FR-grade MDF: when the code requires it
Fire-retardant MDF is mandatory in many Saudi commercial interiors. The trick is that not every board labelled 'FR' actually meets Class B-s2,d0. Here's how to spot the real ones and where the code actually requires FR-grade.
The Saudi Building Code (SBC 201/201) defers to the manufacturer's classification for fire-rated MDF. In practice this means Euroclass B-s2,d0 — the standard referenced by the major European mills and the one tested by Exova/Warringtonfire. Boards carrying this classification must be pink-tinted (to distinguish from standard MDF) and shipped with a mill certificate showing the production batch, the test date, and the result.
Where the code requires it:
- Hotels and serviced apartments. All headboard panels, wall linings, and feature cladding in guest rooms and corridors.
- Healthcare. Wall linings in patient rooms, treatment rooms, and corridors.
- Educational. Classrooms, lecture halls, and corridor cladding.
- Offices above 24m building height. Corridor cladding and feature walls.
- Plant rooms. All MDF components regardless of building type.
How to verify the board is real FR:
- Pink tint. Real FR-grade MDF has a distinctive pink core. White, beige, or natural-tan core is not FR-grade.
- Mill certificate with batch number. The certificate must reference the same batch as the pallet stamp.
- Euroclass marking. Look for 'B-s2,d0' or 'Class 1' on the certificate. Generic 'fire-retardant' language with no classification is a red flag.
- Density check. FR-grade MDF is typically 750–800 kg/m³, slightly higher than standard.
What we stock: CW-MDF-FR18 — 18mm pink-core FR MDF, Euroclass B-s2,d0, mill-certified, shipped on standard pallets. Cut to size and edge-banded in-house.
If you're unsure whether your project requires FR-grade, send the drawings and we'll tell you what's specified. info@cherrywood.com.sa.
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