Some areas of the world insist on “Fire Blocking” any basement that is being finished-off by the homeowner. Fire Blocking is when you install some type of approved “fire-stopping” or “blocking” perimeter to your framed walls to keep the spread of a potential basement fire from making it’s way up through the framed basement walls and reaching the first floor of the structure, hence the name “Fire Blocking”.
Not all cities, town, municipalities, require the homeowners to Fire Block their basement framing. The best way to find out if you do, is just call the code office and ask! Your building code office is where you will “pull a building permit” to finish your basement, and then again, you may not even be required to pull a Building Permit, so just ask!
Fire Blocking takes a little time to get done, but is a necessary evil in some cities. I have always used 2″x 4″ or 2″x 6″ pieces of lumber and “Fire-proof Caulking” as my fire blocking material of choice. This video shows you some examples of what materials I use to do this fire blocking and exactly how I’ve applied these materials to pass my “Fire Blocking Inspection” on client basement finishing projects.
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