We see many things on the market today that are designed to keep items and people protected from flames. It can also be difficult to determine which material is best. However, we need to understand the differences between fire resistant and fire retardant first.
Treatments that are Fire Resistant
When a paint or other type of treatment is fire resistant, it forms a protective barrier. It works by creating a layer of foaming char that is on the steel. When the paint coat comes in contact with the heat it creates bubbles in the paint which then provides a layer of inert gas which is not prone to high heat so there will be nothing else catching on fire due to the noncombustible materials. The char layer will be able to provide a significant amount of protection, depending upon the fire-resistant material the paint layer is on. A good example of this is the insulation layer that keeps a cool feel to the layer for as long as possible before the material begins to fail.
When a fire resistant paint is used it will normally be categorized as either being fire resistant for as long as 90 minutes or as less than 30 minutes. With these numbers, they determine how many minutes it will take for the protection to break down.
A Fire Retardant Treatment
Paints that are fire retardant will have a hard time combusting and being ignited. Besides that, the chance of any small fires will be extinguished due to the item being self-extinguishable. When a fire is present, the fire retardant will then be responsible for preventing the fire from spreading. This is quite different from surfaces that do not have the fire retardant treating.
Reason to Utilize Fire Retardant
The use of a fire retardant will help keep products safe and protected with no worry of fire damage. The retardant also slows the fire from spreading and growing. If you are thinking of protecting outdoor surfaces, then it is better to use other products due to weathering and wearing away. In order to achieve the best results with a fire retardant it involves it to be used in the interior
Conclusion
Fire resistant items can provide a barrier that insulates the surface and keeps items protected while also ensuring their integrity is withheld for as long as possible. The fire resistant material is also able to decrease the amount of time it requires for flames to break through.
