Stage curtains exist in every theatre, school auditorium, community hall and event venue across the GTA — and every single one needs documented NFPA 701 compliance. Toronto Fire Services treats stage installations with extra scrutiny because of historical theatre fires that killed hundreds.
Need stage curtain treatment? Call (416) 845-3473 — we work around your production schedule.
Stage Fabrics That Need Treatment
- Grand drape / main curtain — typically heavy velvet, the front-of-house statement piece.
- Masking drapes (legs and borders) — vertical and horizontal black drapes that frame the stage and hide wings.
- Traveler curtains — moving curtains used during productions.
- Scrim — sharkstooth and bobbinet scrims used for theatrical lighting effects.
- Cyclorama and backdrops — large painted or solid backdrops used for productions.
- Stage decking and masking flats — see our wood flameproofing page.
- Costume departments — costume storage, racks, period drapery.
NFPA 701 for Heavy Velvet
Heavy stage velvet (typically 24-32 oz/sq yd) is tested under NFPA 701 Test Method 2 — the 2-minute exposure for heavyweight materials. The increased thermal mass of heavy velvet requires precisely calibrated flame retardant treatment to achieve the required NFPA 701 self-extinguishing performance. Untreated heavy velvet burns intensely once ignited; properly treated velvet self-extinguishes within 2 seconds of flame removal.
Treatment Frequency
Stage curtains generally need NFPA 701 re-treatment more often than standard drapery because of handling stress (lifting, traveling, raising/lowering), dust accumulation, occasional cleaning, and exposure to stage lighting heat. Most theatre venues schedule treatment every 12-24 months. High-volume touring venues may treat annually.
School Auditorium Requirements
Ontario school auditoriums are places of assembly subject to the same NFPA 701 compliance as commercial theatres. School boards often centralize compliance across multiple schools with annual or biennial treatment cycles. We work with school districts to coordinate after-hours treatment during summer breaks or PA days.