The hardware is the part of a fire door that gets changed most often, usually by someone who doesn’t know it’s part of the fire door. A new handle after a break-in, a closer off the shelf, an electronic lock for deliveries. Each can take a compliant door out of compliance without anything looking wrong. This guide explains what each piece of hardware has to do, and why the part has to match the door, not just the hole.
Why “it fits” isn’t the test
A fire door is rated as a tested system. The hardware that was on the door in the furnace test is part of that system, down to the make and model. At inspection under AS 1851-2012, the check is that the hardware for hanging, closing and latching the door is a make and model tested with that door, fitted properly and working.
So two closers that look the same, or a lever that screws into the same holes, can still be the wrong part. The name on the box doesn’t settle it either. What settles it is whether that part belongs to the system the door was tested with, or has been assessed for it.
The standard for fire doors, AS 1905.1, also requires latches, closers and seals to be marked with their maker and model, so they can be identified later. It also sets how essential hardware is fixed to the door, for example with screws into metal plates rather than straight into timber.
Door closers
The closer is what makes the door self-closing. It has to bring the door fully shut from any position it’s let go, every time.
- It should close the door firmly enough to latch, but not so hard that it slams.
- It needs a back-check, which slows the door near the end of a hard push open, so it doesn’t hit the wall and get damaged.
- It shouldn’t leak oil, and nothing should block its arm through the swing.
- The door shouldn’t be too heavy to open, including in buildings with stair pressurisation.
A door that slams is the most common reason a closer gets disconnected. That’s an adjustment, not a reason to take the closer off.
Latches and locks
The latch makes the door self-latching: once it closes, the latch bolt catches in the striker plate on its own and holds the door shut. Nobody should have to turn a key or a handle for the door to latch.
- Deadbolts, swing bars, chains and frame latches aren’t allowed on a fire door, even as an extra lock, because they can be left in a position that stops the door latching.
- Any lock has to be one tested or assessed with that door. The latch’s key parts must be made of materials that won’t melt early in a fire.
- Where round knobs are used, there has to be at least 35 mm between the knob and the doorstop, so hands don’t get caught.
- Electric strikes and electric bolts have to leave the door latched if the power fails.
On the way out of a building, the National Construction Code (NCC) adds its own rule. A door on an exit, or on the path to one, generally has to open without a key, with one hand and one action: pushing a lever down or pushing a bar. There are exceptions, including doors within a single apartment.
Hinges
Hinges carry the weight of the door and keep it hanging true, so it closes and seals properly.
- They’re steel or stainless steel unless the fire test showed another material works.
- They have to be aligned so the door swings freely without drifting open.
- The number and position of hinges is part of the tested system, so don’t add or remove one without checking first.
Seals
Many fire doors carry seals in the door edge or the frame. There are two kinds, and they do different jobs.
- Intumescent seals swell when they’re heated, closing the gap around the door in a fire.
- Smoke seals are brushes or flexible strips that slow cold, medium, or sometimes even hot smoke getting past the door.
Whichever the door has, the seals must be a type approved for that door, and they must be able to work.
Pairs of doors
Double fire doors need two extra things. The strip where the two leaves meet, called the astragal or meeting stile, has to be correct and sealed. And where the leaves overlap, a selector or sequencer makes sure they close in the right order, so both latch.
Exit devices and panic bars
Panic bars and push pads let people open a door quickly by pushing, which suits busy exits. On a fire door, the device has to be one tested or assessed with that door. The door may need to be fabricated with fixing plates in the correct position for your hardware.
Hold-open devices and electronic locks
Some fire doors are held open during the day by an electromagnetic hold-open. That’s allowed only when the device is linked to the fire alarm or a smoke detector, and releases the door when the alarm sounds or the power fails. The door must then close and latch on its own.
Electromagnetic locks and other electronic access control are where fire doors most often go wrong, because they change how the door behaves in exactly the situation it exists for. Whether a given arrangement works depends on the door, its tested system, and how the building’s fire system releases it. It should be checked on site before it’s fitted.
Stops and kickplates
Fire doors that get pushed hard need a door stop or other travel limiter, so the door isn’t wrenched past its hinges. The closer doesn’t count as one. Kickplates and other fittings have to be approved for the door and fixed securely.
Before you change anything
If you’re planning to change hardware on a fire door, or someone has already bought parts, find out first whether they belong to the door’s tested system. The tag and what’s on the door now are the starting point. It’s a much cheaper conversation before the part goes on than after.