Fire resistant paint delays and prevents fire spread, but does not extinguish it. Intumescent paint swells when exposed to high temperatures, forming an insulating char that reduces fire spread and maintains structural integrity. Fire resistant paint has a fire rating and can be applied to porous surfaces in various colors. Early fire-retardant paints contained carcinogens, but intumescent reagents produced in the 1980s are safe to use.
Fire resistant paint is a substance that can delay and prevent the spread of fire for a certain period of time. It is important to remember that no substance is completely incombustible. Paint does not extinguish or stop fire; it only contains it and protects the structures to which it is applied.
Flame retardant or flame retardant paint is intumescent, meaning it swells when exposed to high temperatures and increases in volume as it decreases in density. When fire resistant paint swells, it forms an insulating char that conducts heat poorly and allows firefighters to hold more time for the fire.
Intumescent paint is a form of passive fire protection, describing products that increase fire resistance and reduce the spread of a fire. These products also help maintain a building’s structural integrity and preserve life, giving residents more time to escape before the fire gets out of control. Fire resistant paint has a fire rating which describes how long the product can withstand fire.
When fire resistant paint comes into contact with heat, the paint expands in volume 200 to 300 times. This can happen in temperatures as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit (148.8 degrees Celsius). Burning occurs at 850 degrees Fahrenheit (450 degrees Celsius). The insulating layer protects underlying surfaces from heat and delays the time it takes for the structure to reach a combustible temperature. As the fire continues, this foaming and insulating process may be repeated several times until the fire is out or the paint is burned off.
Most paint is used for decorative purposes, but intumescent paint has the additional purpose of protecting underlying structures from fire damage. Some fire resistant paints come in a variety of colors. Others are designed to be used as a primer and applied under regular latex paint. Fire resistant paint can be sprayed, rolled or brushed on, just like decorative paint. Can be applied to a variety of porous surfaces.
Fire-retardant and heavy-duty paints first became available in the early 1950s. They were expensive to use, difficult to apply, created unwanted fumes and contained formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. In the 1980s, the first intumescent reagents were produced. These were different from its predecessors in that the paint bonded to a variety of surfaces and did not contain carcinogens, meaning it was safe to use around people and animals.
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