Cavity Barriers & Acoustic Seals

Cavities are empty, enclosed spaces that are found in walls of buildings. Most external walls would have a cavity as they are made up of two “skins” and are usually a masonry material.

Cavity barriers are blocks of fire resistant material that are installed in these cavities to prevent fire spreading through a building.

Empty spaces in buildings – specifically in wall cavities – can facilitate the spread of fire and smoke as there is nothing for the fire and smoke to come into contact with as a barrier to slow it down or stop it. It is also very difficult to extinguish the fire once it’s in the cavity as there is no easy way for the fire brigade to access the space.

Cavity barriers fill the voids in walls, and therefore slow down the spread of fire and smoke through a building, meaning there is more time for individuals to escape and less damage is done to the building. The difference between cavity barriers and a fire stop is that cavity barriers are a specific range of products designed for preventing the spread of fire within a cavity whereas a “firestop” can refer to a range of products that are suited for a number of fire stopping applications. 

Some examples of a firestop would be to fire protect some pipes going through a wall or some cables going through a concrete floor.

Cavity barriers provide essential protection against the spread of fire and smoke however correct installation and regular maintenance and inspections are essential to ensure they function as expected.