Cafco Sprayfilm® WB3 to fire protect structural steel from
Promat Australia

Promat Australia is a leading manufacturer and supplier of Passive Fire Protection systems. Boasting a huge range of best insulation materials, intumescent coatings form a part of their comprehensive range. One of these intumescent coatings, Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3, is a water based intumescent coating consisting of polyvinyl acetate resins and fillers for the fire protection of structural steel.

Traditionally, Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3 is applied to structural steel on site when the columns and beams are already in place. However, recently Promat's Western Australian Distributor, Fire Technologies Australia (FTA) used an innovated approach and sprayed the steel sections off site before installation.

In excess of 3200 litres of Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3 were used for the steel protection of the Probuild project located in Perth's bustling CBD. For FTA, the logistics involved in this project were massive. Indeed, FTA had to move premises and relocate to a larger industrial warehouse so that the Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3 application could be completed within a controlled environment.

First the steel structural components, some up to 18 metres in length, were shipped to a blasting company for correct preparation prior to application of the undercoat. It is critical that the undercoat is applied within four hours of the steel being blasted. To further complicate matters, the blasting company was asked to finish their process when local surrounding roads were at their quietest. Ready trucks were waiting in the blaster's yard in order to minimise delays by possible traffic congestion in the transportation of the prepared steel to site.

The steel beams were then trucked to the FTA factory where dew point and ambient air temperature levels had been synchronised to acceptable parameters. Fork lifts and cranes stood by to accept the loads of steel while teams of skilled applicators waited for the trucks to arrive. Recommended undercoats were then applied within the correct time.

When the undercoating process was finished and correct drying times achieved, the Cafco SPRAYFILM® WB3 application started. FTA arranged for Promat's coating expert, Chris Partington, to travel to the Perth application site to view and inspect the various processes.

As with all steel protection, the Hp/A calculation changes in accordance with steel dimensions. This particular project was no exception, underlining the importance of prearranging steel components in the FTA factory. Once the correct film thicknesses had been met and the newly coated steel components were fully dried, it was time to apply the cosmetic top coat. Two layers provided twin benefits. First, the cosmetic or aesthetic value. Second, a level of protection from the elements provided by the waterproof coating.

The treated steel was then carefully reloaded on to trucks and transported back to Perth CBD site. Due to the size of the steel structural components, the Perth City Council would only allow installation at night so as not to disrupt the flow of daytime traffic.

Logistic complexity meant that the project took FTA some six months to complete. However, the excellent working relationship between Promat and FTA generally smoothed the way ahead.

Promat Australia can be contacted for all of your passive fire protection needs including fire rated boards, fire collars, vermiculite sprays and all of your other fire stopping needs.