With external and internal fires a genuine concern for domestic and commercial premises worldwide, the launch of products that will help reduce the associated risks of property damage, stock and equipment loss, and financial setback is big news.
No wonder, then, that at Flame Security International (FSI), we’re excited to announce the launch of a new, highly effective and easy-to-use range of fire-retardant paints onto the market. Leading the way is a new exterior product that recently achieved the highest rating for fire retardant performance ever awarded to paint!
The release of this ground-breaking range is the culmination of years of dedicated research and development in a partnership between FSI and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney. Australian Government funding and private investment has enabled the innovative project to pursue results that will change the fire risk game for industries and commercial operations worldwide.
‘The release of FSI’s fully accredited BAL-40 rated fire retardant paint, we believe, will better protect buildings and other assets from direct exposure to flames and extreme radiant heat,’ says FSI’s Managing Director, Justin Rooney. ‘This will make a significant difference not only to the cost of building in affected areas, but also the potential risks to life and property.’
The integrity of our innovative fire-retardant paint range is built upon the high calibre of the scientists and engineers behind their development. Working at UNSW’s world-leading ARC Training Centre for Fire Retardant Materials and Safety Technologies, the team conceived, planned, developed and tested their highly effective but affordable and viable solutions to the global challenge of fire risk.
And to confirm the outstanding results of all that work, in October our FSI-Paint for exterior surfaces passed BAL-40 accreditation in tests conducted by NATA, Australia’s leading independent accreditation body. In fact, the paint achieved all 6 criteria for the rating – something no other fire-retardant paint product has ever achieved!
‘Achieving BAL-40 is extremely rewarding,’ says UNSW’s Dr Arslan Khalid, FSI-Paint Lead Specialist. ‘The team here at UNSW have put in years of research and development to get to this point where FSI-Paint has become the first ever coating to satisfy the strict NATA criteria for this tough fire rating.’
The BAL (or Bushfire Attack Level) system rates the likelihood of ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact in a built structure and the potential for damage. A BAL rating enables the appropriate construction requirements for minimising the risk of fire damage to be identified.
If you’re not already familiar with just how high a BAL-40 rating is, the scale runs from ‘Low’ to ‘Flame Zone’:
A BAL-40 rating certifies that a product can deter ignition, burning and flaming likely to result from windborne embers and debris, exposure to flames, and high heat flux.
So for home owners and commercial operators worried about stock and equipment protection, family safety, insurance claims, loss of belongings or crippling financial setbacks due to fire, our BAL-40 rating is truly a game-changer.
The newly released range includes interior and exterior paints, a 3-step render solution, and an ember barrier foam. All are long-lasting, proven to withstand extreme fire situations and are designed for maximum safety for humans and the environment.
The paint with the world’s highest fire-retardant rating can be applied as an undercoat to most external and internal surfaces, including brick, existing render, timber, aluminium, steel, concrete and plasterboard. Polymer-based, it will last up to 10 years on an exterior surface and won’t irritate eyes or skin on contact.
You can apply FSI-Paint by brush, roller or spray and simply clean up afterwards with water. It’s minimally harmful to humans and the environment and as user-friendly as any undercoat. Cover with your choice of topcoat over FSI-Paint to achieve the aesthetic for your brand or home.
Our water-based, interior-only paint received the highest flame-retardant rating for an interior paint. As easy to apply as its partner product, FSI-InteriorPaint will minimise the spread of flames should a fire ever break out in your building or home.
The product delivers a smoother texture than FSI-Paint, which you might prefer for your interior spaces. Apply it to timber or plasterboard just like any other undercoat, then clean up quickly and simply with water. FSI-InteriorPaint is designed for maximum safety for humans and the environment.
Tough, durable FSI-Render is a 3-part, polymer-based protection for use on cladding or any structural surface that could face an external fire threat. FSI-Render will last at least 10 years. Clean-up with water makes application simple, and all 3 products are designed for maximum safety for humans and the environment.
First, a coat of FSI-BaseRender ensures adhesion to substrates such as cladding, brick, timber, existing render, concrete, steel, aluminium and plasterboard. Follow this with water-based FSI-Render to provide a highly fire-retardant protective layer, then apply FSI-Render TopCoat to set your preferred aesthetic while adding weather and UV protection. Choose from a variety of colours and textures, or top coat it with any exterior paint.
As well as the paint range, this first release brings to the market an exceptionally easy-to-use, long-lasting ember barrier product, fittingly named FSI-EmberGuard.
Embers can fly up to 30 km ahead of a fire front, increasing the risk to structures by entering through cracks and gaps in guttering, roofs and external walls. So even if your home or commercial building isn’t located right at the fire front during a bushfire or industrial fire event, it could still be in danger, especially if the wind picks up.
FSI-EmberGuard is a self-expanding foam barrier that will stay in place for up to 7 days, blocking the often unnoticed openings that can let embers into your building. Apply the foam to relatively dry surfaces with the specially designed applicator and an air compressor. It is plant-based with a high water content, yet as effective when dry as newly applied.
Meanwhile, back in the lab, work continues on developing more fire retardant products for businesses, industries and homes. The FSI and UNSW partnership team has a wish list of deterrent foams, sprays, varnishes and coatings for almost every substrate, from plants and power poles to timber furniture and textiles.
The ground-breaking products emerging from this exciting project provide effective and affordable solutions for fire risk in any built structure, yet minimise the environmental footprint often associated with similar protective strategies.
‘Fire protection from real world threats using innovative chemistry and unique technologies is at the core of FSI’s values,’ says Justin.
We can’t wait to show you what we come up with next!
For further information from Flame Security International contact:
Tony Overstead
E: tony.overstead@flamesecurity.com
Justin Rooney
E: justin.rooney@flamesecurity.com