Fireproof paint can be categorized based on the fire protection method as either intumescent or fire retardant. These coatings are then further classified by the duration of fire protection they offer, ranging from 30 to 120 minutes. Intumescent paint functions by creating an insulating layer between the steel substrate and the fire. When exposed to high temperatures during a fire, the intumescent paint undergoes a reaction, expanding up to 50 times its original thickness and forming a solid foam-like char to protect the steel substrate.