Coatings & Paints

Coatings & Paints SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE

EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE IS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE SAFETY PRODUCTS.

However, without knowing it, many of us could be making compromises when it comes to our choice of fire foams and fire rated silicones.

As a company that manufactures sealants, adhesives and other building chemicals, you might expect us to advocate increased awareness when it comes to choosing fire foams. But selfgain never has, and never will, be Bond It’s main motivation for urging greater consideration when it comes to these products. Instead we believe the building industry in the UK is affected by a serious issue with equally serious, and potentially life-threatening, implications.

With lives at stake, and against a backdrop where we are all increasingly accountable for our work and where they have been a number of high profile examples of poor building practices contributing to the spread of fire, we see it as our responsibility to share our knowledge. The problem stems from the existence of too many different but similar sounding classification systems. This has created a degree of confusion which has left many in the sector at risk of inadvertently using fire foams with levels of performance that fall woefully short of the mark. Not all fire foams are created equal Years ago specifying a fire foam was a lot simpler and arguably safer than it is today. You had the choice of either a standard foam or a fire foam with both types available in either a gun or handheld form. To benefit from its classification, fire foam had to comply with BS476 part 20. This meant it would act as a barrier to fire for 4 hours giving a building’s occupants vital time to escape. Then, with an influx of European foams into the UK came a proliferation of different standards. The most widespread was a German standard based on a sliding scale. This ranged from A1 (100% non-combustible) through to A2, B1, B2 and B3 with the latter offering the worst levels of performance. If the introduction of a whole new standard system and a large number of differing classifications didn’t serve to create enough confusion, the way of assessing the UK and European standards was also totally different.

The UK standard meant a fire foam had to act as a barrier to prevent fire transferring from one room to another for a period of four hours. The German standard meanwhile was based on someone trying to ignite the foam itself - not a very realistic scenario.

Savings - but at what cost?

One of the most widely seen classifications people now find on fire foams is B2 and it’s not hard to understand why. B2 strikes a fine balance between offering some fire resistance and at a cost that won’t hurt budgets – or margins.

However, in our opinion, B2 ‘fire’ foam’s performance is totally inadequate and we don’t think it should be sold as fire foam at all. Yes, there are savings and profits to be made, but at the end of the

Coatings & Paints 13 SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE

day, what price do you put on property or even more poignantly, on someone’s life? As we near the 4th anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, we are hoping lessons have been learnt.

Like most of our competitors, we react to market demand and do supply a B2 PU foam as part of our range. However, we are strict about this not being referred to as a “fire” foam and it is not marketing under this guise at all. We clearly state what the products performance characteristics are and what it is tested to.

Silicone sealants also play a big part in ensuring the integrity of fire resistant seals and joints. These are used in re-establishing the fire-rated integrity of a wall or floor assembly compromised by the inclusion or exclusion of a penetrant. Flames and smoke can spread through the smallest of gaps causing extreme damage to buildings and even human lives. Applying an intumescent sealant to linear joints, around pipes and between cables to close all the gaps and add fire resistance. An intumescent seal slows down the burning process and does not contribute to spread of flames. Therefore, it can minimize the damage by protecting structures, giving fire fighters more time to arrive and take the fire under control as well as fireproofing escape routes allowing for efficient evacuation.

How does intumescent sealant work?

Intumescent seals are known as means of passive fire protection, but what is an intumescent sealant in practice? Also known as expansion sealant, intumescent sealant expands when it becomes exposed to extreme heat and can swell up to 40 times its original volume. The sealant increases in volume but decreases in density forming a char layer. The expanded sealant does not actually catch fire, but the char burns eventually, still much more slowly than most building materials. Depending on the product formulation, application and backing material, an intumescent sealant can be resistant to fire for up to 4 hours. Buildings require different levels of fire resistance depending on their size and whether they have a residential purpose. Better safe than sorry

Of course, it would be remiss of Bond It to highlight an issue as grave as current fire foam classification and misclassification without proposing a solution. Thankfully, there is one - and it’s also fairly easy to implement.

In its simplest terms, our advice would in every circumstance if you need fire protection from your foams nothing less than B1 is really acceptable as a bare minimum standard and for silicones we would recommend a fire tested sealant. Look for the standards EN1366-4, EN1366-3, EN ISO 10140-2 and EN13501-2 on packs - which are proof that the foams and sealants will do their job and you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ve chosen a true fire foam or fire rated sealant that will leave people safe in their homes, offices and other buildings. For more information on Bond Its Fire Rated products contact our Sales Office on 01422 315300 or visit

www.bonditgroup.com.

In today’s world we hear more and more about hybrids being the preferred choice, whether its cars with both electric and combustion engines, communication devices where a phone combines a computer and camera, or even dogs, where a Labradoodle once commonly viewed as a mongrel now is a household favourite. The science of fusing things together has resulted in more superior and efficient end products being readily available, with proven advantages for the user.

In the construction industry, a hybrid is understood to mean the product of two or more chemicals or materials that have been fused together, resulting in a new improved product that offers the combined positive properties of the original items. Bond It has capitalised on the benefits of hybrid “cross-breeding” of chemicals and have used its technical prowess to develop a range of high performance sealants and adhesives with truly outstanding performance characteristics. By making significant and sustained investments into the relevant research and manufacturing facilities, we are a leading force in the development of a new generation of hybrid products for many building sectors. Sealants tend to be manufactured using one of two base materials – silicone or polyurethane. Both materials have their advantages but similarly both also have their disadvantages. By developing hybrid technology the positive characteristics of both chemical materials are united, providing not only greener alternatives to traditional based products, but also better products in terms of performance. Under the Pro Range Bond It offer hybrid solutions to a wide variety of trade and DIY needs that provide the best of both worlds. As the term ‘hybrid’ suggests, these products combine the benefits of silicone and polyurethane sealants with none of either material’s associated drawbacks. Hybrids are free from solvents, isocyanates and silicones and are therefore nonhazardous and non-damaging to health. They have very low odour making them ideal for sensitive indoor applications, as well as being quick curing, non-shrinking, UV resistant, can be used without primers, and have exceptionally good adhesion to almost any

developer-update.co.uk

construction material. An added benefit is they will adhere to damp surfaces and can even be applied under water. And replicating the properties of a polyurethane, the hybrids have good temperature fluctuation resistance and are tear resistant and over paintable, even with water based paints. Basically they pack a punch, and some . . . Under the PRO RANGE banner Bond It offer 6 tailor made products. Each product features a different formulation which has been specifically designed to deliver enhanced performance characteristics that are ideally suited to different applications. GRIPBOND PRO was the Company’s pioneer hybrid, an ‘all-in-one’ product that can be used as a sealant and an adhesive. Available in 4 colours, including crystal clear for an invisible seal, it has become an immensely popular choice thanks to its versatility, bond strength and speed of curing. GRIPBOND PRO MAX is the ultimate power adhesive in a cartridge. Offers up to four times the grab of other grab adhesive and can eliminate the need for additional mechanical support. Also delivers an excellent, longer lasting bond and remains permanently flexible ensuring movement will not compromise bond strength. WOOD PRO was designed for fixing all types of wooden floors directly onto all common substrates eliminating the need for battens. Moisture and solventfree composition reduces the risk of wood flooring warping, curling and deforming. WOOD PRO is also permanently flexible enabling it to compensate for subfloor movement and making it suitable for use with underfloor heating systems. ASTRO PRO is a specialist solution for bonding artificial grass surfaces to a variety of substrates or jointing tapes. Offers excellent bonding properties even on wet surfaces. Cures rapidly even at low temperatures and once cured is fully resistant to all climatic conditions MIRROR PRO, as the name suggests was specifically formulated for use on mirrors, glass and ceramics as well as for hot, humid environments. Will stick to damp surfaces and is noncorrosive so will not attack mirror backings. Rapid curing and is tack free in 10 minutes. With hybrid products, new applications can be replicated on building sites and in many areas they can even be completely substituted. The launch of EasiSeal in 2018 was a revolutionary step forward in to the roofing sector. Offering a one coat application to flat roofs EasiSeal is a cold-applied, solventfree, permanently flexible 100% waterproof membrane. Creating an impermeable seal to repel water damage it is also suitable for wet room tanking, groundwork tanking and waterproofing balconies and terraces. You may well have started reading this thinking why would I use hybrids but the question you should really be asking is why not as the advantages are clear??

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