Can I paint fire resistant material on wall behind wood stove?

[ryeellen]

My old cottage has a wood stove in a corner. The walls behind the stove are brick up to about four feet high. Above the brick is a black material that looks sort of like drywall, but is much harder to the touch, and has texture to it that looks like interwoven threads. I'm assuming this is some type of fire resistant material.

The rest of the house is not insulated or drywalled, so I'm pretty sure this one section must be there for fire resistance.

My question is: can I paint this material and / or the brick without negatively affecting fire resistance? If so, is there a special paint I should use?

 

[begreen]

It's hard to say what the material is. It might be cement board. You can use regular paint as long as clearances are proper. Often they are not but we can't tell without some measurements or pictures.

 

[Ludlow]

Could be an asbestos material (Transite) if it's an old place. Is paint a combustible?

 

[begreen]

Depends on the paint, but cement board or transite is not adequate protection to reduce clearances if there are combustibles like wood studs behind.

 

[georgepds]

....
My question is: can I paint this material and / or the brick without negatively affecting fire resistance? If so, is there a special paint I should use?

Probably won't do any good


I’d buy a metal sheet, and fasten it to the wall leaving a 1” space. The air movement behind the sheet will help insulate the wall

Much better than paint.. simple too

 

[georgepds]

Sorry... I mis understood.. you just want to paint something