Why Choose Fire Protective Coatings?
A Guide to the Function of Fire Protective Coatings from Fire Research

Understanding the Function of Fire Protective Coatings

Experts have studied what happens when a building catches fire and the fire is not controlled. They nave found that there are three stages in a building fire: flamespread, flashover, and total combustion. Using fire protective products from Fire Research can minimize property damage and save lives. When properly applied, this type of paint can retard flamespread and postpone or prevent flashover.

Flamespread
Flamespread, the first stage, takes the form of a rapid succession of flames that pass over walls, ceilings, floors or supporting timber. The travel rate of flamespread can be as high as 20 feet per second depending upon the combustibility of the materials in the building.

As the air becomes more intensely heated, toxic gases are released and the oxygen supply depleted. This results in a large amount of radiant heat. Wood, wallboard, surface coatings and other combustible materials ahead of the spreading flames become heated and draw the flames over a constantly wider area. AS flamespread progresses, the heated surfaces release great volumes of combustible gases into the air. When this mixture of gases and air reaches a critical proportion, it ignites. The result is flashover.

Flashover
Flashover is identified by a thunderous popping noise that blows glass from wind0ws and sends flames flashing out of every opening. It signals the transition from localized burning to the envelopment of the building. The aftermath is usually a steady burning that ends in total destruction. At this point, the rate of the fire’s progression depends upon the amount of draft.

Total Combustion
Total Combustion of the building materials is the final stage of the fire. Again, the rate of destruction depends upon the amount of air reaching the burning area and the combustibility of the substrate.

With the exposure to heat and open flames, a surface coated with a fire protective coating will swell into a layer of protective and insulative foam hundreds of time the thickness of the original paint film. If heat persists, the foam will expand rapidly to delay contact between the material underneath and the flames. The insulating foam impedes flamespread, holds down smoke and the evolution of radiant heat; thus, delaying the ignition of walls, ceilings and supporting timbers. The foam also keeps the surface underneath from heating up rapidly. This reduces the evolution of gases, which retards the advance toward the flashover stage.

The fire retarding foam does more than increase escape time; it also minimizes the property damage. If the fire hasn’t been too extensive or burned too long, the substrate may still be sound. Often, the dry, charred foam can be scraped off, and the walls, woodwork or timber can be repainted.

Several large scale burning tests have found the protective action of a fire protective coating to be a major factor in keeping a fire within bounds until it could be extinguished. However, while intumescent paints can provide an extra margin of safety, it must be recognized that surfaces coated with fire protective paints can burn under severe fire conditions.

Choosing a Fire Protective Coating

Selecting a fire protective coating is quite simple. Intumescent coatings are categorized by the product’s flames spread rating as tested and rated by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated or Omega Point Laboratories. They classify the coverage required to achieve the rating, smoke evolution rating and the types of surfaces used for testing. They may also provide data from burning tests and make recommendations for or against specific uses of fire protective coatings.

When estimating how much of the product you will need you should consider the number of coats you plan to apply, coverage rate (sq. ft./gallon), and the film thickness required for a given flamespread rating. Remember, too, that to obtain the maximum protection from a particular fire protective coatings, it is necessary to follow the directions for application as specified by the manufacturer.

It should be noted that fire protective products from Fire Research come in abroad range of colors and sheens that easily fit into your decorating plans.

Obviously, fire protective coating are used where there is danger of fires. Although this doesn’t entirely eliminate any surface anywhere in a building, it does put the emphasis on certain areas where fire protection is critical.

• Roof timbers, floors, rafters, ceiling paneling and support members.
• Kitchen cabinets, wood paneling, door and window frames.
• Corridors, stairwells and building exits.
• Child day care centers, nursing homes, elderly care centers, schools, hospitals, correctional facilities and other public assembly areas.