fire rating old doors

[dodgem]

Anyone know how to do this?

I want to install a front door which opens up onto a shared hallway with 1 other flat.

I think the door ought to be fire rated, to provide fire separation to upstairs flat.

I bough a lovely old thick solid wood door I want to use so I think I need to fire rate it.

Does anyone know what I should do?

I was thinking of using some intumescent strips around the frame with brush seals.

Is this enough?

 

[foxhole]

Any glass in it?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

No! Normally in listed buildings consent can be obtained for a variance to the regulations in order to continue using a door which was originally fitted into the opening by fitting additional fire code compliant aids (e.g. intumescent paint, Intergraf fire stripping, lock wrapping, etc) but this cannot be applied to any old door you have gotten hold of.

If you replace a door in circumstances such as yours the door casing normally must be brought up to spec (fireproofing of gaps around the door frame beneath the architraves, possibly intumescent beneath the architraves and appropriate intumescent strips in either the frame or the door edges), appropriate fire rated hinges (and door closer) fitted, gapping around the door adjusted to 2 to 4mm round the sides, gap at the bottom reduced to 4mm (or an appropriate drop seal fitted), etc - but most importantly the door fitted must be fire rated and bear the appropriate test rating sticker (e.g. a BWF fire rating sticker) which shows that a sample door has been burn tested under controlled conditions by an independent test lab to ensure that the rating is correct - something you just cannot do on a second hand door. Sticking intumescent strips into an existing door or frame doesn't produce a fire door, either! After all, which wants to.be responsible for a fire spreading because they used a sub-par, so-called fire door?

 

[dodgem]

The door we want to use is a solid wood door at least 45mm thick, and was the front door of one of these massive old victorian buildings. It's really excellent quality.

I was going to use an envirograf paint on it, install a good quality thick frame, add intumescent strips around it, self closing fire hinges.

We also have a wired in heat/smoke detector inside the flat and sounder outside the door in the shared hallway.

Its an old building, and there is no fire compartmentation through the floors or walls as was converted into 2 flats before 1993.

The 2 flats don't really conform to any modern fire standards.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The door we want to use is a solid wood door at least 45mm thick, and was the front door of one of these massive old victorian buildings. It's really excellent quality.

Maybe so, but it ISN'T a fire rated door, it CAN'T be tested, so it therefore SHOULDN'T be used in a multiple occupancy building regardless of what you paint it with. The regs relating to fire doors are actually quite tight and apply to ALL new installations (and by definition this is a new installation). The rules about what modifications can or should be made to fire doors are meant to apply to existing doors in listed and/or historic buildings, so tradesmen (such as joiner) are no longer allowed to upgrade doors themselves and declare the work as meeting the regs. Will it make a difference? Does it really matter? You'll only ever find out if there is a fire, by which time it is way too late.

One question that you need to answer is "Who manages the building?" If the flat is subject to a lease the leassor (or management company) must be informed and they have a legal obligation to ensure that the work done is both safe and meets CURRENT legislation. If not, is there any legal contract or agreement in place between the two owners? Even if there isnt I think that you would be under a legal obligation to ensure that your works meet current fire standards.

I feel that you will also need to inform your insurers of these works and seek their approval.

TBH second hand door which cannot be fire rated is just a risky proposition regardless of how solid it is. Personally I'd just install a current spec FD60 fire door with appropriate hardware/fittings, hung in a replacement casing and have done with it, and then sleep better at night. In any case many enclosed shared access spaces in modern buildings require 1 hour fire doors which are generally 51mm thick as opposed to the 44mm of many 30 minute doors

For a previous employer I did act as one of the company's certified fire door inspectors, albeit on mainly commercial properties (offices, hotels, libraries, etc) and we were never allowed by Building Control to do the sort of thing you have proposed.

 

[dodgem]

Thanks for the advice. The old door will be going back on ebay

Assuming we now get a new FD60 fire rated door put in, can the wall between the flat and the shared hallway, around the door, be fire rated to 30 minutes?


The wall was installed before my time, and we think has a standard plasterboard either side of a 50-70mm timber stud wall.