BS EN 13964:2014

Suspended ceilings. Requirements and test methods. | Status: Current

1 Scope This European Standard covers membranes, individual substructure components, substructure kits and suspended ceiling kits intended to be placed on the market. It covers suspended ceilings sold as a complete kit, substructures placed on the market as kits, individual components (products) of such substructures, and membrane components. It includes test methods and methods of assessment, as well as provisions for the evaluation of conformity and for the marking of the products to the requirements of this European Standard. In the absence of any other European Standard, this European Standard specifies dimensions, tolerances and, where relevant, performance requirements, for commonly available ceilingsubstructures and membrane components. This European Standard covers the following characteristics:

• — reaction to fire;
• — fire resistance (suspended ceiling kits only);
• — release and/or content of dangerous substances:
  • — release of asbestos (content) (suspended ceiling kits and membrane components only);
  • — release of formaldehyde (suspended ceiling kits and membrane components only);
  • — other dangerous substances;
• — shatter properties (safe breakage)/impact resistance (for suspended ceiling kits and membrane components of brittle materials in suspended ceiling kits only);
• — flexural tensile strength;
• — load bearing capacity, tolerances and dimensions;
• — electrical safety (as adequacy of the product to avoid electrocution from installations that may be part of the assembled ceiling, using electricity, such as ventilation devices and lighting);
• — direct airborne sound insulation (suspended ceiling kits only);
• — sound absorption (suspended ceiling kits and membrane components only);
• — thermal conductivity (suspended ceiling kits and membrane components only);
• — susceptibility to the growth of harmful micro-organisms;
• — resistance to fixings (relevant for components that are mechanically fixed);
• — durability of flexural tensile strength and load bearing capacity against moisture.

This European Standard also covers the following requirements:

• — colour and light reflectance;
• — installation.

This European Standard does not cover the following:

• — ceilingsubstructures and membrane component covered by other harmonized European Standards, for insitu formed ceilings, covered by other European technical specifications, for which it is the installer, not the component manufacturer, who takes responsibility for ensuring that the complete installed suspended ceiling meets any regulatory requirements to which it is subject;
• — stretched ceilings covered by EN 14716;
• — ceilings in mobile buildings, caravans and other forms of transportation;
• — characteristics needed for special applications, for which additional characteristics other than covered by this European Standard would need to be complied with;
• — suspended ceilings intended for uses in ceilings subject to water penetration requirements;
• — ceilings used externally where requirements other than covered by this standard would apply (tunnels, canopies, petrol stations, arcades, open sports facilities, car parks, etc.);
• — heavy duty suspended ceilings or their supporting construction (e.g. ceilings that can be walked on);
• — ceilings made from fire protective boards;
• — the performance and health and safety requirements of light fittings and other features that, optionally, are included in the suspended ceiling;
• — panels from materials covered in other harmonized European standards already prepared by CEN/TC 241 and CEN/TC 112 (see NOTE 1);

  NOTE 1 These standards have been developed by CEN/TC 241 under the Mandate M/106 “Gypsum products” and by CEN/TC 112 under the Mandate M/113 “Wood-based panels”.

• — anchors covered by other European technical specifications.

This European Standard also gives certain specifications for the installed suspended ceiling system (see NOTE 2).

NOTE 2 There are two reasons for this:

• — the individual components and kits may have to meet certain requirements in order for the installed system to be able to meet the requirement when the system is installed, and
• — it is appropriate, for ease of reference, to give both component/kit requirement and installed system requirement in the same document, given the relationship between them.

This European Standard provides information for the various parties responsible for designing, manufacturing and specifying/selecting suspended ceilings used for interior applications in general building and civil engineering structures.