Could he has mis-named the stuff and not mean actual styrofoam but some
other material sold for such use in ceilings?



"larry moe 'n curly" wrote in message
ups.com...

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"Dave" wrote in message
...

I am thinking of paneling the ceiling with styrofoam sheet about two
inches thick. I

Not a good idea. Styrofoam is a very good insulation, it is made of a
flame
retarding material, but, according to building code it must be covered
with
something like drywall. It is not allowed to be exposed. Personally,
I'd
not use recessed lighting in foam as the light will get very hot, the
insulation will trap the heat and probably melt.

Unless the styrofoam was made with a chemical additive, and most
likely it wasn't, it isn't considered flame retardant. UL once
classified it as "self extinguishing", meaning the material will quit
burning if the source of flame is removed , but UL was heavily
criticized for giving that classification to styrofoam, and apparently
the "self extinguishing" label was based on a test where the material
sat horizontally in a wind tunnel and set on fire.

BTW, the term "fire resistant" can apply to materials that burn fairly
easily, including fire wood.