Fire doors and building control drawings: a guide
Fire doors are a key part of the fire-safety strategy in many homes and conversions. Here is how they work, when they are required, and how they feature in your building control drawings.
How fire doors work
An internal fire door does two jobs: it holds back the spread of fire and smoke, and it helps protect a clear escape route. Fire doors are made from fire-resistant materials and fitted with intumescent strips around the edges. In a fire the heat makes these strips expand, sealing the gap between door and frame. A fire door is rated by how long it resists fire, 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60).
Fire door regulations
Fire safety in buildings is governed by legislation including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and in residential building work by Approved Document B of the Building Regulations, which covers escape routes, internal fire spread and external fire spread. Fire doors must be specified, installed, inspected and maintained accordingly.
When are fire doors required?
The number and position of fire doors depends on the project, but as a general guide they are typically needed to habitable rooms opening onto a stairwell (bathrooms and WCs are usually excluded):
- New builds: in homes of three or more storeys, fire doors to every habitable room leading off the stairwell.
- Loft conversions: fire doors to habitable rooms leading off the protected stairway, as part of the new escape route.
- Garage conversions: an attached garage converted to a habitable room must be separated from the house by an FD30 fire door.
Choosing and installing fire doors
Fire-rated doors are widely available in the same range of finishes and glazing as ordinary doors, and can be painted or varnished normally without affecting performance. Correct installation is critical: the door, frame, hinges, intumescent strips and seals all work as a single system, so it is best fitted by someone competent.
Fire doors in your building control drawings
We mark the required fire doors and their ratings on your building control drawings, prepare the rest of the building regulations package, and submit it to your local authority or an approved inspector. The fire doors are then checked as part of the final inspection before completion.
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