What is an “intumescent” fire retardant paint?
Work began in the mid-1980’s to perfect a new genre of coatings called intumescent reactants. The term “intumescent reactant” (IR) generally defines a type of coating that expands when exposed to high temperatures or direct flame, forming a “char barrier” several inches thick. This results in an effective and durable barrier that either cuts off the fuel source a fire needs to develop or creates an insulating blanket to retard heat rise in structural steel.
