A comparative study on three types of fireproofing coatings -cementitious, perlite/vermiculite, and epoxy- was made to determine their effectiveness in protecting steel structures. The effects of these coatings on the external protection of steel were structurally, thermally, and mechanically studied. The prepared cementitious coatings endured the heat until "1200 oC" for 1 hour showing dimensions stability without deformation nor cracking during firing. Both cold crushing strength and bulk density measurements decreased with increasing the perlite and vermiculite percentages. Six of the prepared 48 perlite/vermiculite and epoxy coatings succeeded in bearing heat until "900 oC" for 3.5 hours sustaining the steel substrates' temperature below "60 oC" following "UL94 standard". This protective effect was due to the formation of a hard glassy phase on its surface isolating it from the heat by the action of the applied constituents. TGA and DSC techniques were performed for these samples, revealing that they gave a high residual weight from 63 to 88% at "900 °C". Performing the SEM test showed that only a physical reaction occurred before firing. The results concluded that the used ingredients, which have low prices and are locally available, are recommended for the fire protection of steel.