Flagship guide · 3 min read
Do I Need Fire Rated Internal Steel Doors?
A fire rating is decided by where the door sits, not by what it is made of. Here is how to work out which of your openings need one, and who signs it off.
Fire Rated Steel Doors and Building Regulations
What the regulations ask for, what certification proves, and the paperwork worth keeping.
3 min read
Fire doors sit within Approved Document B (Fire safety). The document sets out where compartmentation and protected routes are required; the door schedule for your project translates that into openings.
Compliance is demonstrated by evidence for the doorset as installed, not by a claim about a leaf.
What counts as evidence
- A test report to BS 476-22 or BS EN 1634-1 for the assembly.
- An assessment extending that evidence to a defined variation, issued by a competent body.
- Third-party certification covering manufacture and scope.
- A hardware schedule listing hinges, closer, latch and seals as tested items.
Installation, seals and closing
Gaps, packing, fixing centres and the wall build-up around the frame all form part of the tested condition. Intumescent seals expand under heat to close the perimeter; smoke seals control cold smoke before that point. A rated doorset must also close itself fully into the frame, which is why a self-closing device is part of the specification rather than an accessory.
Maintenance is modest but real: an annual check that seals are intact, hinges are tight and the door closes and latches from any position. Keep the leaf and frame free of added ironmongery.
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