Fire Rated Living Wall
A fire documented living wall is only as useful as the documentation behind it. Vallum FRX is a custom artificial living wall on galvanized wire mesh with NFPA 701 Method 2 documentation for applicable configurations, matched to the configuration your reviewer will see.
What "fire rated" actually means for a living wall
The phrase fire rated living wall gets used loosely. A lot of artificial greenery is described as "fire retardant" or "inherently fire resistant" without naming a test standard or the product that was tested. That language does not help a reviewer.
What a reviewer can use is test documentation to a named standard for the exact product or configuration being installed. For decorative materials in commercial and public assembly spaces, that standard is usually NFPA 701 Method 2, a flame propagation test for textiles, films, and decorative materials.
Geranium Street's Vallum FRX living wall has NFPA 701 Method 2 documentation for applicable configurations. Ask which configuration the documentation covers before ordering; a report for one foliage, backing, or mounting does not automatically transfer to another.
"Fire rated" is a broader, less precise term than the standard behind it. When a venue or jurisdiction requires fire documentation for decorative materials, they typically reference NFPA 701 by name. Always confirm the specific standard your venue or authority having jurisdiction requires.
Fire documentation supports the review process; it does not guarantee approval. Final sign-off is determined by the venue, landlord, insurer, or Authority Having Jurisdiction reviewing the installation. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and venue type.
Vallum FRX system specifications
What a Vallum FRX wall is made of. Dimensions, foliage, and attachment are confirmed in the written specification for each project.
| Property | Specification | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fire documentation | NFPA 701 Method 2 | Applicable configurations |
| Backing | 6-gauge galvanized wire mesh | Carries the foliage |
| Standoff | Hat channel | Holds the mesh off the wall |
| Clips | Galvanized | Secure the mesh to the channel |
| Foliage | Artificial foliage | Selected per design |
| Dimensions | Built to the wall | Confirmed per project |
| Wall and attachment | Reviewed per project | Depends on the substrate |
| Documentation | Test documentation, spec sheet, compliance summary | For AHJ / venue review |
Documentation a reviewer can use vs a marketing label
The difference an inspector reads is whether the document names a standard and the product it covers.
| Useful documentation | Marketing label | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Names the test, such as NFPA 701 Method 2 | "Fire retardant" or "inherently fire resistant" with no standard |
| Product | Identifies the product or configuration tested | Describes a different item or a generic category |
| Match | Matches what will be installed | Assumed to cover every color, foliage, and backing |
| Decision | Submitted to the reviewer before ordering | Treated as automatic approval |
The documentation package your reviewer expects
For applicable configurations, Geranium Street provides the paperwork a fire marshal, landlord, or insurer typically requests during review, as three documents.
NFPA 701 Method 2 test documentation
The test documentation for the applicable configuration. This is the primary document an authority having jurisdiction reviews, so confirm it matches the configuration you are installing.
Plain-language compliance summary
A short summary that ties the test documentation to the product identification, written for reviewers, general contractors, and procurement teams handling the submittal.
Product spec sheet
The product spec sheet for the specified configuration, written for specification and code review.
Documentation availability varies by product and configuration. Not every product line carries applicable NFPA 701 documentation, so confirm your specific product and configuration when you request a quote. The full fire documentation hub covers the standard, the packages available, and how to request reports for a specific project.
Where a fire rated living wall is required
Fire documentation for decorative materials is most often demanded in occupied commercial and public assembly spaces. These are the environments where reviewers most often ask for it.
Offices, lobbies & retail
Corporate lobbies, tenant-improvement fit-outs, and retail environments frequently require NFPA 701 documentation for decorative wall finishes before a landlord or building department approves the installation. See the commercial applications for context.
Hotels, restaurants & bars
Hotel lobbies, restaurant feature walls, and bar backdrops sit in high-occupancy spaces where fire marshals review decorative materials closely. Fire documentation matched to the product helps keep the greenery in the design through review. More on hospitality projects.
Event & assembly spaces
Convention centers, ballrooms, theaters, and event venues classify as public assembly occupancies, where decorative material fire ratings are a standard part of the review. Matched test documentation gives venue managers what they need on file.
Fire rated living wall questions
A living wall is fire documented when the exact product or configuration has test documentation to a named standard, usually NFPA 701 Method 2 for decorative materials. Vallum FRX has NFPA 701 Method 2 documentation for applicable configurations. Ask which configuration the documentation covers before ordering, because a report for one foliage or backing does not automatically transfer to another.
For applicable configurations, Geranium Street provides NFPA 701 Method 2 test documentation, a product spec sheet, and a plain-language compliance summary. Together these form the package a fire marshal, authority having jurisdiction, landlord, or insurer typically asks for. Documentation supports the review but does not guarantee approval; final acceptance rests with the reviewing authority.
They are most often required in commercial interiors, hospitality spaces, and public assembly venues, such as hotel lobbies, restaurants, corporate offices, retail environments, and event spaces. In these settings, decorative materials frequently must carry NFPA 701 documentation before installation is approved. Always confirm the exact standard your venue or authority having jurisdiction requires.
Need installation in California?
California installation for artificial hedges, privacy walls, fence extensions, and artificial living walls is handled by Califauxscapes, the California installation division of Geranium Street USA, Inc.
Installation services are provided by Geranium Street USA, Inc., CSLB #955154.
Specify a fire rated living wall with confidence
Tell us the space, the occupancy type, and the standard your reviewer requires. We will confirm which configuration carries applicable NFPA 701 Method 2 documentation and get you a proposal, with the test documentation, spec sheet, and compliance summary for submittal.