When people buy wooden doors for their homes, they consider factors such as the type of wood, door frame design, longevity, and maintenance. An interesting feature offered by modern door manufacturers which deserves the attention of home buyers is fire retardancy. This enhanced safety feature in wooden doors can help prevent fire and smoke from spreading in case there is a fire outbreak, making your home much more secure than it already is. In fact, if your home’s existing doors are non fire rated, you must consider replacing them with a fire-rated wooden door. But before you start your search, here are answers to the six most frequently asked questions about fire-rated wooden doors. 

1- What are Fire-Rated wooden doors?

Fire-rated wooden doors are specially designed wooden doors that help contain and suppress fire from spreading from one space to another during an outbreak. They are made of high-performance solid core, finished using LVL core door frames or high-density hardwood. These doors are made to go through fire tests that are conducted by internationally recognized, independent testing laboratories, to ensure that they meet international fire safety standards. 

2- What are FD30, FD60 fire doors?

FD30, FD60, and FD90 are ratings that indicate the duration for which a door can resist a fire of a given magnitude. For instance, an FD 30 rated fire door can resist fire for 30 minutes while an FD 60 rated fire door can resist fire for up to 60 minutes.  These ratings depend on the thickness of the fire rated doors.

3- Where should we install Fire-Rated doors?

Fire-rated doors should be installed in areas where there’s a high probability of a fire breakout. In private properties, it is advisable to install fire doors in kitchens or rooms with several electrical devices. In case of multi-storey buildings, fire doors are installed on escape routes that include emergency exits, hallways, and staircases, to allow easy evacuation of the occupants.  

4- What are the maintenance requirements for Fire-Rated wooden doors?

Yes, fire doors should undergo a maintenance check on a periodic basis. British standards (BS 8214 and BS 9999) recommend fire doors to be inspected every 6 months. This may, however, vary depending upon the risk-assessment of the property. For instance, buildings with a higher footfall may need to undergo more frequent checks as compared to ones with low footfall. 

5- Are there any important quality standards for fire-rated doors?

This is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a fire-rated door. Your fire-rated door must adhere to important National and International standards like BS 476 Part 20, BS 476 Part 22 and IS 3614 Part 2. 

Last Word

Fire outbreaks are often incorrectly undermined and ignored, but if you are looking for enhanced safety for your property, you must consider installing fire-rated wooden doors. Choosing a reputable manufacturer is a must when shopping for fire-rated doors. Make sure to select a manufacturer who follows the required safety standards in the production of their fire-rated wooden doors. You can browse through the wood door design catalogue of top manufacturers to skim through their collection and know their exact product specifications.