Different Types of Fireproof Coatings

Passive fire protection can be found in three different categories, they can be lightweight cementitious, intumescent coating and dense concrete.  However, these three fireproofing materials were not created in the same way. Cementitious coating had become relevant as Fireproof Coatings Indiana.   Since the technology had progressed, the intumescent coating had superseded the methods of the passive industrial fire protection, and it is cost effective and successful.

Dense concrete

This material had been used like a fire resistant for a long period.   Some of the facilities which were built before the World War II were made using dense concrete in order to protect the building against any fire.  The material is not that expensive, and it can withstand even higher temperature. However, it caused other problems.

Concrete is too heavy, and this required a heavy structural steel. This also means high labor costs since putting the concrete on the steel takes a long period, and it is a multi-step process.   Another problem is that when there is a fire event, rapid cooling can make the concrete to crack and in some cases, it may compromise the integrity of the structure. The damage is hard to detect, and it may put in danger the people working in such facility.

Types of Fireproof Coatings 

Lightweight Cementitious

The lightweight cementitious fireproofing has the advantage of inexpensive raw materials, and there is no problem which is associated with the extreme weight. As this name suggests, the material is lighter when compared to the dense concrete, and it does not need a heavy steel structure.   However, lightweight cementitious fireproofing does retain the high-cost labor which is associated with the dense concrete. It can be applied in different coats, and it can drive up the labor costs. The products have the tendency of cracking. The liability with the Cementitious coating is the inevitable creation of the space found in the substrate and coating. Space had the tendency of collecting the moisture, and in turn, it can foster corrosion for the substrate.  At the end, this unfortunate flaw may cause the lightweight Cementitious coating to work against integrity for the asset which it should protect.  

Intumescent coating

The intumescent coating works by expanding and charring in the presence of extreme heat.  There is an increase in the volume and subsequent decrease in the density flaw of the heating of the substrate, and it increases the time that the steel can take so that it may start melting. Intumescent swells up to 25 times to the original thickness if it is engulfed in flames. The expansion provides the barrier on the steel, and this is a larger barrier compared to the coating which will not swell.  

When intumescent coating application is thicker, it does increase the amount of the swelling which takes place when the fire incident happens. If the intumescent Fireproof Coatings Indiana is found in the single component formula, it is simple in applying compared to lightweight cementitious coating and dense concrete.  This means that it requires low labor costs.