Fire rated wood doors are specified wherever a building requires a compartment to resist flame spread and heat transfer for a set period. Our rated timber doors are supplied for hotel corridors, stairwells, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings, and every rated batch ships with its test report.
Ratings and where they are used
30-minute doors suit corridors serving a single fire compartment, and some guest room and storage room doors. 60-minute doors are used on stairwells and doors into higher-risk rooms. 90-minute doors appear where a compartment adjoins a higher hazard space, such as a plant room or an industrial riser.
In a hotel, the corridor and stairwell doors are usually the only rated doors in a guest floor, and the guest room doors themselves rarely need a rating. If your tender document specifies rated doors, it is worth confirming which openings actually require them, because the difference in cost and lead time is significant.
How a wood fire door is built
A rated door is an assembly, not a leaf. Four elements work together:
- The core. Solid timber or a steel-reinforced engineered core, sized to the required rating. A thicker leaf is not automatically a higher rating; the core density and configuration matter.
- The intumescent seal. Strips in the frame and the leaf rebate expand under heat and close the gap, which is what keeps smoke and flame from passing.
- The hinge and lock. Certified hardware that stays functional through the test, otherwise the door fails on operation rather than on flame.
- The glazing, where vision panels are used. Fire-rated glass with the same rating as the door, not standard glass in a rated frame.
Testing
Rated doors are tested to EN 1634 or GB 12955 in a furnace. The complete assembly is exposed to flame, and two properties are measured: integrity, whether flame and hot gases pass through, and insulation, how much heat crosses the assembly. The lower rating governs the classification.
Because the test covers the assembly, changing the hinge, the lock or the frame after testing invalidates the rating. That is why we supply the door as a complete set with compatible hardware, rather than selling the leaf separately.
Hardware options
Self-closing devices, panic bars, electromagnetic locks, coordinate closers and vision panels can all be specified. Hardware is supplied pre-fitted and tested, so the installed door matches the tested configuration.
Order information
Standard rated openings are 800-1200 mm wide by 2100-2500 mm high, with single or double leaves. Custom sizes are possible but extend the test coverage discussion, so tell us the opening schedule early. Lead time is normally 30-40 days for rated doors, longer than standard products because of the test documentation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 30 and 60 minute fire door?
The rating is the time the assembly resists flame spread and heat transfer in a furnace test. 30-minute doors suit corridors within one fire compartment; 60-minute doors are used for stairwells and higher-risk rooms.
Is a fire resistant door the same as a certified fire door?
No. Only a complete assembly tested to EN 1634 or GB 12955 carries a rating. Changing the hinge, lock or frame after testing invalidates it, so the door is supplied as a complete set.
Do hotel guest room doors need a fire rating?
Usually not. In most hotels only corridor and stairwell doors are rated. It is worth checking the tender document, as the cost and lead time difference is significant.
Can you supply self-closing and panic hardware?
Yes. Self-closing devices, panic bars, electromagnetic locks, coordinate closers and fire-rated vision panels can all be supplied pre-fitted and tested.
What is the lead time for fire rated doors?
Normally 30-40 days, longer than standard products because each batch requires test documentation.
