To answer a key question, ‘Are all steel doors fire rated?’, depends on their composition and design.
In essence, fire-rated doors act as a barrier to contain smoke and fire for a specific duration.
Let’s delve deeper.
Fire-rated doors are engineered to confine fire and smoke within a building or prevent its spread between different areas. They undergo stringent testing to obtain certification for their ability to withstand fire for specified timeframes, typically denoted in minutes.
Fire-rated doors can come with various hardware options, such as lever handles for regular use or panic exit mechanisms for emergencies.
Legislative frameworks are employed to test these doors, with standards, on the best quality doors similar for both internal and external applications.
Fire-Resistant Door Design
Regulations mandate that steel fire-rated doors must bear either CE (European) or UKCA (UK) marking, necessitating rigorous testing and auditing processes to ensure compliance. They undergo thorough testing by third-party entities to ascertain their fire resistance. For example, a door that is fire-rated up to E120 (denotes that the system will not allow flames and hot gases to physically pass through for 120 minutes) and EW30 (a manufactured standard for laminated safety glass representing a 30-minute threshold). These are also CE marked to BS EN 14351-1 and EN 16034 standards. In addition, they can be acoustically rated. Up to 36dB is a good indicator of well contained sound. Furthermore, steel door seal options can be specified to provide a cold smoke seal with air leakage performance tested to BS 476: Part 31.1, the method for measuring smoke penetration through door sets under ambient temperature conditions. These are suitable for internal and external fire rated doors.
Designed to enable entry and exit, they are primarily built to order, individually constructed with a choice of hardware, frame, tolerances and panel options. Often made from anti-rust steel, well designed doors will be constructed with leaf skins that are mechanically interlocked and internally bonded, providing greater stability and protection against de-lamination.
Furthermore, individuality in design doesn’t need to deter from the main aim of fire resistance. Options can include vision panels in various panel formats and sizes, whilst louvre panels can be designed to increase airflow in areas that need efficient ventilation. These offer a flexible solution without compromising security or structural integrity.
Choosing The Right Door
The choice of a fire-rated door centres on the specific application and relevant legislative requirements. Factors such as proximity to hazards, building layout, intended usage during emergencies, and critical areas for partitioning guide this decision-making process.
For assistance, in selecting the most suitable doors for your project, our team of steel door experts is on hand to provide guidance and recommendations tailored to your needs.
