If you are like most people, you may hear “fire-retardant concrete” and think that this is a bit of a redundant name — after all, concrete isn’t exactly flammable. What would be the point of giving your concrete floors fire-resistant properties when it already won’t catch fire?
While it is true that concrete, in its usual form, is usually resistant to fire, it can also lose its structural integrity if it is exposed to high enough heats for a long enough time. This would be enough of a problem on its own. However, in addition to solving this dangerous issue, fire-retardant concrete can help your concrete underlayments go from a not-so-pressing structural weakness to a critical asset in your efforts to fireproof your property.
Fire-retardant concrete functions by ensuring that the chemical composition of the concrete itself is different from the makeup of traditional concrete mixes. A variety of materials are added to the concrete that make it a less efficient conductor of thermal energy — in layman’s terms, the new materials in the concrete make it so the concrete doesn’t heat up as much as it would if it were normal concrete. This means that the damage that fire traditionally does to concrete due to the high temperatures can be avoided.
In addition to protecting the longevity of the concrete, the addition of fire-retardant chemicals can make it so that fire spreads more slowly across the concrete, slowing the rate at which the fire can spread around your property.
If you are interested in fire-retardant concrete for your building’s underlayment, we will be happy to discuss your options with you!