Samarkand is one of the country’s main tourist centres: the aim is to attract 6 million tourists here by the end of 2026 (the President’s press service), and such a flow needs hotels, congress halls, museums and public buildings. In the region’s economy the textile industry, metallurgy, electrical engineering and building materials production are growing fast, agriculture and viticulture are well developed, and the planned special industrial zone provides for, among other things, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. So the questions about protective coatings here are of two kinds: how to make fire protection unobtrusive in an interior where architecture matters, and how to ensure durable protection in workshops.
Public buildings: fire protection you cannot see
In hotels and exhibition and congress centres, steel often remains exposed — atrium columns, hall trusses, stairs, canopies. Thin-film intumescent paints suit such places: the coat is thin, the surface smooth, and a decorative topcoat of the required colour is applied on top. But this attractive result comes with conditions:
- the topcoat must be from the list approved by the fire protection manufacturer — otherwise it may inhibit intumescence;
- the thickness is calculated for each section and the required fire resistance rating, not applied “by eye” until the surface looks even;
- concealed structures behind ceilings and in shafts are cheaper and more reliably protected with boards or plasters.
A separate topic is the timber elements of interiors and roofs typical of buildings in the national style: for them there are fire-retardant impregnations and varnishes that preserve the texture of the wood. Equally important are service penetrations and ductwork: in buildings with many rooms and halls there are dozens of them, and at acceptance they are checked as rigorously as the frame.
When buildings are refurbished within existing built-up areas, new steel elements — floor beams, bracing, stairs — are often erected in cramped conditions where blast cleaning is impossible. In that case the steel is prepared and primed in the shop, and on site the fire protection is applied and any damage is repaired with the same primer.
Industrial enterprises in the region
- Food and fruit and vegetable processing, cold stores. Humid workshops with equipment washdown, condensation on cold surfaces — steelwork needs an epoxy system for a humid environment, and floors need durable, hygienic coatings: fruit juices and syrups contain organic acids and sugars that destroy unprotected concrete (the resin flooring section is being expanded).
- Metallurgy and electrical engineering. Large-span workshops with overhead travelling cranes and single-girder cranes: fire protection of the frame to the design, crane rail grouting, anchoring of machine tools and presses, heat-resistant systems near furnaces.
- Chemical and pharmaceutical production. Acidic and saline media, solvents, vessels, bunds, floors with cleanliness requirements — chemical protection selected using the questionnaire.
- Building materials. Dust, heat, heavy mills and rotary kilns — heat-resistant coatings and grouts under dynamic equipment.
The Zarafshan Valley: climate and seismicity
The valley’s climate is continental: summers are hot and dry, winters cool with frosts. According to the 1991–2020 climate normals, the Samarkand station receives about 378 mm of precipitation a year, most of it in March, while from June to September there is almost no rain. Over 1928–2019 the mean annual temperature at the Samarkand weather station rose by 2.9 °C — more than at any other station in the country (national climate communication, 2024), and in July 2026 a new heat record of 43.6 °C was set here. In summer, overheating of steel and dust get in the way; in the shoulder seasons, damp and condensation on cold steel, so the schedule of fire protection and painting work is drawn up with the season in mind. Exposed steelwork in urban and industrial atmospheres is usually assigned to category C3–C4 — as a guide; for a specific building or workshop the category is determined to ISO 9223 and ISO 12944-2.
Samarkand, Kattakurgan and almost all districts of the region are on the list of zones with seismicity of intensity 8 on the MSK-64 scale (Annex 2 to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 727 of 17.11.2025). This concerns not so much the coatings themselves as supports and fixings: equipment anchoring and grouting under baseplates are carried out to the designer’s calculation, and anchoring products are chosen with an assessment confirming their performance under seismic actions — see anchoring and anchor grouting.
How we work with projects in Samarkand Region
For architects and designers we prepare fire protection thickness calculations and descriptions of systems for the design section, and review the section free of charge — page for designers. For clients and main contractors — selection of materials with options from different manufacturers, trial areas, technical supervision and reports for acceptance. We supply materials to Samarkand, Kattakurgan, Urgut and the districts of the region; delivery is coordinated with the schedule of finishing and erection work.
Nearby are Jizzakh Region with its new industrial zones and Navoi Region with its mining enterprises; the other regions are in the general section.
Questions from architects and clients
Can fire protection be repainted in a different colour?
Yes, but only with a topcoat permitted by the manufacturer of the fire protection material, and without exceeding the topcoat thickness. Repainting “with whatever is to hand” may deprive the coating of its ability to intumesce.
Is fire protection of timber structures needed in a hotel?
That depends on the design requirements for the fire hazard of structures and finishes. If it is required, we select a product that preserves the appearance of the wood and is backed by tests.
At what stage of construction should fire protection be applied?
After the frame has been erected and services routed through the walls, but before ceilings and shafts are closed up — otherwise some of the structures will become inaccessible. Water-based paints are applied once the building is closed against rain, and the decorative topcoat towards the end of finishing works, so that other trades do not damage it.
A hotel, public building or workshop in Samarkand Region — tell us about the project and we will propose a fire and corrosion protection solution. You can call or message us: +998 94 094 52 27. Send the design section for review to info@ognezashita.uz.