More fire doors are compromised by installation than by anything else. The product arrives certified and leaves the site as something nobody can vouch for, because the frame was fixed the wrong way, the perimeter gap was filled with ordinary foam, or the hardware was swapped for what the merchant had in stock.
The frame and the perimeter
The frame has to be fixed to the structure in a way covered by the test evidence: the right fixing type, at the right spacing, into a suitable substrate. The gap between frame and wall then has to be sealed with a tested material at a tested depth. Standard expanding foam in that gap is one of the most common defects in British buildings and it is completely invisible once the architrave goes on.
Hardware from the permitted list
Hinges, closer, latch, lock and any additional device must come from what the door manufacturer's evidence permits. Substituting a hinge because the specified one was not in the van is an alteration to a tested assembly. So is fitting a fourth hinge that was not in the test, or a kick plate above the permitted size, or a vision panel cut on site.
Accreditation and who signs
Third party certification schemes exist for fire door installation and are the practical way a responsible person can check an installer before work starts. The installer should issue an installation certificate identifying the doors fitted and confirming they were installed as tested. On new work this feeds the fire safety information the Building Regulations require to be handed over at completion.
Signage
Fire doors normally carry a sign stating the required behaviour: fire door keep shut on escape route doors, fire door keep locked on cupboards and risers, and automatic fire door keep clear on doors held open by a device. The sign goes on the side people approach from, and on both sides where the door is used from both. Fitting the wrong sign is a small error that tells everybody using the door the wrong thing every day.
Questions people ask about fire door installation regulations
Can a joiner fit a fire door?
A competent one can, working to the manufacturer's instructions and the permitted hardware list. Third party certification for fire door installation is the practical way to check competence before work starts.
What seals the gap between frame and wall?
A tested material at a tested depth, typically a fire rated sealant, foam or mortar depending on the evidence. Standard expanding foam is not fire resisting and is a very common hidden defect.
Which sign goes on a fire door?
Fire door keep shut on escape route doors, fire door keep locked on cupboards and risers, and automatic fire door keep clear on doors held open by a device linked to the alarm.