EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3

• UL 2079 For Concrete and Gypsum Walls • 2 or 3-hour Fire-Rated, UL & ULC Listed • Sound Dampening • Watertight • 50% Movement • One product, one install does it all

• Hurricane Resistant • Air Barrier Compliant • 26 Colors • Non-Invasive Anchoring • Easy Installation • Energy Efficient

EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are watertight, fire-rated, dual-sided primary seals for both new and retrofit structural expansion joints in wall applications. As a single unit fire-rated expansion joint EMSHIELD eliminates the need for additional fire stops at the joint gap thereby eliminating the need for multiple separate products that perform the roles of sealing, bridging and fire-rating joints--with EMSHIELD WFR2 or WFR3, one install does it all.

For joints from 1/2 to 6-inches (12-150mm) where +25% and -25% (total 50%) of nominal material size joint movement is expected.

The depth of seal for all sizes of WFR2 is 4-inches (100mm).
The depth of seal for all sizes of WFR3 is 5-inches (125mm).

Can be used alone or under any other expansion joint cover, plate or filler where depth of substrate allows.

EMSHIELD WFR2 (Wall, Fire-Rated 2-Hours)  and WFR3 (Wall, Fire-Rated, 3-Hours) are part of the growing EMSHIELD family of fire-rated expansion joints being released by EMSEAL. WFR2 and WFR3 can be joined with EMSHIELD DFR2 and DFR3, EMSEAL's horizontal deck fire-rated expansion joint, to create a continuous, fire-rated watertight expansion system in both planes as well as at factory-fabricated or field-executed direction changes between the horizontal and vertical planes.

EMSHIELD WFR2 builds on EMSEAL's track record of over 30 years of innovation in sealing structural expansion joints with impregnated foam sealants and expands the comprehensive line of breakthrough, multi-function, structural expansion joint materials being released by EMSEAL. It has been tested and certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), to the rigors of UL 2079 and is manufactured under UL's Follow-Up Service--providing the assurance that the material supplied on your project is manufactured to the same standards of the product that was submitted for testing. ONLY FIRE-RATED EXPANSION JOINTS THAT HAVE BEEN UL 2079 TESTED AND CERTIFIED SHOULD BE USED IN A LIFE-SAFETY APPLICATION.

A fire-retardant-impregnated foam is factory pre-coated on both inside and outside faces with an intumescent fire-proofing material. Each side is then coated with a silicone coating.  This silicone coating is offered in a choice of 26 standard (and additional custom) colors to coordinate with the surrounding wall colors. The resulting composite is then factory compressed to less than its nominal size for installation into structural or other openings. 

Because EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are coated on both sides they are an effective fire-barrier from either side in interior demising walls or partitions.  Installed in exterior joints WFR2 and WFR3 can help to prevent wrap-around fires that exit the building through joint openings, wrap around the outside of the building and reenter the building through the joint at the next floor level.

A silicone corner bead at installation is optional. When installed it completes a watertight seal.

EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 provide a watertight, clean handling, UV stable, non-staining, low-temperature-flexible, high-temperature-stable, watertight, energy-efficient and fire-rated joint in a single installation process.

Uses For expansion joints in walls and vertical structures where watertightness and/or a fire-rating and/or energy-efficiency are required.  Application examples are:

• Fire-Rated Walls • Interior or Exterior Walls • Stadiums • Hospitals • Stair Towers • Elevator Towers • Wall-to-Deck (with DFR2) • Arenas Can be used alone or behind any other expansion joint cover, plate or filler.

Product Description EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 feature dual-sided silicone sealing surfaces adhered to a fire-retardant impregnated foam backing and an intumescent bellows. Both sides of the expansion joint are waterproof and fire-rated. The silicone faces of EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are available in a choice of colors. SEE COLOR SELECTION

The system is installed into epoxy adhesive field-applied to the joint faces.  An optional  field-injected silicone sealant band seals the bellows to the substrate providing watertightness. Joins between each stick are executed using a field-applied silicone sealant band at the join and an intumescent sealant coating over the remaining foam at the adjoining faces.                                           Colors EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are manufactured with the choice of 26 standard colors for the bellows and silicone on both sides. The example above shows Rustic Brick bellows facing the exterior of the building and Sandstone facing the interior. Both were chosen to be color coordinated with the walls in which they were placed. More color information.

Figure 1: EMSHIELD WFR2 in Typical Wall-to-Wall Installation

Figure 2: EMSHIELD WFR2 in Wall-to-Corner Installation

Figure 3: EMSHIELD WFR2 in Fireproof Block Installation

Figure 3: EMSHIELD WFR2 in Interior Fire-proof Gypsum Wall Installation

Features Watertight — EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are feature EMSEAL's signature tensionless bellows. The optional installation of a silicone bead provides the facing exterior elements to provide a watertight seal. Fire-Rated — The fire-retardant-impregnated foam and intumescent bellows on both the interior and exterior faces work together to ensure 2-hour fire protection in accordance with UL-2079. Non-Invasive Anchoring — There are no hard metal-to-substrate connections with EMSHIELD WFR2 or WFR3. This includes embedded pins, anchors, screws, bolts or tracks, trays or rails, flanges or coverplates. The system is locked to the joint faces by means of the 1) backpressure of the foam; 2) the epoxy adhesive, and 3) the injected sealant bands at the joint face. Versatility — EMSHIELD WFR's visible surfaces are available in 26 standard colors (other colors are optional). Each side can be a separate color. This allows for color coordination with surrounding wall colors and in keeping with the structure's aesthetics. SEE COLOR SELECTION Joint-Size Variation —Uniform bellows appearance, and the ability to handle variations in joint size through size-switching. Energy Efficiency -- EMSEAL's foam technology also acts an efficient thermal barrier.  This means that indoor air quality and HVAC balance can be controlled while insulating the interior space from hot and cold exterior conditions.  The non-metallic, non-invasive anchoring means that with WFR2 there are no thermal breaks introduced at structural or other joint openings.   STC 62 / OITC 52  Sound Attenuation -- Walls sealed with EMSEAL impregnated foam sealants offer exceptional acoustic dampening and feature sound transmission coefficients virtually equal to that of the solid wall. In a wall with a STC 68 rating, WFR2 was tested to have a STC 62 rating thereby maintaining the sound suppressing capabilities of the host wall. It also posted an OITC 52 rating.

Factory-Fabricated Transitions— as in all EMSEAL expansion joint systems, continuity of seal through changes in plane and direction is an essential performance differentiator. EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 are manufactured in straight-run sticks which can be joined in the field to EMSEAL’s patent-pending DFR2 "Universal-90" Transitions . Universal-90 Upturn Transition Universal-90 Flipped-Over as Downturn Transition These factory-fabricated single-piece 90-degree units have a 6-inch long leg and a 12-inch vertical piece on each end of the elbow.  Custom-90's are also offered with varying leg lengths manufactured for specific installations. Universal-90's are symmetrically coated on both sides.  This allows them to be installed as an upturn or as a downturn.  Either leg can be trimmed in the field to connect to straight run material or to another Universal-90 when going, for example, up and over a curb, into a parapet, or up and down treads and risers. In addition to guaranteeing a continuous waterproof coating, and continuity in the fire barrier, EMSEAL’s "Universal-90's" allow for much faster and secure installation by eliminating field cutting or notching and bending at angles.

Performance Sizing Movement Capability: +25%, -25% (50% total) of nominal material size. Standard sizes from: 1/2" to 6" (12-150mm) Depth of Seal for all sizes: WFR2 = 4" (100mm).  WFR3 = 5" (125mm). Note: Typical Thickness of concrete for 2-hour rating = 4" (100mm). Substrates must be solid, sound, parallel and plumb. Note: Overall fire-rating of a wall assembly is dependent on the fire-rated characteristics of the supporting and adjacent wall design by others. Supplied Nominal Material Size Depth of Seal Depth of Seal Length ( = Joint Size at Mean T) WFR2 WFR3 6.56 LF (2M)Stick 1/2"  (12mm) 4" (100mm) 5" (125mm) 5/8"  (15mm) 3/4"  (20mm) 1" (25mm) 1 1/4" (30mm) 1 1/2" (40mm) 1 3/4" (45mm) 2" (50mm) 2 1/4" (55mm) 2 1/2" (65mm) 2 3/4" (70mm) 3" (75mm) 3 1/4" (85mm) 3 1/2" (90mm) 3 3/4" (95mm) 4" (100mm) 4 1/4" (105mm) 4 1/2" (115mm) 4 3/4" (120mm) 5" (125mm) 5 1/4" (130mm) 51/2" (140mm) 5 3/4" (145mm) 6" (150mm)

Testing and Standards Only UL 2079 tests expansion joint movement (cycling expansion and contraction) during fire-rating testing. This is crucial because expansion joints move. Non-UL tests do not combine movement cycling and fire blocking --- therefore do not adequately test the integrity of the expansion joint in simulated real world conditions. Demand UL/ULC UL 2079 testing and certification in any life-safety application where an expansion joint needs to be fire-rated. EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 have been tested and certified under UL 2079 encompassing manufacturing certification, Class II and Class III movement cycling, fire test, and hose stream test. EMSHIELD WFR2 and WFR3 meets the requirements of ASTM E1966, ASTM E119 and ASTM E1399. UL 2079, like ASTM E1966, was developed to encompass the fire testing of ASTM E119 and the movement cycling regime of ASTM E1399. EMSEAL’s EMSHIELD WFR2 has been tested in accordance with UL 2079 in the configuration depicted in System # WW-D-0091; System # WW-D-0092; System # WW-D-1079; System # WW-D-0081; System # HW-D-0615; System # HW-D-1090. EMSHIELD WFR3 has been tested in accordance with UL 2079 in the configuration depicted in WW-D-0099; WW-D-1087   Design/System/Construction/Assembly Usage This material has been tested to UL/ULC 2079 and is manufactured under UL’s Follow-Up Service. The material is being supplied as a fire-rated component of a wall or floor assembly. It has been tested to UL 2079 in assemblies as depicted in EMSEAL’s various listings in the UL Online Certifications Directory. Use of this material in assembly configurations other than depicted in the named UL listings will not encumber or lower the resistance of the deck or wall assembly but is done so at the designers’ discretion and responsibility for designing substrates as part of a fire rated assembly that meet applicable standards for the project. Similarly, the published information in the UL Listings cannot always address every construction nuance encountered in the field. Authorities Having Jurisdiction should be consulted in all cases as to the particular requirements covering the installation and use of UL Listed or Classified products or materials. Authorities Having Jurisdiction should be consulted before construction to ensure that specific adjacent substrates and assemblies are detailed and constructed to meet local fire-rating requirements.   This short video summarizes the rigors of the UL 2079 testing process for EMSHIELD WFR2: