatre. For further testing methods see, for example, Underwriters Laboratories test #214 or ASTM D626-55T, NFPA 701 or consult your local Fire Marshall directly.

HARD SCENERY
It is often difficult or impossible to accurately test hard scenery for fire retardance. The nature of attempting to test burn large, dimensional scenery is often logistically difficult and fails to adequately determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Roscoflamex products have been tested in large scale testing devices designed for this purporse. Therefore it is especially important to use the correct Roscoflamex product for the substrate being used and to apply it in strict accordance with the guidelines contained in this booklet.

IMPORTANT: If your treated material successfully withstands your flammability test, you have effected a flame retardant treatment. Rosco can only insure the quality of this product, not your application thereof.

How to apply Roscoflamex

TEXTILES

• BEST: Immersion
  Roscoflamex works by impregnating the fiber or weave of fabrics. The most efficient method for doing this is to immerse the raw, unpainted fabric completely for ten minutes. It can be hung to dry after immersion. Dripped Roscoflamex can be re-used if it is stored in a tightly covered, nonmetallic container. Immersion may alter the hand of some fabrics.
• OK: Brushing
  First prepare the Roscoflamex as specified. Brush solution into fabric, making sure to use thoroughly charged brush strokes. While it is not always necessary to treat the back of the fabric, sometimes this is the most effective way to reach the desired saturation.
• OK: Spraying
  In spraying for flame retardance, it is especially important that an adequate quantity of Roscoflamex can be absorbed. This can only be determined by comparing dry weights of untreated and treated material. In calculating the amount of Roscoflamex needed, remember a substantial portion of the spray will not fall on the fabric. (See "Treating Velours".)

Flame retardant treatment can alter the characteristics of some fabrics in comparison with untreated samples. The material's stiffness or "hand" will in some cases be slightly altered. Fabrics with partial synthetic content may appear greasy or translucent if not painted afterwards. Proper dilution and application will minimize this problem.

Some fabrics prepared for the consumer market are sized with starch to improve the appearance of the product. It is important to launder and dry the material first to insure the proper absorption of Roscoflamex into the fabric.

HARD SCENERY
Hard scenery is treated in one of two ways, either by using a Roscoflamex that will penetrate into the substrate, or by applying a coating on top that creates a fire retardant, protective barrier between the source of the flame and the flammable substrate. When using a penetrating product, like Roscoflamex W40, the best method of application is immersion. Since immersion is often impractical, other methods of application are acceptable, though it is important to make sure that sufficient W40 has penetrated.

When applying a coating type retardant, like Roscoflamex P50 or Rosco Foamcoat, the method of application is incidental. Use whatever method-brush, roller, sprayer, etc.-is appropriate for the project. The important consideration is that a complete layer of the coating forms, and in a sufficient thickness. When using Roscoflamex P50 in Roscopaint, the dry paint film should be no less than 4 mil. thick. When using Foamcoat on polystyrene foams, a 1/8" thick layer is the minimum recommended thickness for an effective barrier.

Disclaimer
Read carefully the instructions supplied with any Roscoflamex product. Rosco offers these products in good faith, but without guarantee of any type, since materials treated and methods of application are beyond the control of the manufacturer. You should determine suitability of the Roscoflamex product for the intended use and always test before using.

If you have a question about Rosco Scenic Paint, please email scenepaint@rosco.com