Structural Steel Fire Protection: 8 Great Reasons to Choose Contego Intumescent Coatings

There are several ways to go about structural steel fire protection, none of which are as thorough and acceptable as an intumescent latex coating like Contego. It is THE best for protecting structural steel.

Here are the top 8 reasons why you should be recommending Contego:

1. Contego is applied like regular latex paint.
   
   Unlike some other intumescent or cement-based materials that require special (and expensive) high-pressure equipment and certified applicators, Contego works with a standard paint sprayer, brush or roller lowering the applied cost considerably.Recommended Spray Equipment: Graco Mark V, Ultra Max 1095
   
   
2. Contego is truly a non-toxic ZERO VOC coating (ASTM D4017).
   
   It makes no sense to protect a substrate from fire while poisoning the atmosphere around it. Contego may be the only totally VOC-free intumescent product that generates non-toxic smoke during a fire. Read the MSDS for any other product; it probably warns against both acute and chronic brain damage and damage to the central nervous system.Contego isn’t toxic to the steel either. Obsolete technology that is still used widely because it is cheaper, isn’t very cheap at all when you examine the kind of aggressive rust and structural damage it often causes. It delaminates and falls off. It also constantly sheds tiny fibrils into the breathable air. You might want to review your liability policy.
   
   
3. Contego has an incredibly smooth finish.
   
   Standard application of Contego intumescent coating results in a beautifully smooth Level 3 architectural finish. For interior projects, Contego can be top-coated with any quality acrylic enamel for surface protection and decorative purposes.The example to the right shows Contego intumescent fire protection compared to SFRM materials on the market. What finish would you prefer?
   
   
4. Contego is tested and re-tested by certified labs around the world.
   
   Contego will provide a variety of structural steel fire protection times (1, 2 and 3 hours), by using a specified thickness. These claims are supported and confirmed by independent laboratory tests.Contego is the only product tested to nine different standards (UL, ULC, ASTM, ANSI and five others) using both Full Scale and Small Scale formats. You can view these tests on the structural steel page.
   
   
5. Contego isn’t just “thin film”, it’s super thin film.
   
   Projects treated with Contego will meet fire code with a super thin film. Steel actually looks like steel and you’ll need less product, thereby reducing the overall cost. It also means the weight on your steel doesn’t blow your structural loading plan out of the water. With just 100 Mil DFT (2.54 mm or 0.10 inches) you can protect Composite Steel Decking for 2HR based on our UL263 CAN/ULc S101 Floor/Ceiling Design D603.
   
   
6. Contego sticks with over 630 PSI of adhesion (ASTM D-4541).
   
   Contego offers more than twice the adhesion of our one closest competitor’s and 5 to 15 times that of the others. What good is fireproofing if it falls off? When applied per specifications, combined with results of our ASTM D3359 test using both the cross cut and ribbon cut methods with 0% loss. Contego won’t peel off, and that is something our competitors don’t want you to know. Nothing beats Contego’s adhesion.
   
   
7. Contego has the longest warranty in the market!
   
   Our warranty has a 10 Year Manufacturer GUARANTEE (Product Only) with proper application. Why? Because that’s how stable our product is. Spectroflouroscopic FTIR graphing from UL, Materials Analytical Services, Intertek, MAGI and others over 20 years shows almost no shift in the chemical signature.
   
   WARRANTY – Contego products are warranted for ten years from date of application when applied in conformance with our published Architectural Specifications. Proof of purchase (store receipt and bar code from can) is required for warranty claims. Claims are limited to replacement of product only. The manufacturer accepts no responsibility for other losses or claims and the users waives such claims by breaking the seal on this can.
   
   
8. Contego has the lowest cost per square foot applied.
   
   Now here’s a big plus, as we’ve hinted throughout this list, you get ALL of the advantages we’ve shared with you delivered at the lowest cost per square foot of any other intumescent. Many projects run over budget and Contego is your ace in the hole when it comes to value engineering. The bigger the project, the more you save!!!