SteelMaster Intumescent Coatings: Invisible Protection That Could Save Lives

In construction, we often focus on what’s visible: architectural finishes, clean steelwork, sharp lines, and well-coated cladding. But some of the most critical protection on your building is the kind you’ll never see.

Enter Jotun’s SteelMaster range, a suite of intumescent coatings designed to protect structural steel from fire. These coatings aren’t fire-resistant; they actively delay structural failure in the event of a fire, saving lives and giving emergency services vital time to respond.

Let’s break down what makes them essential and why they’re not just a box-ticking exercise, but a smart, strategic investment in long-term safety and compliance.

 

What Are Intumescent Coatings?

Intumescent coatings are reactive fire protection paints. When exposed to high temperatures, typically above 200°C, they expand up to 50 times their original thickness, forming an insulating carbonaceous char.

This char insulates the steel beneath it, preventing the rapid temperature rise that causes structural collapse. In essence, it buys time for evacuation, fire suppression, and structural integrity.

Steel loses around 50% of its load-bearing capacity at just 550°C, a temperature reached in under 10 minutes during a typical building fire. Without intumescent protection, even a well-built structure can become dangerous in minutes.

 

Why SteelMaster?

Jotun’s SteelMaster range is a globally trusted name in intumescent technology, engineered to be efficient, easy to apply, and fully certified. Here’s why it stands out:

 

Slim Film Thickness = Lower Costs

SteelMaster coatings are designed to achieve fire ratings (30, 60, 90 minutes) with minimal film thickness.

Less paint means reduced material costs, lower weight loads on your structure, and faster drying or recoat times. It also simplifies logistics with fewer tins, less transport, and less waste.

 

Fast Application & Drying

SteelMaster products are optimised for airless spray application with quick drying times even at higher film builds.

Time is money. On-site, you reduce downtime and labour costs. In off-site or modular builds, it keeps production lines moving. Faster curing means quicker project handovers.

 

Water-Based Options Available

The SteelMaster 1200WF is a water-based, low-VOC intumescent with a high fire resistance rating.

On environmentally sensitive projects or enclosed spaces like basements or hospitals, using low-emission products can be essential. Water-based options also reduce odours, flammability risk, and clean-up time.

 

Tested & Certified Worldwide

SteelMaster coatings are tested to BS 476, EN 13381-8, and ASTM E119 standards, and approved by third-party certification bodies like Exova Warringtonfire and UL.

Certification isn’t just a formality. It’s the proof you’ll need for building control, insurers, and clients. When lives are on the line, you want proof the product works, not just a spec sheet.

 

Architectural Finish Options

SteelMaster coatings can be topcoated with a wide range of approved approved finishes, including semi-gloss and matte options.

Structural steel is often exposed in modern architecture. SteelMaster allows you to maintain your desired aesthetic while meeting all fire protection requirements.

 

Typical Applications

SteelMaster is used across a wide range of sectors:

●     Commercial buildings

●     High-rise structures

●     Infrastructure such as airports and stadiums

●     Public sector buildings

●     Industrial facilities

Wherever structural steel is exposed or load-bearing, SteelMaster should be on your specification.