Monokote is one of those products that is well known to structural engineers and fire protection specialists but less familiar to the wider construction industry despite being present in a very large proportion of commercial buildings constructed in Ireland and across the world over the past several decades. If you have ever been inside a large office building, a shopping centre, a hospital, or a school with a steel frame structure, there is a reasonable chance that the structural steel above the suspended ceiling is protected with Monokote.
This article explains what Monokote is, how it works, where it is specified, and why FireShield Ireland are the only licensed Monokote applicators in Ireland.
What Monokote Is
Monokote is a spray-applied cementitious fireproofing product manufactured by GCP Applied Technologies, one of the leading companies in the global construction products market. It has been in continuous production and development since the 1950s and has been applied to structural steel on commercial construction projects across the world for longer than most other fireproofing systems currently available.
The product is a cementitious material, meaning it is based on cement chemistry rather than intumescent or mineral fibre technology. It is supplied as a dry powder that is mixed with water on site and applied to the surface of structural steel members using specialist spray equipment. The mixed material is pumped to the spray nozzle, applied wet to the steel surface, and adheres directly to the steel as it is sprayed. It then dries and hardens to form a dense, cementitious coating that bonds firmly to the steel surface.
The finished coating is off-white to grey in colour, with a textured surface finish that is characteristic of spray-applied products. In most commercial building applications the Monokote-coated steelwork is concealed above a suspended ceiling or within a service void and is not visible in the finished building. Where steelwork is exposed the appropriate system is an intumescent coating, which provides a much smoother finish suitable for architectural applications.
How Monokote Works as a Fireproofing System
The principle of action for Monokote is thermal insulation. The cementitious coating applied to the steel surface has very low thermal conductivity, meaning it conducts heat very slowly. When a building fire exposes the steel structure to high temperatures, the Monokote coating slows the rate at which heat is conducted from the fire gases to the surface of the steel and from the surface of the steel through to its core.
This matters because structural steel loses its load-bearing capacity progressively as its temperature rises. The relationship between temperature and strength loss in steel is well established and forms the basis of structural fire engineering calculations. Most structural steel grades reach their critical temperature, the point at which the steel has lost enough strength to be unable to carry its design load, at around 550 degrees Celsius. In a fully developed building fire without any protection, unprotected steel can reach this temperature within 15 to 20 minutes.
By insulating the steel surface the Monokote coating extends the time it takes for the steel to reach its critical temperature. The thickness of Monokote required to achieve a given fire resistance period for a specific structural section is determined by calculation using certified fire resistance test data. The calculation takes into account the section factor of the steel member, which is the ratio of its heated perimeter to its cross-sectional area, and the required fire resistance period. Larger sections with lower section factors require less Monokote thickness than smaller, lighter sections with higher section factors.
This calculation-based approach, supported by an extensive database of certified fire resistance test data accumulated over decades of product development and testing, is one of the reasons Monokote is so widely specified by structural engineers. The certification covers a very wide range of section sizes and fire resistance periods, which means specifiers can confirm compliance for virtually any structural configuration encountered on a commercial project without requiring additional testing.
Where Monokote is Specified
Monokote is specified on commercial buildings wherever structural steel requires fire protection and where the steelwork will be concealed in the finished building. This covers a very wide range of building types across Ireland and internationally.
Office Buildings and Commercial Developments
Modern commercial office buildings in Ireland are predominantly steel-frame with composite metal deck floors. The structural steel columns and beams must be fireproofed to the period required by the building regulations, typically 60 or 90 minutes for multi-storey office buildings in Ireland. Where the steel is above a suspended ceiling, as it is in the majority of commercial office fit-outs, Monokote is the most practical and cost-effective fireproofing system available.
Schools and Educational Buildings
Schools and educational buildings represent a substantial proportion of public sector construction in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Steel-frame construction is common in modern school buildings and the concealed steelwork above ceiling tiles is routinely protected with Monokote. The programme for fireproofing on school projects must be carefully co-ordinated with the main contractor’s build programme to allow the ceiling installation and fit-out trades to follow on efficiently.
Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals and healthcare facilities have some of the most demanding fire resistance requirements of any building type. The vulnerability of patients who may be unable to self-evacuate, the complexity of the building services, and the operational continuity requirements of healthcare facilities all drive higher fire resistance standards and more rigorous compliance requirements. Monokote’s extensive certification data and reliable, documented installation process makes it a preferred system for healthcare construction projects in Ireland.
Retail Centres and Mixed-Use Developments
Retail centres and mixed-use developments involve large steel-frame structures with extensive roof spans and complex column grids. The volume of steelwork on a large retail development can be very significant and the efficiency of spray application compared to alternative systems such as board encasement makes Monokote the practical choice on projects of this scale.
Apartment Buildings and Residential Developments
Apartment buildings and residential developments at higher densities in Ireland use steel-frame construction increasingly, particularly in urban locations where the efficiency of steel construction and the ability to achieve longer spans and open plan layouts are design advantages. Building regulations require fire resistance for the elements of structure in apartment buildings and Monokote is a standard solution for the structural steel components.
Industrial and Warehouse Buildings
Industrial and warehouse buildings may require structural steel fireproofing depending on the occupancy classification and the compartment size. Large warehouses storing high fire load materials have more stringent passive fire protection requirements than standard storage buildings and Monokote is commonly specified for the structural steel in these applications.
FireShield Ireland: The Only Licensed Monokote Applicator in Ireland
FireShield Ireland holds the Irish distribution and application rights for Monokote. We are the only licensed Monokote applicator operating in Ireland, covering both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
This is a straightforward and important fact for anyone specifying or procuring structural steel fireproofing on an Irish construction project. If the specification calls for Monokote, the application will be carried out by FireShield Ireland. There is no alternative Monokote applicator in Ireland.
This position gives us a depth of experience with the product and its application that no other contractor in Ireland can match. Our team has applied Monokote on commercial construction projects across every county in Ireland and throughout Northern Ireland, across office buildings, schools, hospitals, retail centres, apartment buildings, industrial units, and all other building types that require structural steel fireproofing.
It also means that we are the primary point of contact in Ireland for technical queries about Monokote specification, application, and certification. If an architect or structural engineer has a question about whether Monokote is the appropriate system for a specific application, what thickness is required for a particular section size and fire resistance period, or what documentation will be provided at completion, we can answer those questions directly and accurately.
Full details of our Monokote spray application service are at https://fireshieldireland.com/services/monokote-spray/.
The Monokote Application Process on a Commercial Project
Understanding how Monokote is applied helps specifiers and main contractors plan the fireproofing element of a commercial project effectively and avoid the programme conflicts that arise when the fireproofing is not properly co-ordinated with the structural steel erection and the follow-on trades.
Specification Confirmation
Before any application begins, the required Monokote product grade, the required thickness for each structural member type on the project, and the project-specific technical information are confirmed in writing. This confirmation is the basis for the installation documentation provided at completion.
Surface Preparation
The steel surface must be clean, dry, and free from oil, grease, loose mill scale, and any surface contamination that would prevent adhesion. The compatibility of any shop-applied primer on the steelwork with Monokote must be confirmed before application begins. Most standard structural steel primers used in Ireland are compatible with Monokote but this is always verified project-specifically.
Application
Application is carried out using specialist spray equipment. The Monokote powder is mixed with water in a continuous mixing unit and pumped to the spray nozzle where it is applied to the steel surface. The application rate and the applied thickness are controlled by the operatives and monitored continuously during the application process.
Thickness and Density Verification
Thickness verification is carried out during and after application using calibrated pin gauges in accordance with the product’s application specification and the relevant quality assurance requirements. The number of thickness measurements per area of steel and the acceptance criteria are specified by the product manufacturer and are followed on every project. Density verification is carried out by comparing the weight of product applied with the area covered.
Completion Documentation
Documentation is compiled throughout the project and provided at completion in a form suitable for inclusion in the building’s health and safety file and for submission to building control. The documentation confirms that the specified product was applied at the required thickness and density to achieve the fire resistance period required by the project specification.
Common Questions About Monokote
Several questions come up regularly from architects, structural engineers, and main contractors who are specifying or procuring Monokote for the first time or on a project type they have not previously encountered.
Can Monokote be applied to all structural steel sections?
Monokote has certified fire resistance data covering a very wide range of standard structural steel section sizes including universal beams, universal columns, circular hollow sections, rectangular hollow sections, and composite beam configurations with metal deck floors. The certified data covers fire resistance periods of 30, 60, and 90 minutes for most section types. If you have an unusual section or configuration, contact us and we will confirm the applicable certification.
What primer is compatible with Monokote?
Most standard structural steel primers used on Irish construction projects are compatible with Monokote. We confirm compatibility for each project based on the primer specification and provide written confirmation before application begins. If there is any doubt about compatibility, we can advise on primer selection at the design stage.
How quickly can follow-on trades work after Monokote application?
In typical Irish construction site conditions Monokote is sufficiently dried and hardened to allow follow-on trades including ceiling installers to work in the area within 24 to 48 hours of application. This depends on the ambient temperature and humidity conditions at the time of application and the thickness applied. We confirm expected drying times at the programme planning stage for each project.
Can Monokote be repaired if it is damaged during construction?
Yes. Damaged Monokote can be repaired using the same product and application process as the original installation. Repairs are documented and included in the completion documentation. We recommend that any trades working in areas of completed Monokote take reasonable care to avoid unnecessary impact damage to the coating during the construction programme.
Specifying Monokote on Your Project
If you are at the design stage of a commercial project in Ireland or Northern Ireland and are considering Monokote for structural steel fireproofing, contact FireShield Ireland at the earliest opportunity. We provide specification support, NBS clause information, preliminary pricing, and programme information at design stage, and we attend design team meetings where the fireproofing specification is being developed.
Early engagement with FireShield Ireland on a project specifying Monokote avoids the specification and programme issues that arise when the fireproofing subcontractor is engaged late. The fireproofing programme must be co-ordinated with the structural steel erection sequence and the follow-on trades, and this co-ordination is most effectively done at an early stage when the programme still has flexibility.
Our full range of passive fire protection services for commercial buildings across Ireland and Northern Ireland is available at https://fireshieldireland.com/services/passive-fire-protection/.
North: +447340781054 South: +353871128539