Fire protection | Features

Indicative costs of fire protection to structural steelwork
Fire protection period	Mineral fibre board	Gypsum board	Calcium silicate board	Cementitious spray	Intumescent spray
mins	£/m2	£/m2	£/m2	£/m2	£/m2
30	15-20	20-25	25-30	10-12	6-9
60	15-20	20-25	25-30	10-12	8-12
90	15-20	25-30	30-35	13-15	17-25
120	20-25	30-35	35-40	16-18	30-40
180	–	–	45-60	20-25	–
240	–	–	50-85	25-35	–
Table notes
Rates assume straightforward access and are for quantities in excess of 1000 m2.
Rates for boarded solutions are measured as the area of box required.
Rates for spray solutions are measured as surface area covered.
Rates for large section work will generally be at the lower end of the range or below.
Rates for small section work will generally be at the higher end of the range or above.
Rates for hollow sections will usually be higher than the rates shown.
Work at height (more than 5 m above ground level) may attract higher rates (7.5–10%).
Intumescent rates
These exclude blast cleaning of steelwork and primer coat, which is normally part of off-site steel preparation.
Off-site application rates may be 50% higher than the rates above.
Decorative top-coat sealer will add £2-3 per m2 to the rates above.
Boarded rates
These exclude any subsequent decoration.
Metal-faced boarding may attract rates of £50-85 per m2.