Fire Tape®: Faster, Cleaner Code Compliance — No Mud Required

The problem? Firestopping wall joints can be slow, painful and, of course, very much mandatory. The solution? Fire rated accessories that are easier to use, faster to install and longer-lasting than traditional sealants and sprays. And our latest innovation in this field, Fire Tape®, is the fastest, simplest way to complete a firewall yet — without using a drop of mud.

Fire Tape is a self-adhesive drywall finishing tape that can be used in place of regular paper and/or mesh tape, making it the fastest way to firestop wall joints. 1- or 2-hour rated, it installs easily with no mud (and no drying time!) for an exceptionally clean, dust-free finish. Usable in both residential and commercial builds — and approved for walls, ceilings and floors — Fire Tape is ideal for any area with a Level 1 finish: above ceiling grids, in mechanical zones, elevator shafts, et al.  

Installation of Fire Tape is simple: center the tape over your butt joint, fully covering both the joint and its fasteners (just make sure it’s free of dust and gypsum powder first). Lay the tape in place, then utilize the three-inch plastic knife included in every box of Fire Tape to apply pressure evenly across the entire length of the tape. (Don’t just use your hand or another tool — the plastic knife has been engineered specifically to ensure the sufficient adhesion of Fire Tape to drywall.) If you’ve used Fire Tape on the outside or inside corners of the drywall, use a corner roller to properly adhere the tape.

And, just like that, you’ve completed a fire rated wall joint! 

Note: since the outer surface of Fire Tape is treated with silicone, drywall joint compound and paint will not adhere to it; this is why areas with a Level 1 finish are ideal fits for Fire Tape. If you do need to coat and paint over Fire Tape, use an oil-based primer first to promote adhesion to it (more details, including specific primers, can be found in our full installation guide).

Finally, Fire Tape can be combined with your favorite Trim-Tex beads! For instance, the crew pictured above — working on a new, state-of-the-art high-rise in Denver, Colo. — was installing Trim-Tex Fire Bead in all their head-of-wall joints to comply with both firestop and controlled movement building codes. Since these head-of-wall joints would be above an acoustical ceiling grid, they were able to use Fire Tape over the Fire Bead, rather than joint compound, for an easier, faster installation with no time spent waiting for mud to dry. This kind of blazing-fast speed is what makes Fire Tape so essential!

Fire Tape is just one member of Trim-Tex’s family of Fire + Sound Solutions. Hit the button below to learn more about everything Trim-Tex has to offer to make code compliance simpler, faster and better!