Fire Doors

Fire safety within the home is a hugely important factor to consider. A house fire is something no homeowner ever wants to think about or experience. However, ensuring your property is as protected as possible from potential fire threats is the number one way of enhancing the safety of you and your family. A simple yet highly effective method of improving your home’s fire protection is by installing high-quality internal fire doors.  

Fire doors save lives. They are specially constructed and installed to reduce the rate at which fire can spread throughout your property, giving you the crucial time to escape through a safer route. Through extensive testing and expert methods of manufacturing, fire doors have been developed to keep your household as fire safe as possible whilst still maintaining a polished sense of style too. 

With a stunning range of fire door styles online to choose from, improving your home’s fire safety doesn’t have to mean compromising aesthetics. Here at DIY Megastore, we stock a gorgeous range of glazed, panelled, and blank fire doors in a mix of both contemporary and traditional designs. Our extensive range incorporates a wide variety of fire door types to accommodate every kind of property, taste, and budget, with each crafted to the highest standards of quality for optimum peace of mind. 

Very similar in terms of visual appearance, the main differences between fire doors and regular internal doors are found in the build, construction, and installation of the door instead. Fire doors are manufactured using a composite blend of materials and are typically much heavier and slightly thicker than your standard internal door. Due to the additional weight, fire doors can be a little trickier to open and close but not so that it affects the door’s functionality.  

In terms of installation, fire doors must be fitted with a specialist door closer to ensure they shut automatically after opening. Seals should also be installed around the edges of the door, to block gaps through swelling as the door heats up. All glass panels within a glazed fire doors must be tested and fire-resistant as well as all ironmongery and hardware too.  

The amount of fire doors you want in your home is generally down to the level of protection you want to create. Having a fire door installed for your bathroom or toilet typically isn’t as crucial, but in higher-risk areas such as the kitchen, a fire door could be a very beneficial in terms of improved safety.  

There are also safety regulations that stipulate the different requirements for the use of fire doors:

Domestic Homes 

In domestic properties over two storeys high, a fire door should be used to separate the stairwell and every habitable room not including toilets and bathrooms. This incorporates rooms at each level of the home. You will also need to install an appropriate fire door in loft conversions as well as between the property and an integral garage. 

Mixed Use 

For residential and commercial mixed-use properties, the areas of residential inhabitancy and business should be separated by fire doors. 

Non-Domestic Buildings 

The guidance for fire doors in non-domestic buildings is a little more extensive than that for residential homes. It is generally separated into different sections concerning regulations for horizontal and vertical escape routes separately. 

The guidance also states a variety of other requirements to follow. These include utilising the correct signage and additional instructions (such as “Keep Closed”) on all fire doors as well as ensuring all door opening furniture contrasts visually with the door and frames/architrave contrast with surrounding walls.  

We suggest researching and reading the Government’s Approved Document B relating to fire doors to inform yourself of all necessary requirements. 

Fire doors are available in a range of different fire ratings which indicate the length of time at which the fire door can resist fire. The minimum fire rated door available is that of FD30 which is constructed to resist and protect against heat and flame for 30 minutes. The maximum fire door rating is FD60, offering a longer timeframe of protection at 60 minutes. If an ‘S’ is stated after the fire rating, this indicates that the door not only helps to inhibit the spread of fire but can also prevent cold smoke spreading too.  

The choice of whether a FD30 or FD60 door is more suitable, typically depends on the size and capacity of the building. Very large commercial spaces holding a considerable volume of people will often benefit from the protection of an FD60 fire door. FD30 fire doors are better suited to smaller scale buildings and residential homes, as accessibility to a safe escape route is quicker.  

Just because you want your internal doors to meet fire regulations, doesn’t mean they can’t also suit your style needs too. Here at DIY Megastore, we stock a stunning range of glazed, panelled, and flush blank fire doors to suit every aesthetic and property style. Whether you are on the hunt for something sleek, minimal, or modern, or simply love the timeless classic charm of traditional design- we have the perfect fire door within our range perfect for you. 

Available in a range of styles, colours and finishes, our gorgeous fire doors make a chic and elegant addition to any contemporary or classic living space. Go for a smooth white flush finish to blend beautifully with a neutral modern design scheme or inject a warm natural feeling with one of our stunning wood fire doors. Utilise fire-resistant glazing to protect your home whilst maximising the spread of light and really opening up your space.  

Fire doors must be correctly installed in accordance with specified fitting instructions in order to provide protection for your home. We only recommend installing fire doors if you are competent and experienced in the fitting technique. Incorrect installation will compromise the effectiveness of your fire door so if you are unsure, it is always advised that you contact a professional to aid installation.  

 Fire doors alone will not provide the appropriate standard of fire resistance needed to protect you in the event of a fire. Fire doors are only completely effective when installed correctly with the right fixings and hardware in place. As well as just purchasing your fire door, consider the following ways to maximise its fire resistance. 

Intumescent Seals 

The gap between the fire door and frame is a weak spot that can compromise the performance of your door. Intumescent seals are installed to prevent this by expanding when exposed to heat. There are two main types of intumescent seal: fire only and fire and smoke. 

When a fire only seal is installed, a certain amount of smoke will be able to escape however not to the same degree if no seal was installed at all. Fire and smoke seals are designed to protect against the spread of both fire and cold smoke.  

Correct Hardware 

Fire tested and certified hardware must also be installed alongside your fire door to ensure optimum effectiveness. This includes hinges, closers, locks, latches, and air transfer grilles.  

Keep Closed 

Fire doors must always be kept closed and should never be wedged or propped open. The only way your fire door can effectively prevent the spread of fire and smoke is by keeping it fully closed when not in use. 

Check your Doors 

Just as you regularly check your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, fire doors should also be subject to routine inspection too. This is to make sure all elements of the door are correctly fitted and in place with no compromise to the door’s fire resistance. You should carry out a thorough check at least once every 6 months or more regularly for very busy areas.