Fire Retardant Paints

Timonox Flame Retardant Coatings is a wide series of paints from Crown Trade
This range does not compromise on choice of colour or type of decorative finish. Dependent on product, up to 200 colours are available in the standard broad wall finishes expected by the specifier.
Click on the link above for the dedicated page to this product series

A major new innovation from Dulux Trade, Pyroshield is a revolutionary answer to the problem of rapid flame spread on surfaces that have had many coats of paint The system helps to buy crucial time in the event of fire by delaying the early stages of flame spread, when occupants may still be making their way to safety.
The potential fire hazards posed by surfaces in areas of buildings that have had many coats of paint are now fully recognised. Each time a fresh coat of paint is applied for whatever reason, the originally non-combustible surface becomes progressively more flammable.
As ever more stringent legislation comes into force, Pyroshield offers the independently accredited flame retardancy necessary to help organisations meet their 'duty of care' responsibilities. This makes Pyroshield particularly valuable for local authority and housing association jobs where contractors can upgrade the reaction to fire characteristics of painted surfaces in the communal areas, returning them to their original classification of Class O or Class 1.
Pyroshield has been tested over the Warrington Fire Research 'Blue Board' which is the most challenging substrate to work with replicating a 'worst case' scenario. The Pyroshield system has achieved both a Class 1 and Class O upgrade performance over the 'Blue Board' - the highest in the field.
The product is water based meaning that not only is it quick drying, but it is also environmentally friendly. It is free from hazardous materials such as antimony and brominated compounds which are widely used in conventional flame retardant coatings and can carry significant health, safety, and environmental concerns.
Other benefits of Pyroshield are that it is free from the powerful odour that often comes with other flame retardant coatings, and testing has shown that it is far easier to apply with no 'splatter'.
It also comes in a convenient single pack avoiding waste and can be safely coated with a range of approved Dulux Trade Finishes in thousands of colours. More information on Pyroshield? Click to download the pdf.

Kevin Williams of Bollom Fire Protection underlines the importance of accurate specification and application of fire protective paint
One of the most common questions decorators ask suppliers of fire protective paints is '`How many coats are needed?" Although an apparently simple query, It is symptomatic of a serious industry issue - the importance of correct application in order to achieve the required fire rating.
To an extent, manufacturers are the victims of their own success in supplying extremely varied and decorative coatings with the appropriate fire ratings. The result is that contractors are still thinking 'decor when they should be thinking function'! A flame retardant product is not just a coat of paint, it is a system and as such, the quoted loading per square metre must be strictly observed.
Unlike the average litre of decorative paint covering 15 square metres, fire protective paints typically require higher loading of six square metres (or less) per litre - resulting in the application of multi coats.
Despite what the more cynical may want to believe, the recommended usage is not a way of selling more paint. The required loading have been scientifically worked out and tested so if insufficient paint is applied, the fire rating may not be achieved - if put to the test in real fire conditions, the results could be disastrous.
It is equally important to provide manufacturers or suppliers with accurate specifications to enable them to recommend the appropriate solution. For example, the following information would be needed for internal wall linings:

• The required fire rating (i.e. Class 1 or Class 0)
• Details of the substrate to be protected - 'wood' is not good enough. Different timbers need different loading to achieve the same fire rating. Soft wood can contain more oil, making it more combustible, and therefore more difficult to protect a hard wood.
• The age and condition of the surface. Is it new or has It been previously painted - if so, is the existing paint sound or flaky?
• Whether or not the surface is already fire rated - for example plasterboard would require maintenance of the rating rather than upgrading.

If structural steel is involved, it would be necessary to know what fire resistant period is needed (typically half, one or one and a half hours) and the precise specification of the steel including web depth; flange width and thickness; and ideally mass per linear metre. The amount of steel to be exposed to the fire will also have a dramatic effect on the recommended film thickness.
I cannot overemphasise how important it s to stick to the rules and recommendations. Fire protection saves lives and must therefore be handled with the care and attention it deserves. There are alternatives to paints and varnishes such as pre-treatment of timber - but once the structure is in place, coatings are the only option.

• Every tin of Brosteel intumescent coating now comes complete with a wet film thickness gauge, comprehensive application notes and fire related stickers.