Fireproofing Special Inspection

What we inspect

We inspect sprayed fire resistive material (SFRM) and intumescent fire resistive coatings on structural steel — beams, columns, joists, trusses and metal deck — verified against the specific UL or listing agency design assigned to each assembly. Different members in the same building often carry different required thicknesses, so we work from the fire resistance schedule rather than a single project-wide number.

• Substrate condition, cleanliness and primer compatibility with the listed design
• Ambient and substrate temperature and ventilation during application
• Product identification against the listed design, including lot numbers
• Applied thickness measured at the frequency the code requires
• Density testing on representative samples
• Cohesion and adhesion bond testing
• Condition after other trades — damage, removal for hangers and penetrations, and patching
• Compatibility and correct sequencing where fireproofing meets firestopping at joints

Testing methods

Thickness and density are determined per ASTM E605 and bond strength per ASTM E736, with sample locations distributed across members and floors rather than clustered where access is easy. Where thickness falls short of the listed design, the deficient area is mapped, reported, and re-measured after the applicator corrects it.

Damage after application

The most common deficiency we find is not the original application — it is fireproofing knocked off or cut away by trades installing hangers, ducts and conduit after the applicator left. We inspect for this condition specifically before ceilings close, because it is invisible afterward and it voids the rating just as completely as thin application does.

Common questions

Do you inspect intumescent coatings as well as cementitious SFRM?

Yes. Intumescent coatings are verified by dry film thickness against the listed design, with the same attention to substrate preparation and primer compatibility, which is where most intumescent failures originate.

What if fireproofing was damaged by another trade?

It is documented as a deficiency with location and extent, reported to the contractor and the building official, and re-inspected after patching. Patching must use the same listed product and achieve the listed thickness.

Code basis and deliverables