The most common misconception on site: there is a metal label on the leaf edge with a number of minutes on it, therefore the door is a fire door. Resistance is not a property of a leaf. It is established by testing the leaf, frame, hinges, lock, closer, seal line and installation method together in a laboratory. That combination is the assembly, and the certificate belongs to the assembly. Fit the same leaf into a different frame with different hinges and the label means nothing.
How the test works
The door is installed in the mouth of a furnace under realistic fixing conditions and the furnace temperature is raised along a standard curve. Three things are monitored: whether flame and hot gas pass through (integrity), how much the unexposed face heats up (insulation), and how much radiated heat passes. The door distorts, the leaf bows and the seals expand; that behaviour is expected. What matters is that no gap opens and the leaf stays in the frame.
What the classification letters mean
- E — integrity only. Flame and hot gas are held back for the stated period; the back face temperature is not limited.
- EI — integrity plus insulation. Temperature rise on the unexposed face is also limited. This is the usual requirement on escape corridors.
- EW — integrity plus limited radiation.
- Sa / S200 — smoke leakage, a separate criterion achieved with intumescent seals.
The figure beside the letters is minutes, so EI60 means integrity and insulation held for 60 minutes.
Which documents to ask for
Four pieces of paper should agree with each other. The test or classification report, which states exactly which leaf, frame and hardware combination was tested. The declaration of performance for the product as placed on the market. The installation manual, which defines the fixing method used in the test and must not be departed from on site. And the permanent identification label fixed to the door itself. The class on the label must match the declaration and the combination in the report. Ask us for the documents relating to the specific system and we will confirm what suits your project.
What voids the certification
Drilling the leaf afterwards for glazing, louvres, intercom or access-control cabling. Adding timber or foil cladding to the leaf face. Removing the closer or wedging the door permanently open. Substituting hinges, lock or handle with untested equivalents. Packing the frame void with a material other than the one tested. Removing the threshold and enlarging the bottom gap. After any of these the door still looks sound, and the documented claim no longer stands.
Dimensions, walls and supply
Because resistance depends on the tested fixing method, dimensional freedom is limited. Our standard fire door is 90×200 cm clear frame opening with a 104×208 cm architrave edge. Outside those figures, leaf width, hinge quantity and resistance class have to be assessed together, since not every size exists in every class. Wall construction matters too: tested details differ for concrete, masonry and drywall. Send us the wall section and the required rating from your drawings and we will confirm the fire door system and quote to your sizes. For common areas outside the escape route, unrated options from our building entrance door range are usually specified instead. Doors ship crated from Istanbul with hardware boxed separately and the installation manual included.
