Influence of Surface Treatment of Wood-Based Acoustic Panels on Their Fire Performance

This work deals with the impact of surface acoustic treatment (holes and grooves) and primary material (plywood, MDF, solid wood panel) of acoustic panels on their fire characteristics. Fire characteristics were determined based on the cone calorimeter method, single-flame source test, and smoke generation assessment. In general, birch plywood demonstrated the highest values for heat release rate (HRR), maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE), and effective heat of combustion (EHC), indicating its higher flammability compared to the other tested materials. MDF generally exhibited the lowest values for heat release rate (HRR) and maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE); yet, under certain perforated configurations, it generated the highest amount of smoke. Solid wood panels exhibited the lowest heat release rate (HRR) but developed the largest charred areas during the single-flame source test. Among the surface treatments, the 16/8 mm treatment resulted in the highest values of effective heat of combustion (EHC) and maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE), while the 8/1.5–15T treatment exhibited the most rapid increase in heat release rate (HRR), attributed to the swift degradation of its thin surface layer and high void fraction. The presence of holes and grooves increased smoke production, which was most evident in MDF and plywood panels. The results demonstrate that acoustic surface geometry significantly modifies the fire behavior of wood-based panels and should be considered alongside material selection when evaluating fire safety in interior applications.