Do You Need Fire Doors When Renovating a House? 9 Things Homeowners Should Know
Replacing internal doors is a common part of a house refurbishment. Homeowners often focus on the appearance of the doors, the style of the handles and how the finished joinery complements the property.
However, some internal doors also form part of a building's fire safety strategy.
This becomes particularly important when converting a loft, altering the layout of a property, refurbishing a flat or carrying out work that affects an existing protected escape route.
A standard internal door and a certified fire-resisting doorset are not interchangeable.
The important question is not whether every door in a renovated house must be fire-rated, but which doors are required to provide fire resistance under the applicable design and Building Regulations.
These nine checks will help homeowners understand what to establish before ordering replacement doors.
1. Establish whether fire doors are required in your property
Not every internal door in an ordinary house needs to be a fire door.
Requirements depend on the type of building, its layout, the number of storeys, the use of individual rooms and the proposed construction work.
For example, a two-storey house undergoing straightforward decoration may have different requirements from a property being converted into a three-storey home with a new loft bedroom.
Flats, houses in multiple occupation and buildings containing communal escape routes can have additional considerations.
Before replacing doors, establish:
- Whether the property is a single dwelling, flat or HMO.
- Whether the proposed works affect an escape route.
- Whether existing doors form part of fire-resisting construction.
- Whether Building Control approval or a fire safety assessment is required.
Do not assume that replacing an existing door with a visually similar product preserves the required level of protection.
2. Understand what an FD30 fire door actually means
FD30 is a common designation associated with 30-minute fire resistance under the relevant test and classification arrangements.
However, the performance of a fire door depends on more than the door leaf.
The frame, hinges, latch, seals, glazing and other components must be compatible with the tested or assessed specification.
A certified fire door leaf fitted into an unsuitable frame with incorrect ironmongery may not deliver the intended performance.
Smoke control is also important in many locations. Where smoke-resisting performance is specified, the appropriate door assembly and seals must be provided.
Always check the manufacturer's certification, installation instructions and supporting evidence.
3. Check fire door requirements when converting a loft
Loft conversions are a common reason for reviewing internal fire protection.
Where a new habitable room creates a third storey in an existing house, the design will generally need to address a protected escape route from the loft to a final exit.
Fire-resisting doors may be required at relevant rooms opening onto the protected stairway.
The precise arrangement depends on the property, the proposed layout and the approved fire safety design.
In some circumstances, alternative solutions may be considered by the designer and Building Control.
The important point is to resolve the escape strategy before ordering doors or completing partitions.
4. Understand the importance of frames and door gaps
A fire door must fit its frame correctly.
Excessive gaps around the door, damaged frames or poorly positioned hinges can undermine the intended fire resistance and smoke control.
The acceptable clearances depend on the particular doorset or door assembly and its installation instructions.
A carpenter should not simply assume that the same gaps used for an ordinary internal door are suitable.
Before installation:
- Check the frame dimensions and condition.
- Confirm the required door-edge and threshold clearances.
- Inspect the frame fixing and supporting wall construction.
- Ensure the door closes correctly without binding.
Older properties can have distorted frames and uneven floors, making careful measurement particularly important.
5. Specify the correct hinges, latches and seals
Fire doors require appropriate ironmongery.
Hinges must be suitable for the weight of the door and compatible with its fire-resistance evidence.
Intumescent seals are designed to expand when exposed to heat, helping to restrict the passage of fire through the gaps around the door.
Where smoke seals are required, they help limit the movement of smoke under relevant conditions.
The latch and other hardware must also meet the doorset specification.
- Avoid substituting unverified decorative hinges.
- Check the required number and positioning of hinges.
- Confirm the specified intumescent and smoke seals.
- Use compatible latches, locks and other accessories.
Changing a component because it looks better may affect the performance of the complete assembly.
6. Do all fire doors need self-closing devices?
Not every fire door in every property requires a self-closing device.
The requirement depends on the building type, door location and applicable fire safety provisions.
For example, fire doors at flat entrances opening onto communal escape routes generally require appropriate self-closing arrangements.
Within a single dwellinghouse, the position can be different, and self-closers are not automatically required on every internal fire door.
Where a closer is required, it should be correctly specified, installed and adjusted so that the door closes reliably from the required opening positions.
Do not remove an existing closer without first establishing why it was installed.
7. Can you upgrade an existing timber door instead of replacing it?
Original panelled doors can be an important feature of Victorian and Edwardian houses.
Homeowners may understandably wish to retain them rather than install modern replacements.
However, the appearance or thickness of an old door does not prove that it provides a particular period of fire resistance.
Specialist upgrading systems may be available, but their suitability depends on the door's construction, condition and the evidence supporting the proposed method.
Before proceeding:
- Inspect the door's construction, thickness and condition.
- Confirm whether an appropriate tested or assessed upgrading method exists.
- Check whether the frame and hardware also require alteration.
- Obtain agreement to the proposed solution where Building Control approval is relevant.
Applying an intumescent coating or adding seals alone should not be assumed to turn an ordinary door into a certified FD30 assembly.
8. Consider the requirements for flats and leasehold properties
Fire doors can be particularly important in flats because they may separate individual dwellings from communal escape routes.
A flat entrance door may form part of the building's overall fire protection arrangements.
Leasehold homeowners should therefore avoid replacing entrance doors without checking the required specification and obtaining any necessary landlord or managing-agent consent.
Internal alterations may also affect fire compartmentation.
Where a refurbishment involves new service penetrations, ceilings or partitions, the work may require appropriate fire stopping and reinstatement.
A decorative refurbishment should not compromise existing fire-resisting construction.
9. Include the complete fire door installation in your quotation
The cost of a fire door is not simply the price of the door leaf.
Installation may involve a suitable frame, certified ironmongery, seals, preparation of the opening and adjustments to surrounding finishes.
In period properties, additional carpentry may be needed to accommodate uneven walls, existing architraves and non-standard openings.
When comparing quotations, check whether they include:
- The specified fire door leaf or complete doorset.
- A compatible frame and appropriate fixings.
- Hinges, latch, seals and any required closer.
- Removal and disposal of the existing door.
- Installation, adjustment and making good.
- Inspection, product documentation and relevant handover information.
Where several doors require replacement, a door schedule can help identify the correct specification for each opening.
Planning fire door upgrades with Bayocorp
Fire doors should be considered during the design and specification stage of a refurbishment, not selected solely on appearance towards the end of the project.
The appropriate solution depends on the building, the proposed alterations and the fire safety requirements.
Bayocorp delivers residential renovations, loft conversions, internal carpentry, joinery and whole-house refurbishments across London and the South East.
We can help coordinate the door schedule, installation scope and relevant specialist requirements alongside the wider construction programme.
Contact Bayocorp to discuss your refurbishment and ensure that internal door replacements are properly considered before materials are ordered.
Renovate | Refit | Refurbish.