Spreading of fire in the event of fire breakout is spontaneous. It is important to protect the steel structure with the cutting-edge fire proofing paints to prevent it from drastic damage and protect the lives of the inhabitants.
There are two commonly used fireproofing paints for structural steel. That includes vermiculate fire proofing coating and intumescent painting. Vermiculate fireproofing coating is a passive resistant and highly stable fire protection coating for steel structure.
The intumescent paintings exude a better corrosion protection than concrete because of their low permeability. Here are the comprehensive details of both fireproofing paints.
1.Vermiculate fireproofing coating: Vermiculate spray is hard and extremely stable passive fire protection coating applied to structural steel. It is cementitious and formulated to provide passive fire protection to the steel structure. It is a light weight coating providing effective fire resistance with a minute thickness to the steel structure, metal floor, concrete frames and more. Steel structures protected with vermiculate painting and can deliver fire resistance for four hours. The spray is used for internal and external use.
It is commonly used and most preferred choice due to low density. It is hard and stable passive fire protection and has wide applications.
2. Intumescent fireproofing: They are referred as intumescent paints and are used in buildings as a passive fire resistance measure. Intumescent means swelling. When the paint is heated by flame, it swells into an insulating barrier to protect the material it covers from intense heat. The intumescent coatings are used as a finish on exposed structural steel or concrete. These coatings look like a thin layer of paint and are applied in many layers to create thickness and level of protection required by local building codes.
The flame retarding properties of intumescent coatings allows the steel structures to retain their strength in the event of fire breakout. These coatings can significantly extend the time it takes for steelwork to reach critical failure temperature. It ensures the building keeps it structural integrity in the event of fire, allowing time for the occupants to escape, reducing damage to the property and protecting firefighters from harm.
What types of facilities need fireproofing coatings?
Every commercial facility needs fireproofing system to protect against the fire disaster. Apart from smoke detectors, alarm system, sprinklers, fireproofing coatings are an important component of comprehensive fire protection system.
Choosing a best fireproofing coating for your steel structure is a challenging process. The coating must protect the steel from corrosion in its particular environment, must be easy to apply, and result in high aesthetic finish. It must importantly protect the underlying structure from heat and flames in fire breakout.
It is imperative to work with a dedicated and experienced contractor to ensure the facility is protected with the right fireproof coating. Fireproofing is highly specialized and requires experience and right products. It is therefore advisable to collaborate with experienced service provider to avail highest quality results.
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