Roscoflamex: A Complete Guide
Rosco Flamex · Flame Retardants
The right flame retardant, matched to your material
Theatres, film and TV sets, events, exhibitions, museums, retail displays and architectural fit-outs all have to meet fire requirements. Rosco Flamex is a range of water-based flame retardants matched to your material — drape, fabric, timber, paper or paint — so it passes without changing how it looks.
Where flame retardant is needed
Wherever people gather, the materials around them usually have to resist ignition and slow flame spread. It is rarely optional, and it is not just for the stage.
Venues & regulators require it
Theatres, schools, exhibition halls, museums, event spaces, retail fit-outs and public buildings routinely require drapes, sets, props and displays to be flame retarded before they go in.
Raw materials burn fast
Cotton drape, muslin, timber, paper, card and synthetic fabrics all ignite and spread flame easily. A treatment slows that down and buys people time.
The right product matters
Materials absorb and behave differently, so the matched product is what makes the treatment work — and what keeps you compliant.
How Flamex works
Water-based treatments you apply to the material, so the finished item resists ignition and slows flame spread.
Applied to the material
Most Flamex is sprayed, brushed or dipped onto the raw material. Flamex PA is the exception — it mixes into your paint (more below).
Slows ignition & flame spread
The treatment reduces the flammability of the treated material, helping it resist catching and slowing how fast flame travels across it.
Matched to the material
Almost every material maps to one of three products. Check yours on the next page against the full Rosco compatibility chart.
Test, then re-treat as needed
Always test a sample first. Treatments can be affected by washing, water and weathering, so re-apply after cleaning or long exposure.
Three products, almost every job
Rosco has consolidated the old single-material Flamex products into one multi-material treatment. In practice you now choose from just three.
Flamex MC
The all-rounder for wood, plywood, MDF, muslin, cotton, canvas, synthetic fabrics, paper, card and most scenic and display materials. One product for the vast majority of jobs.
Flamex DF
For lightweight and delicate textiles — silk, chiffon, organza, taffeta and similar — where keeping the drape and appearance matters.
Flamex PA
A clear additive you mix into water-based paint to make the finished paint layer flame retardant. More on this below.
Flamex PA, explained
The one that catches people out, because it does not work like the others.
What it is
Flamex PA is a clear, un-pigmented flame retardant additive that you mix directly into water-based paint. Instead of treating a raw material, it makes the finished paint coating itself flame retardant, so you keep your chosen paint system and colour.
How it works & what it does
Mixed at one full jar per 1 gallon (3.79 L) of paint, it builds flame retardancy into the dried paint film. It covers roughly 28 m² per treated gallon, and the finished paint layer must be at least 4 mil thick to work, so the effect depends on both the additive and the coat thickness.
- Works in latex and water-based paints, Rosco scenic paints, primers and acrylic glazes
- Keeps the paint’s colour and finish — no separate spray step
- Ideal for painted sets, murals, exhibition builds, displays and film scenery
Which one do you need?
Check your exact material against the full Rosco compatibility chart, see how to apply it, then order a sample or the product.
Next step · Step 2 of 3 Check your material & how to applyNot sure what your project needs?
We are the exclusive Rosco distributor for Australia and New Zealand, supplying theatre, film and TV, events, exhibitions, museums, retail and architectural projects. Tell us your material and what you are treating it for, and we will confirm the right Flamex, the quantity, and what your venue or approver will ask for.