Case Study — Commercial

Intumescent Coating for CPS House

Photograph from the Intumescent Coating for CPS House project delivered by UCL Ltd

Introduction

UCL Ltd was contracted to apply passive fire protection coatings to structural steelwork at CPS House, Cheltenham, as part of a multi-storey office refurbishment carried out by Lancer Scott. The project required a 60-minute fire-rated intumescent system with a decorative finish suitable for a commercial office environment.

Our Solution

Steelwork arrived on site abrasive blasted and primed by the steel fabricator. UCL's operatives carried out a thorough surface inspection prior to application, followed by hand and tool preparation to de-nib the steel, remove surface contaminants, and flatten any raised areas. Inter-coat preparation was completed to establish a sound adhesion path across all surfaces. A two-layer system was then applied, comprising a 60-minute fire-rated intumescent coating followed by a decorative topcoat. Both layers were applied to the specified dry film thickness (DFT) to ensure the system met fire performance requirements and achieved the required aesthetic standard for the occupied office environment.

Key Benefits

  • 60-minute passive fire protection rating achieved across all treated structural steelwork
  • Decorative topcoat delivered a smooth, high-quality finish appropriate for a commercial interior
  • Surface preparation carried out to industry standards, ensuring coating adhesion and long-term performance
  • Off-site priming by the fabricator coordinated effectively with UCL's on-site application programme
  • Client signed off works with full satisfaction on both performance and appearance

Conclusion

UCL Ltd successfully delivered a compliant, aesthetically acceptable intumescent coating system within a live commercial refurbishment. This project demonstrates UCL's capability to apply passive fire protection coatings to exacting standards in occupied, time-sensitive environments.


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