Is Stainless Steel Fireproof?

All materials, from metals to masonry and from timber to plastic, have their pros and cons. That said, it's quite difficult to find any disadvantages for stainless steel!

You'll find stainless steel used for countless applications in every area of modern life. It is prized for its innumerable qualities such as cost-effectiveness, strength, versatility, sustainability and the famously-high level of resistance to corrosion that gives it its name. But how well can stainless steel stand up to fire and heat? This edition of the BS Stainless blog will tell you everything you need to know...

You might be surprised to learn that, unlike the majority of other materials, stainless steel does not carry an official fire rating. Why not? The answer is a simple one: stainless steel does not even REQUIRE an official fire rating! That's because the material cannot be ignited and in fact will not even start to melt until it reaches the searing temperature of 1,400°C; this level of heat is not even close to being experienced in almost all practical applications. 

Stainless steel has been subjected to a barrage of tests by various bodies in this regard and all of the results point in the same direction. At extreme temperatures, stainless steel stands head and shoulders above other comparable materials such as galvanised steel and aluminium. This remains true even when the material is exposed to prolonged instances of extremely high temperatures, way above those found in even the largest conflagrations.  

As stainless steel cannot ignite, it follows that it cannot propagate the spread of flames and this is especially important when the material is used for construction applications. As well as continuing to perform unaffected by high temperatures, stainless steel also strongly resists any oxidation in their presence. 

The combination of strong resistance to both fire and corrosion sees stainless steel enjoying numerous applications throughout the oil and gas industries. A key area in which it is used to to clad and otherwise protect insulation cladding systems, with stainless steel banding being widely used as part of this application. The fire resistance also makes stainless steel important in many other areas where regular exposure to extreme heat is of concern, such as structural cladding, automotive applications and in commercial kitchens. 

BS Stainless is a premier supplier of stainless steel in all of its many formats and grades. We employ a dedicated team of experts who can offer authoritative advice on all subjects so please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.