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Is Architectural Film Fire Rated? What to Check Before You Refinish

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Short answer: many architectural films carry a Class A rating under ASTM E84 for interior use, the top class for interior wall and ceiling finishes. But the rating belongs to a specific film, tested a specific way. Always ask for the data sheet for the exact product going on your walls, and treat fire-rated doors as their own question.

For hotels, offices, schools, and healthcare buildings, this is usually the first question a facilities manager or fire marshal asks. Here's what the ratings mean and what to check.

What ASTM E84 and "Class A" mean

ASTM E84 (also known as UL 723) is the standard test for how a building material's surface burns. It measures two things: how fast flame spreads across the surface, and how much smoke it gives off. Results are grouped into classes, and Class A is the most fire-resistant category recognized for interior wall and ceiling finish materials under the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code.

3M, for example, states that most of its DI-NOC architectural finishes carry a Class A rating per ASTM E84 when used in interior applications, and publishes flammability documentation by product family. (3M DI-NOC brochure)

Why "most products" isn't good enough

• Ratings are per product. Different patterns and series within one brand can fall in different test categories.
• Ratings are tested on a substrate. Test reports describe what the film was applied to during the test, such as cement board or aluminum. Your surface should be comparable.
• Brands differ. Not every architectural or decorative film has been tested the same way. Decorative wall vinyl isn't automatically architectural film.

So the right request is simple: the technical data sheet and flammability certificate for the exact film and pattern specified.

Fire-rated doors are a separate question

A Class A surface rating is not the same as approval for use on a fire-rated door. Fire doors carry their own listing and label, and anything added to them has to work within that listing.

Some manufacturers have had select films tested and listed as fire door components, with conditions. 3M's documentation, for example, lists specific door types and requires that all restrictions on the existing labeled fire door and frame be followed, plus edge seals on certain wood doors. (3M DI-NOC fire door documentation)

Before film goes on rated doors:

• Ask for the fire-door listing for the exact film.
• Check that your door type matches what the listing covers.
• Leave the rating labels on doors and frames visible.
• Talk to your fire marshal or local code official, who has the final say.

What we provide on commercial jobs

• The technical data sheet and flammability documentation for the film specified, before install.
• Film choices matched to where they're going: walls, doors, elevators, or millwork.
• Installation by a PDAA Certified Installer for architectural films, following the manufacturer's installation guide.

We don't replace your code official. We make sure you have the paperwork they'll ask for.

Common questions

Is architectural film Class A fire rated?

Many architectural films are rated Class A under ASTM E84 for interior use, but ratings are per product. Ask for the data sheet and flammability certificate for the exact film specified.

What does ASTM E84 test?

How fast flame spreads across a material's surface and how much smoke it gives off. Results are grouped into classes, with Class A the most fire-resistant category for interior wall and ceiling finishes.

Can architectural film go on fire-rated doors?

Some films have been tested and listed for fire-rated doors, with conditions on door type and the existing label requirements. Ask for the fire-door listing for the exact film and confirm with your fire marshal.

Is decorative wall vinyl the same as architectural film?

No. Architectural films are made and tested for building interiors. Decorative vinyl may not carry the same testing, so always check the data sheet.

Who makes the final call on fire ratings?

Your fire marshal or local code official. We provide the manufacturer documentation they'll want to see.