Fire doors are a critical part of a building’s passive fire protection strategy as they are designed to hold back smoke and flames long enough for an evacuation and emergency response.
Choosing the right fire door requires an understanding of the building type, layout, regulations and usage. Both commercial and domestic properties have specific requirements under UK fire safety legislation that building owners or managers need to be aware of.
In this guide, Fire Door Specialists break down the different door types, their suitability for different buildings, and the key considerations for correct installation.
Understanding the different types of fire doors
Fire doors have their own unique ratings which are categorised by the amount of time that they are able to resist fire, smoke and heat. The FD ratings indicate the minutes of fire resistance and range from 30 to 120.
FD30 fire doors provide 30 minutes of resistance and are commonly used in most residential properties, smaller commercial buildings and areas with moderate fire risk. These are often sufficient when fire escape routes are short or when additional fire safety measures such as alarms or sprinklers are in place.
FD60 fire doors provide 60 minutes of resistance and are better suited to larger or more complex buildings. These include high occupancy areas and anywhere with slower evacuation times, including commercial and industrial settings, plant rooms, basements and storage rooms containing combustibles.
There are also FD90 and FD120 fire doors, but these are typically used in industrial or specialised environments and are not the core focus for most buildings.
Suitable fire doors for commercial properties
Offices, hospitals, schools, retail units, warehouses, manufacturing sites and public buildings all need their own fire doors to comply with regulations and keep occupants safe. Fire doors are typically required in protected stairwells and escape routes, as well as corridors that act as fire compartments.
They are also needed around kitchens, boiler rooms, server rooms and plant rooms as these are high-risk areas, as are storage areas containing hazardous or flammable items. Fire doors are also necessary for larger open-plan areas that require compartmentation.
Choosing the right fire door is very important and will depend on the type of building and how it is used. Most commercial properties use FD60 doors in higher risk areas like plant rooms, chemical storage and long corridors, whilst FD30 doors are used for general compartmentation where evacuation times are short. Heavy duty construction is crucial for high-traffic buildings and commercial-grade hardware is essential.
When it comes to smoke control, doors may require FD30S or FD60S certification to indicate that they offer both fire and smoke protection.
What to consider when installing fire doors in commercial buildings
There are several legal and regulatory requirements that need to be taken into consideration. All commercial buildings must comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which indicates that a ‘responsible person’ should ensure fire doors meet certified standards, including checking that all fire doors are third party certified and properly documented.
The usage of fire doors and the footfall in the area is important, as high traffic areas are likely to require durable materials, reinforced frames and robust hinges and closers. You may need to consider the need for automatic closers that do not hinder accessibility.
You need to ensure that your chosen fire door aligns with the building’s fire compartmentation plan. Any large or complex buildings will often need mixed fire door ratings across different zones.
All fire doors come equipped with their own hardware and certain amounts of maintenance will be necessary. It is important that intumescent strips and cold smoke seals must be installed correctly. There also needs to be regular inspections of the doors due to intensive use, with monthly checks being standard in many workplaces. The necessary hardware includes hinges, locks, closers, vision panels and handles.
Fire doors often need to be integrated with other building systems and so they can be used with magnetic hold-open devices that release automatically when the fire alarms activate. It is also important that you think about accessibility, as fire doors must be compliant with the Equality Act while still maintaining the necessary levels of fire protection.
Suitable fire doors for domestic properties
In houses, FD30 internal fire doors are typically used in circulation spaces, loft conversions and integral garages. Not all doors in a single-family home will require fire certification, but any connecting doors between risk rooms often do.
Flats and apartments require more robust compartmentation due to there being shared areas and single escape routes. FD30S doors are normal for entrances to individual flats, stairwells and communal escape routes, and service cupboards in communal areas. These fire doors must be able to resist smoke leakage.
For Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), there are much stricter requirements FD30S doors are generally required on bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms and escape corridor doors, whilst automatic closers and smoke seals are also usually compulsory.
FD60 doors may be necessary in residential buildings if they are large, converted properties with a complex layout. They are also necessary in high-rise blocks where evacuation takes longer and buildings with extended travel distances.
What to consider when installing fire doors in domestic properties
All requirements set by the Building Regulations (Approved Document B) need to be taken into consideration. HMOs must comply with additional local authority fire safety rules and flat entrance doors must be third party certified and self-closing.
Domestic users often dislike heavy closers, so you must choose closers which have a controlled action to improve everyday usability. You also need to consider elderly or disabled residents who may struggle with heavier doors.
Homeowners also want doors that blend with their interior décor, so the aesthetics of your fire doors are important. They must still be certified even if they are veneered, glazed or colour matched.
Installation of fire doors is also important as the frames must be compatible with the fire door certification and any gaps around the door need to meet a strict tolerance of 2-4 mm. Any fire rated glazing must also include the correct seals and beads.
There needs to be a process of ongoing maintenance in relation to your fire doors. Whilst checks can be less frequent than in commercial properties, they are still essential for checking for warping, damaged seals, malfunctioning closers or gaps.
Choosing the right fire door is essential for every building, whether it is residential or commercial. A suitable fire door is more than a safety feature as it is a legal requirement and an essential part of protecting people, property and escape routes.