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Fire Intumescent Paint: What is it and Why is it Important?

Posted on 12th May 2023

Passive fire protection is a big concern in all commercial, public and industrial facilities. Fire intumescent paint plays a very important part in protecting your building and its occupants in the event of a fire. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of intumescent paint and where it should be applied.

What is Intumescent Paint?

So what is intumescent paint? Fire intumescent coatings are also often referred to as “reactive paints”, because of the way they function.

This paint reacts when it’s exposed to the heat of a fire. When subjected to a temperature over 120°C, intumescent paint will swell up to 50 times its size to protect the surface it’s been applied to. This thermally insulates the material for a certain amount of time - up to 120 minutes.

Why is Intumescent Paint Required?

This type of coatings are mainly required in structural steel fire protection. Past 425°C steel begins to soften and can lose its load bearing capability. This is why it’s essential to ensure the foundation and any steel beams in your building are protected.

Additionally, fire-resistant paint can stop or slow the spread of fire, allowing more time for occupants to evacuate.

Where is Fire Intumescent Paint Applied?

Intumescent paint is always applied as part of a full passive fire protection system . For structural steel a complete system consists of anticorrosive primer, intumescent paint and if needed a top coat.

The function of the former is to ensure the intumescent coat has a surface to stick to when it expands, while the latter is applied mostly as a sealer to prevent weathering and early degradation of the system.

Which Buildings Need Fireproof Coating?

Every commercial premises as well as public facilities and residential buildings of multiple occupants, should have sufficient fireproofing in place to protect the structure of the building. Intumescent coatings are particularly recommended for buildings with exposed steel beams such as warehouses and offices.

A fireproof coating must ideally protect the steel underneath from corroding and provide a durable finish. Most importantly, however, it must provide adequate protection for the surface underneath in the event of a fire.

Keep Your Building Protected!

Want to keep the structural steel in your building safe with intumescent coatings? GRJ Contracting can help!

Our structural steel fire protection service offers the ultimate solution to protect your building and its occupants in the event of a fire. With teams all over the country, we can ensure your buildings are protected, whether you’re based in Scotland or the south-east.

Enquire with our team today and find out how we can assist you!