Fire door specifications
2025-11-30
Fire door specifications
A fire door is a complete system, not just a single fire door. Fire door specifications involve many aspects, such as fire resistance rating, materials, hardware, and installation.
What is a Fire Door?
A fire door is a passive fire protection facility designed to:
1、Save Lives: Provide safe escape routes for occupants.
2、Contain Fire & Smoke: Effectively prevent the spread of flames and smoke for a specified period, limiting the scope of the disaster.
3、Protect the Building Structure: Buy valuable time for the structural stability of the building and firefighting efforts.
Core Specification: Fire Resistance Rating
This is the most critical specification, indicating the duration for which the door assembly can maintain its integrity and insulation during a standard fire test.
Fire-resistance rating: The duration the door can withstand fire, ranging from 20 minutes to 180 minutes (3 hours) or more.
Certification label: An embossed label indicating the door has been tested and certified by a third-party organization, such as UL or WHI, and includes the manufacturer's information.
Fire-resistance rating: The duration the door can withstand fire, ranging from 20 minutes to 180 minutes (3 hours) or more.
Certification label: An embossed label indicating the door has been tested and certified by a third-party organization, such as UL or WHI, and includes the manufacturer's information.
Integrity (E) & Insulation (I):
Integrity (E): The ability of the door to prevent the passage of flames and hot gases to the unexposed side during a fire.
Insulation (I): The ability to effectively block heat transfer, keeping the average temperature rise on the unexposed side below 140°C (and below 180°C at any single point).A full-specification fire door typically requires both Integrity (E) and Insulation (I).
Materials and construction:
Door leaf: Often made of steel with a specific gauge, a core of honeycomb, polystyrene, or other fire-resistant materials, and is typically 1-3/4 inches thick.
Frame: Must be made of compatible materials and have specific anchor and sealing provisions, including intumescent (heat-activated) seals.
How to determine the right specification
Identify the location: The type of room or opening will determine the required fire-resistance rating. For example, a wall dividing different occupancies might require a 60-minute door, while a stairwell enclosure needs a higher rating.
Check wall rating: The door's rating is often determined by the wall it is installed in. A general rule is that the door rating should be approximately three-fourths the rating of the surrounding wall, but exceptions exist.
Consult codes: Always refer to local building codes, as they may have specific requirements for certain applications or locations that differ from national standards.
Look for a label: A proper fire door assembly will always have a label from a testing agency that confirms its rating and suitability for the intended use.
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