Neil Ashdown MAFDI

Hi Michael, Because gap sizes can vary so much you may have to use more than one fire stopping method. First of all, I should say that this subject is dealt with in detail by 'BS 8214:2016 Timber based fire door assemblies Code of practice'. Generally, for gaps up to 15mm you should completely fill the gap to the full depth of the door frame with tightly packed mineral wool. Make allowance though for a 10mm deep capping of intumescent acryilic sealant on both sides. The sealant should cap the mineral wool for a 10mm depth between the frame and the wall and not just to cover the surface of the gap. Intumescents are gap fillers and need surfaces to expand against under pressure, if applied to just a flat open surface they will just foam and fall away so they need to be inside the gap. This should be done all around the door frame to wall gap on both sides. Where the gap is up to 20mm, follow the same method as above but use tightly fitted 15mm timber or MDF architraves to overlap both frame and wall by at least 15mm. For small gaps such as 3mm to 6mm where use of mineral wool is impractical you should fill the gap as deep as is practically possible with intumescent acrylic sealant. For especially large gaps line the opening with continuous solid timber and fill any remaining gaps as above. Blue 60 is a new-ish product specially for timber fire door frames but minimum and maximum gaps apply to its use and the dedicated packers supplied with the foam must be used. So use in accordance with the product data sheet. Hope this helps.

Hi Giovitta, If you need to fit fire resisting doors and you need them to open as you describe then they will need to specified as double leaf, double action. This will make them quite costly because the timber door leaves will need to be suitable for that configuration and the correct pivot hinges and self-closing device will be necessary. My advice would be to think carefully about whether the doors need to be fire rated and if so whether the door leaves need to open in opposite directions. If its yes and yes, seek advice on a specific specification from a fire door specialist. The following document may be useful for reference purposes 'Fire safety in purpose built blocks of flats' https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/fire-safety-purpose-built-04b.pdf

A coat hook fixed to a fire door using small gauge short screws would be OK.

Unlatched fire doors are common place especially in corridor situations where a latch would be an unnecessary hindrance. Check with the door manufacturers' installation instructions / data sheet that the door has suitable evidence of fire performance 'unlatched'. Similarly, make sure the self-closing device has evidence of fire performance for use with an unlatched fire door. The usual fire rated BS EN 1935 good quality butt hinges are suitable for unlatched fire doors. Section 3 of 'The Code of Practice: Fire & Escape Doors' at http://firecode.org.uk/Code of Practice 2009 Issue 3.pdf provides further information.

Hi YanS, The trim allowance depends on the type of fire door and this information is usually included on the installation instructions that come with each door. If you can find a label on the top edge of the door you should be able to trace the manufacturer and data sheet to find out the maximum trim allowances. Where it is necessary to trim doors excessively fire door blanks are available for this purpose. The threshold gap should be 3mm maximum for a fire door that is required to restrict cold smoke spread (this will apply to most fire doors) or where restricted cold smoke spread is not a requirement you should refer to the installation instructions or data sheet. It is not necessary to use intumescent paint, usual water based or solvent based paints are OK to use.

The contractor should have installed in accordance with the Standard and/or the door leaf (or door-set) manufacturers instructions.

That seems a big ask. Don't know how far you've got with this but suggest talking to International Fire Consultants to ask if they know of such a product. FD120 doors details at https://www.warringtoncertification.com/certifire/timber-door/fd120.html and at https://www.warringtoncertification.com/certifire/fire-doors.html suggest talking to manufacturers to what's possible.

Yes. If they are short fixing holes they can be filled with acrylic wood filler then sanded and painted over. Make sure the self-closer is suitable for use on that side of the door leaf, some closers aren't suitable for the push side.

If you are installing a new 27" wide fire door, the door leaf should come with manufacturers installation instructions. These instructions should include details about the frame and will normally state minimum sectional size (such as 32mm thick x 75mm wide) and the material its made from (such softwood or hardwood). So if you need to add a 20mm thick piece of softwood (or hardwood if it's FD60) continuous along the outside of the door frame jamb, then that's OK so long as the continuous joint between the two pieces is tight with no gap. If you are using the existing door frame you first need to make sure that the frame meets the specification stated in the door leaf installation instructions. Assuming that it does, you may add a continuous piece of 20mm thick softwood (or hardwood if necessary) to the inside of the door frame jamb so long as the piece is the same full width as the existing door frame jamb and the joint between the two surfaces is tight without any gaps. Use sufficient fixings just as you would if you were fixing the jamb to the wall. When fixing the hinges to the hanging jamb I would advise using longer screws to ensure a good fixing through the 20mm thick added lining and into the existing jamb. But not so long that they pass right through the combined thickness of the lining and jamb.

Fire door installation and maintenance contractors should be following the door manufacturers installation instructions as well as the recognised guidance documents 'Timber based fire door assemblies. Code of practice' from https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030332501 and 'Hardware for fire & escape doors. Code of practice' from http://www.firecode.org.uk/

Guidance documents may provide assistance https://www.thefpa.co.uk//index.cfm?originalUrl=advice--guidance/advice--guidance_detail.fire-risk-assessment-for-small-businesses.html&_tkn=CB6A295D-2DCD-4B28-945E3904FE96D915 and https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/fire-risk-assessments

Hi Engineer, You say the door needs new glass so I am assuming its already glazed but that the glass is damaged. If so make sure the new glass is suitably fire resistant and that the repair work is completed using the correct gasket materials, hardwood bevelled glazing beads with pins/screws of the correct dimensions at the correct centres and angled towards the centre of the door core thickness. This document may be useful to you https://www.ggf.org.uk/publications/fire-resistant-glazing-publications/guide-best-practice-specification-use-fire-resistant-glazed-systems/ Do not attempt to cut an aperture for glazing to a fire door without first seeking expert advice.

Get advice from your local certificated fire door inspector at www.fdis.co.uk/inspector

The guidance document 'Fire Safety at Purpose Built Blocks of Flats' will be useful to you at https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/fire-safety-purpose-built-04b.pdf

Hi. Try www.fdis.co.uk/inspector

Hi Linda, There exists no data about minimum panel thickness and although panel thickness could be an issue there are other issues to consider besides this. How is the door constructed, timber stiles and rails? If so what is the size and thickness of each panel, what are the sizes of the stiles and rails? Or is it engineered construction and is it composite or timber? What is the door frame made from, PVCU or timber? It is possible for a flat entrance door to have panels and still be a fire resisting door. But its not possible to say for sure without seeing the door 'in the flesh', so if you have any doubt you should have the door inspected by a competent inspector. That person will be able to assess the door's suitability for its purpose and issue an inspection report.

Could be, Tom. Either way the installer should install or perhaps should have installed in accordance with manufacturers installation instructions.

Hi Gordo, From what you say it seems you have purchased new door leaves to replace existing ones damaged in a burglary and that these are to be fitted in the existing door frame. AnthonyB is correct, the usual rebate size for the meeting edges of fire doors is 13mm because they are fire-performance tested with that rebate size in the furnace to the BS 476 or BSEN 1634 test. The door leaf (or door blank) manufacturer will have produced installation instructions based on evidence from that fire performance test. Assuming the doors are being used as fire doors it is important that they are installed in exact accordance (including use of the correct door frame, seals and door hardware) with the door manufacturers installation instructions. Any deviation from the manufacturers installation instructions may invalidate fire performance certification and jeopardise fire separation performance.

The certification data sheet or technical manual will provide details for hinge positions for the particular fire door. If you can find out the door type and manufacturer then contact them for advice. There are timber based fire doors that allow the third hinge to be fitted as 'two at the top' as an alternative to central to door leaf height.

If the perimeter gap is too large then a non-compliance exists. Removing the existing lipping and replacing like for like (but thicker) is one method of resolving the issue. There are others. Check with the door manufacturer with regard to retaining certification.

I would advise the owner and, given recent events, ask him for permission to carry out a fire door inspection.

Hi Ben, Is it a fire door?

In recent months there have been many instances of management companies writing to leaseholders asking for proof that flat entrance doors are sufficiently fire resisting. So, where fire doors in common areas have non compliance issues leaseholders are quite correct in writing to the management company..................

Might be worth a look at products such as High Expansion Intumescent Sealant for use around cable penetrations through the wall adjacent to the door frame. Maybe Safelincs can supply something suitable?

Hi Mike, Clearly the more heavy use a door is subject to then the more maintenance issues will arise. Because the BS 9999 guidance already exists (and is reinforced in BS 8214) I would find it hard to ignore and therefore follow it in advising my clients. However, I believe the building's fire risk assessment should cover periodic inspections of fire safety devices and therefore should include a schedule for inspection and maintenance works based on A) how critical the door is to life safety, B) the fire risk at that part of the building, C) the condition of the door at the last inspection and D) the type of use to which the door is put. With flat entrance doors we know they are critical because the considered fire risk is from inside the flat whereas some common areas should be 'sterile'. However, doors in common areas are likely to suffer more wear and tear. As you say it would be good to hear from housing providers on this rather than fire door specialists like me!