Source a BS 476 aluminum composite panel by the exact panel build and the evidence your project actually requires. DERACP supports architects, façade contractors, distributors and project buyers reviewing fire-rated ACP / ACM constructions, finishes, sizes, samples and export documentation.
The phrase is commonly used by buyers searching for an aluminum composite panel with British fire-test evidence. In technical procurement, however, the words BS 476 are incomplete unless the tender identifies the relevant part, the tested specimen, the report scope and the intended end use.
Approved Document B removed references to BS 476 for reaction to fire and roofs from 2 March 2025, subject to transitional provisions. That means a legacy “BS 476 Class 0 / Part 6 & 7” clause should not simply be copied into a current England project without review. For new specifications, confirm the required BS EN / EN 13501 route and any system-level façade requirements with the architect, fire consultant and building-control team. Review the current GOV.UK guidance.
Part 6 historically assessed the contribution a largely flat product or assembly makes to fire growth and expressed the result through a fire propagation index. It was widely associated with internal wall and ceiling lining assessments and with older “Class 0” procurement language.
Part 7 classified how flame spreads over the surface of a product under the prescribed test. A Part 7 result is not the same thing as a Part 6 result, a fire-resistance rating in minutes, an EN 13501 classification or a large-scale façade-system test.
A commercial search for “British fire test ACP cladding” can mix together several standards that answer different questions. Separating the test route before requesting prices prevents false equivalence between products and helps the project team identify the evidence that really matters.
Legacy British reaction-to-fire test routes used for product-level behavior such as fire propagation and surface flame spread.
Not a complete external-wall system test. Current acceptance depends on jurisdiction, date and project route.
European reaction-to-fire classification used to classify construction products through defined test evidence and classification rules.
For current England Approved Document B reaction-to-fire specifications, this is the relevant classification direction rather than legacy BS 476 national classes.
Large-scale testing / assessment of an external wall system, including cladding and other wall components in a defined assembly.
Changing insulation, cavity, panel, membranes, fixings or other components can move the proposed system outside the tested evidence.
Fire-related ACP procurement is more reliable when the quotation, sample, report review, production order and packing marks all refer to the same controlled construction.
Use the table to normalize quotations before comparing price. Values are purchasing directions, not a declaration that every configuration carries the same fire-test evidence.
| Specification field | Project direction | What to verify before approval |
|---|---|---|
| Fire-test requirement | Legacy BS 476 Part 6 and/or Part 7 only where the project or market still requires and accepts that route. | Exact standard edition, report number, specimen, classification / indices, report scope and local acceptance. |
| Current UK / England route | For new work, confirm the current BS EN / EN 13501 reaction-to-fire classification and any wall-system requirements. | Do not treat legacy BS 476 National Classes as the current Approved Document B reaction-to-fire route. |
| Total panel thickness | 3–6 mm is a common DERACP project range; 4 mm is a common façade starting reference. | Match thickness to the report, cassette design, structural requirements, routing depth and support system. |
| Aluminum skins | Project-selected front and rear gauges; architectural façade work often evaluates heavier skins than signage-grade sheet. | Write face and back gauges separately and match the exact tested / approved panel construction. |
| Core | FR mineral-modified or A2-oriented mineral-dominant direction according to the required route. | Do not substitute PE, B1/FR and A2 constructions as if they were equivalent fire categories. |
| Exterior coating | PVDF / FEVE or another project-approved coating for exposed architectural work. | Coating chemistry, layer build, color, gloss, metallic direction, exposure and sample reference. |
| Sheet dimensions | 1220 × 2440 mm is a common ACP format; custom widths and lengths can be reviewed by project. | Production feasibility, fabrication yield, pallet size, container loading, handling and report relevance. |
| Color & finish | Solid, metallic and selected architectural decorative directions. | Approve a physical sample and record color code, gloss, texture and directional orientation. |
| Documentation | TDS, applicable fire-test evidence, order specification, QC and shipment identification. | Make the document list part of the quotation before production rather than requesting it after the material is finished. |
| Export packing | Protected stacks / pallets according to size, loading route and destination handling. | Sheet count, bundle labels, edge protection, moisture protection, pallet dimensions and shipping marks. |
A strong RFQ reduces substitutions and keeps the approved fire evidence connected to the material that is actually manufactured and shipped.
State country, city, building type, height, occupancy and whether the clause is a current code requirement, a legacy specification or a client standard.
Send the standard, part, required classification or indices, report language and any consultant comments instead of paraphrasing them as “fireproof”.
Define total thickness, front and rear skins, core, coating, color, dimensions, protective film and any fabrication requirements.
Review the exact report scope, approve the physical sample, identify production/QC requirements and keep document references connected through packing and shipment.
Define the current fire route, material build, finish and submittal evidence. Avoid generic “Class 0 ACP” wording on new specifications where it is no longer the correct pathway.
Coordinate cassette geometry, grooves, returns, stiffeners, rails, anchors, cavity barriers, membranes, insulation and joints with the fire and structural design.
Compare suppliers on the same skins, core, coating, size, documentation and packing rather than a headline “4 mm fireproof ACP” price.
Mineral-core panels can process differently from conventional PE-core sheets. Confirm routing depth, folding radius, tool condition and protective-film behavior before volume fabrication.
BS 476 remains visible in international supply chains, historical specifications and projects that were designed under older requirements. The correct decision is not to assume it is universally obsolete or universally acceptable; it is to verify the jurisdiction and the contract requirement.
Older consultant schedules may still cite Part 6, Part 7 or “Class 0”. Before sourcing, confirm whether the clause remains contractually valid and whether an updated classification is now required.
Some international tenders may continue to reference British test methods. Request the precise accepted standard and report format from the local authority, consultant or client.
BS 476 evidence may be part of an older technical dossier. Treat it as one source of product history—not an automatic substitute for a current project classification or complete-wall assessment.
DERACP states more than 20 years of ACP manufacturing experience and six production lines. For fire-sensitive projects, the practical value is the ability to coordinate core, skins, coating, finish, size, sample, packing and required documentation as one order specification.
Define thickness, front/rear skins, fire-related core direction, coating and dimensions before comparing suppliers or approving a sample.
Approve color, gloss and finish with an identified physical reference while keeping fire reports tied to the technical build they actually cover.
Dimensions, surface appearance, panel build, protective film, labeling and agreed inspection points can be coordinated before shipment.
Project widths and lengths can be reviewed against module yield, handling, pallet limits, container loading and the constraints of the approved construction.
Plan sheet stacking, edge protection, bundle identity, pallet configuration, moisture protection and destination handling before dispatch.
When a fire test is mandatory, put the required document list in the RFQ so availability and applicability can be reviewed before the commercial order is finalized.
These six internal pages cover adjacent fire classifications, façade-system requirements and manufacturing / customization decisions.
It is a commercial description normally used for an aluminum composite panel supported by evidence under one or m, ore parts of the BS 476 fire-test series. In ACP procurement, Part 6 and Part 7 are commonly encountered in legacy reaction-to-fire specifications. The report should be checked against the exact panel construction being quoted.
BS 476 Part 6 historically assessed fire propagation and expressed results using a fire propagation index. BS 476 Part 7 addressed the classification of surface spread of flame. They evaluate different fire-behavior characteristics and should not be presented as the same test.
Not for new work following the current Approved Document B route. References to BS 476 for reaction to fire and roofs were removed from Approved Document B from 2 March 2025, subject to transitional provisions. A current project should confirm its required BS EN / EN 13501 classification and any additional wall-system assessment with the responsible design and approval team.
No. A panel-level result does not automatically establish the behavior or compliance of the installed wall. Insulation, membranes, cavities, cavity barriers, subframes, fixings, sealants, joints and opening details can all affect the complete façade system.
No. BS 476 Part 6 and Part 7 are legacy product fire-test methods; BS 8414 is a large-scale external-wall system test; and EN 13501-1 is a European reaction-to-fire classification system. Results should only be used within their defined scope and should not be converted into unsupported “equivalent” claims.
Send the project country, building type, application, exact fire clause, requested test standard and report wording, panel thickness, front and rear aluminum gauges, core, coating, color, sheet size, quantity, destination, drawings and any consultant notes. If the tender still says only “BS 476 / Class 0,” include the original clause so the correct review path can be identified.
Tell DERACP where the project is located, which fire clause must be met, the panel build you need, façade application, color, dimensions, quantity and destination. The team can then review the proposed construction, sample route and document availability before quotation approval.
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