What Factors Affect the Material Loss of Steel‑Structure Fire‑Retardant Coatings?
Aug 16,2026
Author: LEBANGQIU
Material loss is inevitable during the construction of steel‑structure fire‑retardant coatings. What are the factors contributing to such loss? According to manufacturers of steel‑structure fire‑retardant coatings, the influencing factors are as follows:
Surface roughness of steel structural components.
Steel components after anti‑corrosion treatment are often not perfectly flat and may feature pits of varying sizes. Coating material filling these pits constitutes extra loss compared with the calculated consumption budget before spraying. Normally, the consumption budget of fire‑retardant coatings is calculated based on the fire‑resistance duration and coating thickness specified in the type test report, using the spreading rate as the calculation basis. The spreading rate is measured by applying coatings onto a perfectly smooth, non‑porous glass surface. Therefore, the surface roughness of steel components exerts an impact on coating material loss.
Construction methods.
Common construction methods for steel‑structure fire‑retardant coatings include brushing, rolling and spraying. Different construction methods require different wet‑film consumptions to achieve the target dry‑film thickness, mainly due to varying loss rates under different wind speed and temperature conditions. For instance, rolling generally brings about approximately 5 % material loss; airless spraying results in 10 %‑20 % loss; air‑assisted spraying may cause loss above 50 %.
Operator proficiency with spray guns.
The skill level of operators greatly influences coating loss. Material waste is mainly caused by uneven spraying thickness, excessive sagging, overspray scattering, and rework for quality defects.
Type, dimension and shape of steel components.
The type, size and geometry of steel components have a significant effect on coating loss. Generally speaking, components with larger continuous spraying surfaces deliver higher material utilization and lower loss rates, and vice versa. For example, material loss for certain components is considerably higher than that of H‑section steel crane beams.
In summary, multiple uncertain variables lead to coating loss. Steel structures differ in structural characteristics; regions vary in meteorological conditions; construction teams differ in technical competence. All these factors substantially affect coating loss. Practical empirical data shall be obtained through statistics and summary from abundant engineering projects. Without such project‑derived data, an overall comprehensive loss rate of 30 %‑50 % can be adopted for general conditions, excluding special scenarios.
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