The Best Material for Fire Doors

What is the best material for fire doors? First consider what a fire door is. This is a special type of door that is part of a fire protection system, one specifically designed to prevent the spread of fire. While you might find some doors made of wood, steel or fiberglass that are generally fire-resistant the truth of the matter is that most fire doors are actually made from composites of several materials.

Fire doors may be made from materials like timber (a very resistant type of wood), steel, gypsum, vermiculite-boards or glass sections. Parts of a fire door include the door leaf (the swinging panel), as well as the frame and the structure that holds everything in place. Additionally, there are also intumescent strips, smoke seals, door hardware that complete the system. All of these parts must meet fire rated regulations to be called fire doors. The rating is in “hours”, as in how long it would take to resist a fire at a certain temperature.

Fire Door Edges

Fire door edges themselves are usually composed of an intumescent strip, which is a substance that naturally expands when heated, as well as neoprene weather stripping and gaskets. Any windows used for internal fire doors are also rated. Fire resistant windows may be made from wire mesh glass, ceramic or borosilicate glass as well as liquid sodium silicate.

It’s interesting to note that not all internal fire doors are completely noncombustible. They are just one of many tools used by fire protective agencies to help stop the spread of fire. Many commercial buildings install fire doors in order to protect their customers and employees. In recent years, more homeowners have also been installing fire doors to protect their family from the threat of fire.