Among different materials available for fire protection, intumescent coatings offer some unique features.
In fact, they require a small amount of material per square meter, allow simple application in thin films with high performance and, particularly for steel structures, they can be applied to architectural objects without changing their shape and appearance.
The use of intumescent paints for fire protection of structures implies the careful calculation of the dry film thickness (DFT) needed as a function of the specified fire performance (R) and the characteristics of the loadbearing elements (section factor, exposure to fire, critical temperature or load utilization) through loading tables obtained from extensive fire test programs performed at accredited laboratories according to stringent standards.
All our intumescent coatings have been tested according to the EN 13381 European Standard, the most modern and probably the most demanding worldwide. This standard is mandatory in the European Union and used in several other countries.
Some products underwent additional testing, e.g. reaction to fire, volatile components emission, compatibility with different primers and topcoats, the slow heating curve or alternative fire resistance standards.
The correct application of intumescent coatings in the legal framework of safety regulations and building codes requires the type approval from autorized bodies based on fire test results. A mark is often used to identify approved products.
Our intumescent coatings are generally classified according to the EN 13501 and they have either national type approvals in a EU member state or a CE mark. Some are also approved to the regulation of other countries.