Passive fire protection · Nationwide
Intumescent Coatings - Structural Steel Fire Protection
Nationwide
Steel loses strength in a fire - and an unprotected steel frame can fail in minutes. MGN Group applies certified intumescent coatings that insulate structural steel and buy the time a building's fire strategy depends on, achieving 30, 60 or 90 minutes' fire resistance. On-site or off-site, to specification, with full documentation.
- 25
- Years in fire protection
- R30–R90
- Fire resistance achievable
- On/Off-site
- Application options
- 48h
- Average response to enquiries
What we do
Certified Structural Steel Fire Protection
Intumescent coating looks like paint, but it works like armour: in a fire it swells into a thick insulating char that shields the steel beneath, slowing the point at which it weakens and the structure is compromised. Getting it right is a matter of the correct product, the correct thickness for each steel section, and a properly prepared substrate - applied and documented by people who do it every day. That's what MGN Group delivers, alongside our wider passive fire protection services.
On-Site Intumescent Coating
Application to structural steel in situ - beams, columns and connections - on live and occupied sites, with appropriate protection and programme coordination.
Request more infoOff-Site / Shop-Applied Coating
Coating applied in controlled conditions before delivery to site, for faster, cleaner installation and consistent film thickness.
Request more infoLoadings & Specification
Calculating the coating thickness each steel section needs from its section factor and required fire resistance period - so the spec is right, not guessed.
Request more infoTouch-Up & Remedial Coating
Repairing damaged or missed coatings on existing steel, restoring the protection to its certified standard.
Request more infoSurface Preparation & Priming
Correct preparation and compatible priming - the difference between a coating that performs and one that fails early.
Request more infoCertification & Documentation
Records of product, thickness and coverage for every element, for building control and your fire safety file.
Request more info
What we cover
Steel Protection for Every Structure
Wherever there's exposed structural steel with a required fire rating, it needs protecting. We work across:
Commercial & Office
Steel frames in offices, retail and mixed-use developments, coated to the specified fire resistance period.
Industrial & Warehouse
Portal frames and large-span steel in industrial units and distribution centres.
Education & Healthcare
Exposed structural steel in schools, colleges and healthcare buildings, delivered around live use.
New Build Developments
Coating programmes coordinated with the steel erection sequence and main contractor's programme.
Refurbishment
Protecting or upgrading steel exposed during refurbishment and change-of-use projects.
Car Parks & Structures
Steel-framed car parks and structures where fire protection to the frame is required.
Our credentials
Applied Right, Proven in Writing
With intumescent coating, film thickness is everything - too thin and it won't achieve the rating. Our credentials mean it's applied and verified to the standard.
Approved Applicator
Accreditation in progress
Application by trained operatives working to manufacturer requirements. MGN Group is in the process of obtaining formal approved-applicator accreditation for this service.
Dry Film Thickness Verified
Coating thickness checked and recorded against the specification for each steel element - the proof the rating is met.
CHAS Accredited
Health, safety and compliance pre-qualification for safe working on client sites.
IFSM Member
Institution of Fire Safety Managers
Membership of the Institution of Fire Safety Managers, keeping our team current with fire safety best practice.
Client trust
Trusted on UK construction projects - what our clients say
“We were very pleased with the partitions and ceiling works carried out for our fit-out. The team were professional, reliable and delivered a high standard of workmanship throughout the project. We’re really happy with the finished result and would happily recommend their services.”
Tribe Yoga
- Partitions
- Ceilings
- Fit-out
“We were very pleased with the door installation and remedial works carried out at Balquhidder House to ensure the property aligned with compliance requirements. The team were professional, reliable and completed the work to a high standard, with excellent attention to detail throughout. We’re very happy with the finished result and would happily recommend their services.”
Balquhidder House
- Fire doors
- Remedial works
“We were very pleased with the firestopping works carried out at Thornton Care Home. The team were professional, reliable and completed the work to a high standard.”
Thornton care home
- Fire stopping
Regulations
Why Structural Steel Must Be Protected
Fire protection to structural elements is a Building Regulations requirement, not an optional extra:
Approved Document B (Structural Fire Resistance)
Building Regulations require load-bearing structural elements to maintain their stability for a specified period in a fire - commonly 30, 60 or 90 minutes depending on the building. Intumescent coating is how exposed steel achieves this.
BS 476-21 / BS EN 13381-8
The test standards that establish how much protection a coating provides to steel members. Coatings are specified and applied to these tested performance data.
Fire (Scotland) Act & Building Standards
Equivalent structural fire protection requirements apply in Scotland - MGN Group's home jurisdiction.
This summary is not legal advice - your building's fire strategy and fire risk assessment set out the protection your structure requires.
Quick answers
It is a reactive coating applied to structural steel that looks much like paint when dry. In a fire the heat causes it to swell to many times its original thickness, forming a thick insulating char that shields the steel underneath and slows the rate at which it heats up - keeping the frame below the temperature at which it loses strength for the required period.
Steel is strong but it weakens quickly as it heats. Around 550°C it retains roughly half its strength, and an unprotected frame can reach that in minutes, so the structure can fail long before the building has been evacuated. Building Regulations therefore require load-bearing elements to maintain stability for a set period - typically 30, 60 or 90 minutes - and intumescent coating is how exposed steel achieves it.
Off-site (shop-applied) coating is sprayed in controlled factory conditions before the steel is delivered, which gives consistent film thickness, faster erection and no wet trades on site. On-site application is used where steel is already erected, where a building is being refurbished, or to complete connections and make good after handling. We do both, and often a combination - off-site for the bulk of the frame, on-site for connections and touch-ups.
Typically R30 to R90 - 30, 60 or 90 minutes of load-bearing fire resistance - depending on the product, the section factor (Hp/A) of each steel member and the applied dry film thickness. The rating your steel needs is set by the building's fire strategy and Building Regulations, and we specify the thickness for each section from the manufacturer's tested loading tables.
Yes. We record the product used, the specified and achieved dry film thickness and the coverage for every element, with wet and dry film readings taken as we work. You receive that documentation on completion for building control, your fire safety file and any future fire risk assessment.
Protect Your Steel - Request a Quote
Send us your steel schedule or drawings and required fire rating, and we'll come back with a clear specification and a competitive, no-obligation quote.