A composition for coating the surface of a substrate, particularly structural members, and providing thereon an adherent, fireproof barrier coating including an aqueous dispersion containing vinyl acetate, titanium dioxide, pumice, zinc oxide, sodium silicate, hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate, a comminuted high temperature fluorocarbon resin, a furan resin, comminuted charcoal, and a dispersing agent.

A composition comprising a mixture of: (i) polyethylene; (ii) aluminum silicate; (iii) sodium-potassium-aluminum silicate (iv) calcium metasilicate; (v) one or more fatty acid amides; and (vi) a mixture of fatty acid mono-and diglycerides.

The use of a liquid mixture of a liquid alkali-metal silicate preferably sodium or potassium silicate and more preferably sodium silicate with an inert mineral filler selected from perilite and vermiculite, suitably in an amount from 5 to 50% by weight and a mineral powder suitably selected from aluminum trihydrate and Wollastonite in an amount such as to intumesce with said silicate and to form a non-porous ceramic coating when subject to fire and suitably in an amount from 2 to 25% by weight for the protection of steel beams and columns against twisting due to fire. The formation of such coating both insulates and protects the steel beam or column from the heat from said fire. Suitably the thickness of the coating is at least two inches and is preferably from 2 to 4 inches to achieve the protection.

A nonflammable paper having a sufficient yield at the time of paper-making and a sufficient non-combustibility and strength even in a basis weight as low as 100 g/m.sup.2 or less is provided, which paper is obtained by dispersing in water a composition comprising 40 to 95% by weight of calcium silicate in the form of needle, plate, thin film or a secondary aggregate thereof, and aluminum hydroxide powder, in a specified ratio by weight, 5 to 30% by weight of cellulose fibers and 0 to 30% by weight of other additives, the total weight of these components being 100% by weight, followed by subjecting the dispersion to paper-making.

The invention disclosed is a fire resistant inorganic coating composition which intumesces when subject to high temperatures to form a substantially continuous heat insulating structure and retains this structure for prolonged periods at temperatures up to 1000.degree. C. The coating composition comprises A composite fire-protective coating system is also disclosed which comprises a plurality of coatings sequentially applied to the substrate, typically aluminum, to be protected. Specifically, a first heat resistant, substantially air impermeable bonding layer and an inorganic intumescent layer as described above. An additional heat resistant air impermeable layer may be included as a top coat. Some applications may require an additional inorganic intumescent layer.