Fire Doors

[InMyHO]

We are moving to a new house - well a conversion but everything except the walls is new. Anyway, the doors were all fitted but now have to be replaced with fire doors. These look the same apparently (oak veneered) but are thicker overall. The reason is that in one of the bedrooms it will not be possible to use the windows as a fire escape.

I have two questions:

• If the doors need to be fire doors does that automatically also mean that they need door closers?
• What is the difference in internal construction between an oak veneered non-fire-rated door and a fire-rated one?

 

[JohnD]

1. No

2. Thicker, denser construction, usually a slab of chipboard. Has been tested, certified and marked. You can only trim a small amount off, and nothing from the top edge, where the markings are.

Due to increased thickness and weight you will need certified hinges. You may also need new doorframe (liners).

I wonder how (or "if") the conversion received Building Regulations approval with incorrect doors.

 

[^woody^]

Regarding fire door closers, you need to ask whoever is telling you you need fire doors what specification they are talking about.

Normally, no professional will say "fire doors" but should refer to a "fire doorset" - which means the door, the frame/ lining, and the furniture.

So you don't just plonk any old fire door on, and that's it.

 

[InMyHO]

Ah, thanks both.

Just to be clear then, the builders are doing all this, they just told me for my information as it were. So I'm sure that all the right language was used between the inspector and them. I'm just being curious with question 2.

 

[JohnD]

The other difference, of course, is cost.

Fire doors are much more substantial, and give an impression of quality which cheap hollow doors do not.

They muffle noise.