Fire protection services

Fire safety is a crucial consideration when building or renovating a structure. For steel structures, one of the most effective fire protection methods is intumescent paint. If you’re looking for a reliable way to protect your building and its occupants, intumescent paint – also known as intumescent coating – could be the solution you need.

In this blog, we’ll explore what intumescent paint is, how it works, the benefits, and why the intumescent paint contractors here at TBL Fire Protection are the ideal choice for your passive fire protection needs.

What is Intumescent Paint?

Simply put, intumescent paint is a fire-resistant coating applied to structural steel to protect it from the devastating effects of high heat. Unlike standard paint, intumescent paint is designed to react when exposed to extreme temperatures, expanding to form a thick insulating layer that helps to shield the steel from heat. This effectively prevents the structure from weakening or collapsing during a fire.

How Does Intumescent Paint Work?

When a building catches fire, the temperature rises rapidly. Intumescent paint reacts to this heat by expanding and forming a protective carbon char layer. This insulation slows the transfer of heat to the steel, keeping it cooler for longer and maintaining its strength. The thicker the layer of intumescent paint, the higher the fire resistance it provides – whether you need a 30-minute rating or up to 120 minutes.

This process not only keeps your building safer during a fire but also helps with fire compartmentation by preventing flames from rapidly spreading through structural components.

What are the Benefits of Intumescent Paint?

Cost-effective fire protection:

Compared to other fireproofing methods, intumescent coatings are often a more affordable and efficient solution for protecting steel in your building.

Customisable appearance:

If you want to match your fire protection to your design, our intumescent paint installers can apply a topcoat in any colour, allowing you to keep the aesthetic of your building intact.

High fire resistance:

Intumescent coatings offer varying fire resistance ratings (30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes), so you can choose the level of protection that suits your building’s needs.

Improved safety:

By preventing steel from weakening during a fire, our intumescent coatings services improve safety for building occupants and reduce the risk of structural collapse.

Off-site application:

Here at TBL Fire Protection, we also offer the convenience of off-site intumescent painting, where Steelwork is treated in our West Midlands facility. Off-site applications help to eliminate weather delays, improve quality control, and reduce waste and overspray on-site.

Why Choose TBL Fire Protection for Intumescent Paint?

With over 30 years of experience, we’re proud to be one of the leading intumescent paint contractors in the West Midlands. Our intumescent painting contractors are certified and experienced, ensuring every single project meets fire safety standards.

Additionally, our off-site intumescent coatings services mean we can apply the coatings in our facility before your steel is delivered to the construction site. This approach saves time, avoids delays, and guarantees the highest quality finish.

If you’re looking for reliable and certified intumescent paint installers who can deliver quality results, look no further than TBL Fire Protection.

Don’t wait until it’s too late – get in touch with our passive fire protection specialists today!