Are Fire Coatings Built for Real-Life Fire Scenarios?

Introduction: When steel fails in fire, it’s not due to a lack of compliance, but due to a lack of performance. The need for high-performing fire-resistant coatings has grown more urgent than ever. The pressing question for specifiers, engineers, and safety stakeholders is: Are we protecting for code, or are we protecting for consequence? This story delves into the critical differences between laboratory validation and on-ground fire resilience through the lenses of Jotun India and Iroline Paints, and offers a layered look at how coatings, when not thoughtfully selected and meticulously applied, can falter when reality strikes.

There is a widening gap between what is certified on paper and what holds up in practice. Fire-resistant coatings are typically validated through standard lab testing. Yet actual fire incidents with their volatile temperatures, multi-directional heat exposure, compromised surfaces, and long-term corrosion challenges present a completely different battlefield.

REWRITING THE SAFETY NARRATIVE

Fire protection for steel structures has traditionally revolved around regulatory compliance, meeting UL, BS, IS or ASTM test certifications. However, as both urban and industrial structures become more complex, and India’s climatic diversity intensifies challenges on-site, the limitations of lab-based testing are becoming increasingly evident.

“Laboratories simulate fires with uniform heat ramps, perfectly coated steel sections, and ideal conditions,” explains Jasmi Chandruva, Category Manager – Performance Coating, Jotun India. “But in the real world, application quality varies, environmental conditions fluctuate, and the steel structure itself may not conform to lab profiles.”

Vikas Sharma, Director at Iroline Paints, reinforces this: “Uneven surface prep, residual dust or rust, high ambient humidity, and temperature shifts can all distort fire resistance performance. Real fire events are non-uniform; they heat unevenly and evolve unpredictably. That is why site-specific planning is essential.”

The need, therefore, is to shift the industry’s perspective from compliance-driven design to performance-driven protection, an approach rooted not just in theory, but in practice, environment, and execution.

“Compliance is not enough. Real fire safety is built on performance, in the field, under pressure, and over time.”

SYSTEMS THAT REACT, RESIST, AND RESPOND

At their core, fire-resistant coatings are engineered to protect steel from reaching its critical failure temperature (typically around 500–600°C). The two primary technologies that offer this line of defence are:

• Intumescent Coatings: These expand rapidly upon heat exposure, forming a thick insulating char that delays heat transfer. They are ideal for cellulosic fire scenarios found in commercial and residential structures. Their finish is typically smoother, making them suitable for architectural applications.
• Cementitious Coatings: These use Portland cement or gypsum-based materials and are applied in thicker layers. While robust and cost-effective for industrial applications, they can be prone to moisture absorption and cracking unless protected with suitable sealants and topcoats.

Jotun’s SteelMaster and Jotachar range integrates both intumescent and epoxy-based technologies, catering to cellulosic and hydrocarbon fire scenarios respectively. The SteelMaster 1200HPE, for instance, offers advanced epoxy intumescent protection for severe fire loads and aggressive environments.

Iroline, on the other hand, is advancing hybrid intumescent formulations with faster expansion rates, enhanced char stability, and integrated anti-corrosive primers, delivering dual performance under heat and humidity stress.

In both systems, success is not just about the product, it is about system compatibility, environmental adaptation, and application accuracy.

“Lab tests don’t account for rust, humidity, or human error. Real protection begins on-site not on paper.”

THE DURABILITY DIVIDE

Despite strong lab credentials, fire coatings often fail to replicate their certified performance on-site unless carefully monitored. “Real-life environments can deteriorate coatings long before a fire ever occurs,” notes Sharma. “High humidity zones, UV exposure, corrosive industrial gases, or improper maintenance can degrade protective layers.”

Common causes of failure include:

• Sub-optimal surface preparation (dust, grease, rust pockets)
• Improper or inconsistent DFT (dry film thickness)
• Lack of compatible primers or topcoats
• Aging and mechanical abrasion over time
• Inadequate sealing in cementitious systems

To counter this, both manufacturers emphasise full-system design thinking. Jotun offers tailored fire engineering support, combining structural analysis with coating strategies. Iroline deploys QA/QC teams to monitor coating application in real-time and verify thickness with wet film gauges.

A key differentiator? “We go beyond product supply, we offer project-specific support to ensure performance integrity throughout the lifecycle,” says Chandruva.

“Fire-resistant coatings must survive more than fire. They must endure time, climate, and construction chaos.”

GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT

Effective fire protection starts long before the first coat is applied. It requires an informed understanding of risk types, application conditions, and structural requirements.

Best Practices Include:

• Surface Prep to ISO/SSPC Standards, typically Sa 2.5 blast cleaning
• Correct Primer Selection for corrosion protection and adhesion
• Precise DFT Application as per passive fire protection design tables
• Quality-Controlled Topcoat Systems to shield from UV and moisture
• Training of Applicators to avoid over-application or product misuse

One critical misconception, Sharma points out, is that “more thickness equals better protection.” In reality, excessive thickness can induce cracking, increase weight load, and lead to delamination under thermal stress.

Similarly, Chandruva cautions against blanket specifications. “Hydrocarbon fire in a refinery is vastly different from a cellulosic fire in an office building. Using the wrong product for the risk type is a safety hazard waiting to happen.”

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

On a recent industrial steel structure, Iroline Paints deployed its full QA/QC monitoring system, involving applicator training, on-site DFT checks, and inspection audits. The result? Zero coating failures across the entire warranty period, setting a benchmark for application-led durability.

Meanwhile, Jotun India cites several projects across geographies where early collaboration with consultants and EPCs led to seamless integration of the fire coating system within the structural design, early on with its fire engineering services. This not only optimised material use but drastically reduced rework, cost overruns, and inspection delays.

These examples reiterate that coatings do not work in isolation. They succeed when embedded in a culture of technical collaboration and site discipline.

“India’s fire safety future lies not in checklists, but in collaboration between coating experts, applicators, and engineers.”

EVERY STAKEHOLDER COUNTS

The responsibility of fire protection does not end at the manufacturer’s gate.

It extends to:

• Structural Consultants who must understand the fire load and exposure profile
• Applicators trained in DFT techniques, mixing ratios, and curing times
• EPC Contractors who need clear sequencing and compatibility guidelines
• PMC Teams and Clients who must invest in inspections and lifecycle monitoring

“Fire coating is not just a product, it is a strategy,” says Chandruva. “And it only works when all stakeholders own that strategy together.”

“One of the biggest myths is: more thickness equals more safety. In reality, it could mean more risk.”

BUILDING FOR PERFORMANCE, NOT JUST APPROVAL

As India builds faster, higher, and in more extreme environments, fire protection must evolve from being an afterthought to becoming a fundamental design pillar.

Key trends shaping the future include:

• Thin-Film Waterborne Intumescent for reduced VOCs and faster application
• Epoxy-Based Hybrid Systems for hydrocarbon fire resilience and corrosion resistance
• Integrated Coating Systems with built-in primers and topcoats for life-cycle performance
• Digital Inspection Tools for real-time coating validation and lifecycle audits

India’s climatic diversity, infrastructural pace, and varying project awareness levels demand customised fire strategies, not off-the-shelf specs. The shift must be from product checklists to scenario-based risk design, grounded in coating science, engineering logic, and field learnings.

In the end, fire coatings are not just about fire. They are about time, temperature, trust and the steel spine we rely on to stand tall when everything else falls.

TECHNOLOGY TRACKER

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