Garage Attic Firewall

**Stuart Brooks** · 05-12-2009, 08:42 PM

You know, we see drywall on garage walls adjacent to the living area of the house all the time. Required for years as fire retarder. How about the attic of the garage that has an frame wall adjacent to the 2nd floor living space? It seems to me that if its required in the garage then it follows it should also be installed in the attic

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**Jim Luttrall** · 05-12-2009, 09:47 PM

You are correct it should be and is required (sort of.)

IRC 2003
R309.2 Separation required.
The garage shall be separated from the residence and its attic area by not less Than 1/2 inch gypsum board applied to the garage side. Garages beneath...

The way I read and understand this is that you can either cover the common walls and ceiling of the garage with gypsum OR separate the garage from the residence and its attic with a wall going tight up to the roof deck. Either way, you have a total separation between the garage and the house and its attic.

Lest Jerry jump in with the usual rant, it is just called a separation, not a Firewall.

A.D. Miller · 05-13-2009, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

You know, we see drywall on garage walls adjacent to the living area of the house all the time. Required for years as fire retarder. How about the attic of the garage that has an frame wall adjacent to the 2nd floor living space? It seems to me that if its required in the garage then it follows it should also be installed in the attic

SB: Jim nailed it. Please do not say "garage" and "firewall" in the same post or JP will light on it like a bird dog.

**Jerry Peck** · 05-13-2009, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

The way I read and understand this is that you can either cover the common walls and ceiling of the garage with gypsum OR separate the garage from the residence and its attic with a wall going tight up to the roof deck. Either way, you have a total separation between the garage and the house and its attic.

Correct, and the most common option chosen of those two options is to "cover the common walls and ceiling of the garage".

One could cover the garage/house wall and continue up into the attic (on a truss with studs added or a stud wall of a second floor living space) to the roof deck and not even need to have a ceiling in the garage. That is how it was done in the old days where I've been (old days being back before the 1970s, even by the 1960s only a few were being done that way).

The reason for always reminding everyone that it is not a "fire wall" as that, should you tell your clients that (and if you use it in casual conversation here, you will use it in conversation elsewhere) and they have a fire, YOU KNOW one of the things their attorney is going to be concerned with is when they keep repeating " ... but my inspector said that was a FIRE WALL and was there to STOP A FIRE in the garage from getting into the house ... so why did it burn through and destroy all my cherished, dear, memories and possessions, which are all irreplaceable and were all priceless ... "

A.D. Miller · 05-13-2009, 02:01 PM

The reason for always reminding everyone that it is not a "fire wall" as that, should you tell your clients that (and if you use it in casual conversation here, you will use it in conversation elsewhere) and they have a fire, YOU KNOW one of the things their attorney is going to be concerned with is when they keep repeating " ... but my inspector said that was a FIRE WALL and was there to STOP A FIRE in the garage from getting into the house ... so why did it burn through and destroy all my cherished, dear, memories and possessions, which are all irreplaceable and were all priceless ...

JP: And thus spake the kinder, gentler Zarathustra . . .

**Steve Frederickson** · 05-13-2009, 05:42 PM

If we're going to start quoting Nietzsche (yes, I had to look it up), I'm looking for another site

How about this one: "What would you give me to set fire to your beard?" (Grouco Marx: A night at the Opera).

**Matt Fellman** · 05-13-2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Correct, and the most common option chosen of those two options is to "cover the common walls and ceiling of the garage".

One could cover the garage/house wall and continue up into the attic (on a truss with studs added or a stud wall of a second floor living space) to the roof deck and not even need to have a ceiling in the garage. That is how it was done in the old days where I've been (old days being back before the 1970s, even by the 1960s only a few were being done that way).

The reason for always reminding everyone that it is not a "fire wall" as that, should you tell your clients that (and if you use it in casual conversation here, you will use it in conversation elsewhere) and they have a fire, YOU KNOW one of the things their attorney is going to be concerned with is when they keep repeating " ... but my inspector said that was a FIRE WALL and was there to STOP A FIRE in the garage from getting into the house ... so why did it burn through and destroy all my cherished, dear, memories and possessions, which are all irreplaceable and were all priceless ... "

We also call wall board 'DryWALL' - should be be concerned about getting sued becasue Bubba is able to put his fist through it?

I get the message and realize the distinction but the analogy given is pretty far fetched... even for today's dirtbag attorneys.