Flat front exit doors miminum depth throughout.

[Guest Linda Cannell]

What is the minimum depth of a flat front exit fire door and is it a requirement to be this depth for the whole width of the door.

Can a panel door be a flat front exit door to legal fire standards.

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

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.

[Lincan]

It is a wooden door ( solid I think ) and the frame is painted timber. I don't know what a stile or rail is . The outer part of the door is 44mm thick to a width of 13cms all round the edge but this narrows to about half of this for the inner section of the door  and there are a couple of narrow thicker bits running from top to bottom of the door in this middle section.

These doors are supposedly FD30 doors and are fitted internally in the flat BUT the flat entrance door to the communal hallway has exactly the same door fitted . I thought this exit door had to be 44mm for the whole width of the door to comply with fire safety but cannot find anything to confirm that.  This block of 12 ( 2 X 6 flats ) were only built in 2014 and it appears that no initial fire risk assessment was done.  Can you tell me where a competent inspector could be located or what title I can search for someone local to me ,

Thank you for your help, Linda

 

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

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