Wall protection is easy to treat as an afterthought: a corner guard here, a crash rail there, some sheet cladding behind the beds. But every one of those items is an interior finish under the Ontario Building Code, and interior finishes carry fire performance requirements. When a submittal shows up with a US test report and the words “Class A,” it is worth knowing exactly what that does and does not prove.
This post walks through how surface flame spread is tested, why the Canadian test standard is the one that counts in Ontario, how manufacturers such as Construction Specialties (Acrovyn) and Inpro present their ratings, and what to look for before you stamp a submittal reviewed.
What a surface flame-spread test measures
Surface burning tests answer a narrow question: once a material is exposed to fire, how quickly does flame travel across its face, and how much smoke does it give off? They do not tell you how long a wall assembly will hold back a fire. That is a separate fire-resistance rating, expressed in minutes or hours.
Both the US and Canadian methods use a long horizontal tunnel apparatus, often called the Steiner tunnel. A specimen is mounted, a burner is lit at one end, and the lab records how far and how fast the flame front moves and how dense the smoke becomes. The results are reported as two numbers:
- Flame-spread rating (or index) – lower is better.
- Smoke-developed classification (or index) – again, lower is better.
ASTM E84 and “Class A”
In the US, the standard test is ASTM E84 (UL 723 is the equivalent UL standard). Results are commonly grouped into classes. Class A, sometimes written Class 1, generally means a flame-spread index of 0 to 25 and a smoke-developed index of 450 or less. You will see “Class A” or “Class A/1” on a lot of North American product literature because so much of the market is American.
The catch is that ASTM E84 is not the test method named in the Ontario Building Code. A Class A label is useful information, but on its own it is not a code compliance path in Ontario.
CAN/ULC-S102 and S102.2: the Canadian tests
Article 3.1.12.1 of the Ontario Building Code says the flame-spread rating and smoke-developed classification of a material are to be determined from at least three tests to CAN/ULC-S102. It then sends certain materials to a companion standard, CAN/ULC-S102.2, instead. That applies to materials designed to be used roughly horizontally with only the top surface exposed (flooring), materials that cannot be tested in S102 without unrepresentative support, and materials that are thermoplastic.
That last point matters for wall protection. Most rigid wall protection is made from thermoplastics such as PVC or PETG, which soften and can drip when heated. That is why you will often see Canadian data sheets for these products cite S102.2 rather than S102. It is not a loophole; it is the test the code points to for that kind of material.
The tunnel equipment is similar to E84, but mounting, measurement and calculation details differ, so a number from one test should not be assumed to carry over to the other. Some sources note that S102 can produce more conservative (higher) flame-spread values for the same material.
How the Ontario Building Code uses the rating
Once you have a Canadian flame-spread rating, Subsection 3.1.13 sets the limits. Under Article 3.1.13.2 of the 2024 OBC, interior wall and ceiling finishes generally must have a flame-spread rating of not more than 150, with lower limits in some locations (exits, for example) under Table 3.1.13.2, and limited allowances for small areas. Some building types, such as high buildings, also bring smoke-developed limits into play.
The design team decides which limit applies to each room. What the trade and the GC need to do is make sure the product submitted can show a Canadian rating that meets that limit. If a product only has ASTM E84 data, the usual route is an alternative solution accepted by the authority having jurisdiction, which adds time and paperwork you probably do not want late in a job.
How Acrovyn and Inpro publish their ratings
Construction Specialties (Acrovyn)
C/S states that Acrovyn profiles such as handrails, crash rails and corner guards are UL Classified and labelled Class A/1, and that the material meets UL 723, ASTM E84 and CAN/ULC-S102.2. C/S also makes a distinction worth knowing: wall coverings and profiles are listed as Class A/1, while some wall panel and dimensional moulding systems are rated Class B/2 when tested as a complete system. Door protection is a different story again, with separate minute ratings for products applied to fire-rated doors.
C/S publishes Canadian-specific suggested specifications for many products. One we reviewed for an Acrovyn corner guard calls for testing to CAN/ULC-S102.2 with a flame-spread rating of 150 or less and smoke developed of 300 or less. Other products and systems may differ, so always pull the sheet for the exact model.
Inpro
Inpro offers its wall protection in more than one material, including standard PVC and its G2 BioBlend PETG. Its guide specifications list ASTM E84 results and Class A for several products. We were not able to confirm a published CAN/ULC-S102 or S102.2 value for every Inpro line from public pages, so request the current Canadian fire test data from Inpro or its Canadian representative for the specific product and material you are submitting.
What to check in a wall protection submittal
Whether you are the estimator pricing the work, the architect reviewing shop drawings, or the facility manager adding guards to an existing building, these are the questions worth asking:
- Which test standard? Look for CAN/ULC-S102 or S102.2 results, not only ASTM E84 or a “Class A” label.
- Which product and material? Ratings can differ between PVC and PVC-free versions, and between profiles, sheets and panel systems.
- Tested as installed? Sheet products are often tested with a specific adhesive and substrate. Make sure the install method matches.
- Flame spread and smoke developed both reported? Check both against the limits the architect has set for that space.
- Doors are different. Protection applied to rated doors needs to be compatible with the door’s label; a surface class does not cover that.
- Is the data current? Use the latest product data sheet and listing, and keep a copy for closeout.
Where we see this on real projects
Healthcare and long-term care work is where these questions come up most. At Markdale Hospital – Brightshores, GRIT installed wall coverings, handrails and stainless corner guards, and on projects like Halton Centre for Child Care and Cooksville Care Centre we installed full sheets of Acrovyn. In each case, having the right product data in the submittal package up front kept review moving and made closeout simpler.
Talk to GRIT about your wall protection package
GRIT Construction Services is an authorized Acrovyn installer based in Richmond Hill, supplying and installing wall and corner protection, crash rails, handrails and door frame protection across the GTA. We carry $5M CGL insurance and WSIB clearance, and we turn quotes around within 48 hours of receiving drawings. See our wall and corner protection services, or contact us at (647) 382-8256 or info@gritcon.ca to send drawings or ask a submittal question.
Sources: Construction Specialties – Wall Protection FAQs; OBC Article 3.1.12.1 (codeindex.ca); OBC Article 3.1.13.2 (codeindex.ca); Manitoba Association of Architects – Surface Burning Characteristics.