Refurbishing an existing building almost always means upgrading the fire rating of its concrete. We upgrade slabs, soffits, beams, hollowcore floors and car parks with thin intumescent coatings or cementitious systems, without the weight, framing and lost headroom of boarding.
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When does existing concrete need upgrading?
Concrete gets its fire resistance from the depth of cover over the reinforcement. Older structures were often designed to lower ratings, or with less cover than a new fire strategy requires. That gap usually shows up during refurbishment.
- Change of use, such as offices to residential or hotels, where the required rating goes up
- Extra storeys or a new fire strategy asking for 90 or 120 minutes instead of 60
- Car parks, basements and plant rooms in older buildings
- Hollowcore and hollow pot floors, which often fall short of modern requirements
- Slabs where a survey or fire engineer has found insufficient concrete cover
Coating, cementitious or boarding?
Thin intumescent coating
Our first choice for refurbishment. A thin, water-based coating tested to EN 13381-3 that keeps exposed concrete exposed, adds no meaningful load and takes almost no headroom.
Cementitious systems
Sprayed cementitious protection for large areas such as car parks, basements and plant rooms, where a textured finish is acceptable and cost per square metre matters.
Boarding
Sometimes the right answer, but it lowers ceilings, adds weight and framing, and hides the structure. We will tell you honestly when it makes more sense.
How we work
- SurveyWe look at the member types, slab thickness, condition and the rating your fire strategy needs, working with your structural or fire engineer on the existing concrete cover.
- SpecificationWe match a tested system to each element, whether that is a flat slab, ribbed or hollowcore floor, beam or column, and price the options side by side.
- PreparationSurfaces are cleaned and any spalled or damaged concrete is made good so the system can perform as tested.
- ApplicationCoatings are applied and thickness-checked as we go, with minimal disruption so other trades can keep working.
- CertificationYou receive records and certification for the upgraded areas to hand to building control and the client.
Concrete projects
From Grade I listed landmarks to busy hotels and commercial buildings, we have upgraded concrete in buildings that had to stay open or look exactly as they did before.
More detail on our concrete fire protection coatings and cementitious fire protection.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know the current fire rating of my concrete?
It depends on the element type, its dimensions and the depth of concrete cover over the reinforcement. We survey the structure and work with your engineer to establish the existing rating and the gap to close.
Can you upgrade from 60 to 90 or 120 minutes?
Yes, in most cases. The achievable rating depends on the member and the tested system, and thin coatings can achieve high ratings on flat slabs. We confirm it for each element after survey.
Will the coating change how the concrete looks?
Very little. Thin coatings follow the surface of the concrete, so exposed and board-marked finishes keep their character.
Can the building stay in use while you work?
Usually, yes. Water-based systems and phased working let us upgrade floors area by area with minimal disruption.
Do you work on car parks?
Yes. Car parks and basements are a large part of our concrete work, using coatings or cementitious systems depending on the structure and budget.
Which areas do you cover?
London, Kent and the South East, and larger projects further afield.
Got drawings? Get a price.
Send us your drawings, steel schedule or area take-off and we will come back with a priced quotation. On-site and off-site application, firestopping, fire doors and surveys across London, Dubai and Europe.
