Question:
I'm not sure if these are the right groups to post the questions to, my apologies if they're not.

I'm looking for information on the relative safety of different materials for furniture, carpeting, upholstery etc, from the standpoint of fire safety. I want to know what are the better choices relative to flame retardance(?), amount and toxicity level of fumes given out during combustion. If there're easy-to-find publications that I can look up, or websites that I can visit, please give me some pointers.

I have a few specific questions (in addition to the above):

1) Between plastic and aluminum mini-blinds, which is the safer choice (if there's one)? I'm under the impression that many plastics give out noxious fumes when they burn, so I suspect that aluminum might be safer. On the other hand, I know that metals can burn too. What I don't know is if aluminum mini-blinds burn easily and if they would burn really hot once they ignite.

2) For flooring, among hardwood floor, carpet, vinyl tiles, and a relatively new kind of tiles that looks like wood but really is not (I hope you know what I'm talking about--I forgot the name), is there a clearly safer choice? In general, does the choice of flooring affect fire safety materially?

3) In the US, drywall is the most common material for interior walls. I suspect that drywalls are not very effective in stopping or slowing down the spread of fire. Is my suspicion correct? The other day, a local TV station did a report on a fire retardant paint called Firefree 88, which supposedly slows down fire significantly. Besides cost, does anyone know if there's any downside to it?

4) Is leather furniture safer than furniture covered with fabric?

Answer: A: The aluminum mini blinds are the safer choice. The aluminum will not become involved as a fuel until the room is at or near flash over. Flash over is the point at which the entire interior of the room is burning.

Q: 2) For flooring, among hardwood floor, carpet, vinyl tiles, and a relatively new kind of tiles that looks like wood but really is not (I hope you know what I'm talking about--I forgot the name), is there a clearly safer choice? In general, does the choice of flooring affect fire safety materially?

A: Flooring is the least sensitive interior finish in terms of fire safety.

Q: 3) In the US, drywall is the most common material for interior walls. I suspect that drywalls are not very effective in stopping or slowing down the spread of fire. Is my suspicion correct? The other day, a local TV station did a report on a fire retardant paint called Firefree 88, which supposedly slows down fire significantly. Besides cost, does anyone know if there's any downside to it?

A: I know nothing about the product you mention but the drywall is the best passive fire defense your home has. A single layer of half inch sheet rock will contain a fire to the room of origin and keep it out of the frame of the house for twenty minutes. The quality of the installation has a lot to do with the performance of the drywall in a fire.

Q: 4) Is leather furniture safer than furniture covered with fabric?

A: I don't know. I suspect it would be harder to ignite but ignition propensity is only one part of the picture.