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(We particularly like the semi-erotic relationship that this discovery has created within her bedroom: "The steel beam is a bastion of strength and simplicity." and "[this] destruction becomes more comfortable of a phenomenon")
She's on the scene now. Over to you Jill...
Like discovering good news in a fortune cookie, a great flavor gum inside a Tootsie Blow-Pop, or a $20 bill inside an old pair of jeans, I found a steel I-beam inside an ugly, bulky column in my sleeping loft....
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It brought me great glee to destroy said column. To me, that was the best confirmation of my ownership rather than rentership of this space that was to be my home. I could do whatever I wanted, (with the coop board's permission of course). I got so excited that I began to look around the apartment to see what else I could destroy.
I started out small, dainty and lady-like using a small hand saw to slice away small pieces of sheet rock. Then, I had a friend come over and get out her aggression by Karate kicking said column. This worked much more effectively.
After that, it was just a matter of pulling out the thin metal framing and disposing of the debris. The pearl that remains is a solid icon of the industrial days of my apartment building and my neighborhood. The steel beam is a bastion of strength and simplicity. I now consider it the crown jewel of my apartment.
I am thinking of exposing the cross beams as well but want to do a bit more investigating to see if I am putting myself in engineering jeopardy.
The point is, that once you have seen a bathroom ripped down to its barest existence and then put back together again, destruction becomes more comfortable of a phenomenon. I have overcome the fear of broken walls and such because I know there is plaster and putty and all kinds of fillers to mend my cracks and gaps and such.
Taking things apart, including plaster walls, column sheathing, etc, can bring extra space to your apartment as well as unique architectural features that were once thought best hidden.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I don't know all the specifics of the building she is living in, but by demolishing the sheetrock around the steel column she may have destroyed the fire rating. Steel is not fireproof as all New Yorkers know by now. The sheetrock protects the column with enough fire proofing so that residents may have a chance to get out and fire fighters can do their job before the building heats up enough to collapse.
Yes, while this one exposed section in itself will probably not jeopardize the building structure in the event of a fire (unless there is a really, really hot one immediately adjacent) it is most certainly against code. Make sure that no one on your board gets wind of this (or reads this blog)!
There are insulated spray-on stucco-like materials that allow for fireproofing with retention of I-beam forms, but I think their fire rating may be less than that of sheetrock. And they are ugly. And I'm not sure if its kosher (uh, code-sher) to coat a single steel member in differential materials along its length.
We exposed a steel beam in the middle of our prewar coop one bedroom about five years ago. It looked great, but we waited until we had the DOB sign-off on the rest of our renovation to do it b/c it's definitely not up to code for reasons stated above.
Good news! Posed this problem to my architect spouse/ friends over the weekend & it turns out that a fireproofing paint does exist for structural steel, intumescent paint. Apparently its expensive, but a project like this doesn't have much surface area...
This is definitely a serious problem. Intumescent paint is an option but will end up being quite thick (half inch or more) and rather lumpy (it is not smooth). It is also tricky to work out the flashing details so that there is no joint where heat can seep through the different methods of fire protection.
It is grossly irresponsible to put the entire building at risk by compromising the fire rating of the column. This article should be removed from the web.
"Grossly irresponsible" is quite a stretch and to state that she is putting the entire building at risk, without knowing the architecture of the building is reactionary and alarmist.
To anyone who has seen a variety of buildings and interiors in NYC, whether residential or commercial,
it should be evident that there are great exceptions to code everywhere.
I'm not advocating blind ignorance of building and fire codes, they exist for our overall safety, but it is also narrow minded to think that adherence to every letter of the law makes for absolute safety.
Utility and beauty are wonderful partners and should not be divorced by inflexible and often overwrought code.
Jill, you should certainly find out what your options are... get the verdict on what code calls for from as many architects/engineers as you can muster and then decide what must be done.
Good luck,
James
I just stumbled on this. I agree with everyone else, stupid idea, perfect example of why you shouldnt DIY sometimes, especially if you dont fully understand the extents of destruction. It was definetly for a fire rating as this is required to seperate any living spaces used by other people, period.
UBC-1991
group R occupancy (Division 1, or Div. 3)
CH. 12 Sec. 1202 (b): Special Provisions. Walls and floors seperating dwelling units in the same building shall not be of less than one hour fire resistance.
either way, division 1 or 3 your in a bad situation, wrap that beam up missy.
By the way this is 1991 UBC im sure the more current verision are in effect, i think they may even be stricter.
If you're looking for a for a paint option for that column of yours, try Albi manufacturing.
They make a product called ALBI Clad TF that is airless sprayed on and can give you up to a 3 1/2 hour fire rating. UL Approved, and approved by NY State. If you're concerned about corrosion, I suggest you get it blasted first, and perhaps Thermal Spray Galvanized. You'll need a certified applicator to do the paint, and if you want the column any color other than off-white you'll have to put a top coat over it.
Lois Quartararo
National Surface Technology, Inc.
to get yourself up to code, you have to get two sprinkler heads close to the beam, less than 12 inches I believe. I exposed my beams and had to do some extra sprinkler work to get up to code. it was worth it. love my beams..
Analysis:
You are not an architect. Therfore you are not qualified to take the information you have been given here and translate it into a safe, code compliant solution.
Options:
1.Put things back exactly the way you found them.
2.Put exactly the same type,thickness and number of layers of drywall back around the column.
Use this product. www.grabberman.com They are metal clips that clip onto the steel and then allow you to screw drywall to the clips. They have two advantages. 1. You don't have to frame with metal framing which is complicated and requires skill and special tools. 2. The inside face of drywall will only be about 1" from the steel. More Living Space!
Any other fireproofing system will be far beyond the tools, skills and budget that you have, so stick with drywall!
My uncle,Bernard Kaplan, bought the original formula for fireproof paint from Inagance Alembic,who developed it while at Harvard.Dr Kaplan,also a Harvard graduate worked to continually improve it and in 1948 there as a news article in Time Magazine,showing a two room house,1/2 painted Albi and the other with plain paint.The Albi 1/2 remained standing while the other 1/2 burned down. I believe that a gallon sold at the time for $5.95 .Years later he developed Albi Clad to be applied to steel girders etc.(He died about 10 years ago.He was 100 years old.