Fire doors and Fire Stopping are a critical component of a building’s passive fire protection system, designed to contain the spread of fire and smoke, ensuring safe evacuation routes and protecting property. Our technical department often get asked about fire doors and fire stopping. These are the ones we answer most frequently.
Fire doors are a vital part of a building’s passive fire protection system. They compartmentalise the building, restricting the spread of fire and smoke from one area to another. By containing the fire, they provide occupants with protected escape routes, facilitate safe evacuation, and allow emergency services to access the building more securely. Fire doors are designed to remain closed or to close automatically in the event of a fire, to maintain the integrity of fire compartments and reducing the risk of widespread damage.
Compliant gap tolerances around a fire door are essential to ensure its effectiveness in preventing the spread of fire and smoke. Too large a gap will allow flames and smoke through. Too small a gap means that the door may not fully close reliably or stop the intumescent seals from working properly.
According to BS 8214:2008, a maximum gap of 4mm is recommended at the head and vertical edges of the door. The BM TRADA Q-Mark scheme, that LFS is a member of, specifies that these gaps should be between 2mm and 4mm. At the threshold (the gap between the bottom of the door leaf and the floor covering), the gap should
not exceed 10mm. It’s crucial to follow the door manufacturer’s guidance, as specific products may have particular requirements. Maintaining these tolerances ensures that the door will perform as intended in the event of a fire.
Identifying whether your existing door is a fire door involves checking for specific labels or plugs that indicate certification. Look for identification labels or plastic plugs on the top edge or the hanging edge of the door leaf. These markers are often associated with certification schemes such as the BM TRADA Q-Mark or the BWF-Certifire scheme. They typically provide information about the door’s fire rating and the manufacturer’s details. If you can’t find this identification, it’s best to consult a certified fire door inspector. They can assess the door’s construction, condition, and installation to determine its compliance with fire safety standards.
Modifying a fire door without proper guidance can compromise its integrity and fire resistance capabilities. Fire door manufacturers like LFS typically specify in their installation instructions that modifications should not be made, as they may void the door’s certification. Any alterations, including adding locks, viewers, or other hardware, should only be performed following the manufacturer’s guidelines and, ideally, by professionals certified under schemes like the BM TRADA Q-Mark. Unauthorised modifications can lead to non-compliance with fire safety regulations and reduce the door’s effectiveness in a fire situation.
The fire door industry offers a wide range of designs to meet both aesthetic and functional requirements. Thanks to extensive testing and certification, options include flush doors, glazed doors with fire-resistant glass, and panel-effect doorsets. LFS offers more than 12 FED styles and variations in various finishes and configurations. It’s essential to consult with the fire door manufacturer to understand the available designs within their certification scope, ensuring that the chosen door meets both your design preferences
and safety requirements.
Installing a fire door is a precise task that can impact its performance during a fire. That’s why we strongly recommended that fire doors be installed by trained professionals who are third-party certified like LFS, approved under the BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Installation scheme. Our certified installers have the expertise to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions meticulously, ensuring that the door functions correctly and complies with all relevant safety standards. Incorrect installation can lead to
reduced fire resistance and may result in non-compliance with building regulations.
Fire doors are required to have self-closing devices to make sure they close automatically and reliably in the event of a fire, preventing the spread of fire and smoke. There are a few exceptions like doors that open into service ducts or locked cupboards, which are not typically accessed frequently. These doors should have appropriate signage, such as
“Fire Door Keep Locked,” to indicate their status. It’s important to assess the specific requirements of your building and consult fire safety regulations to determine whether a self-closing device is necessary for each fire door.
No! Fire-resistant glass, commonly known as fire glass, comes in different classifications, each offering varying levels of protection:
E (Integrity Only): this glass prevents the passage of flames and hot gases but does not limit the transmission of radiant heat.
EW (Integrity and Radiation Control): In addition to preventing flames and hot gases, this glass limits the amount of radiant heat transmitted through the glass, reducing the risk of ignition on the protected side.
EI (Integrity and Insulation): This glass provides the highest level of protection by preventing flames, hot gases, and significantly limiting heat transfer, keeping the unexposed side below an average temperature of 140°C.
Selecting the appropriate type of fire glass depends on the specific requirements of your building and the level of protection needed.
LFS has TPC held under the BM TRADA Q Mark scheme, with quadruple BM TRADA certification:
Yes, intumescent seals are a crucial component of timber fire door sets. When exposed to high temperatures during a fire, these seals expand to fill the gaps between the door leaf and the frame, preventing the passage of fire and smoke. It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s guidance regarding the location, quantity, type, and size of intumescent seals to ensure optimal performance. Proper installation and maintenance of these seals is vital for the fire door to function effectively in containing fire and protecting building occupants.
Firestopping is the process of sealing gaps, joints, and openings in fire-resisting walls and floors to stop fire, smoke, and toxic gases from spreading through a building. It plays a key role in maintaining compartmentation, which is dividing a building into fire-resistant zones that help contain a fire at its origin. This containment gives occupants time to escape safely and allows the emergency services time to respond. Without effective firestopping, even a tiny hole or unsealed cable penetration can allow fire and smoke to move rapidly between rooms or floors, making the building significantly less safe.
The only way to determine whether your building’s compartmentation is compliant is to conduct a detailed compartmentation or firestopping survey. This type of inspection examines whether fire-resisting walls, floors, ceilings, and cavity barriers are present and correctly installed and whether any penetrations – such as pipes, cables, or ductwork – are appropriately sealed using tested firestopping systems. Compliance also depends on whether the compartmentation meets the building’s original fire strategy requirements. Many older or modified buildings may no longer meet current standards, especially after years of refurbishment, adding new services, or accidental damage.
If you’re unsure about your building’s current condition or if it has undergone any changes, it’s a good idea to commission a firestopping survey. There’s no set legal interval for these surveys, but they’re increasingly included in the broader fire risk assessment process. A firestopping survey is critical in buildings with complex service installations or where there’s been a history of poor fire safety management. As a general guide, responsible persons should check compartmentation after any building work, service installations, or layout changes – and periodically reviewed as part of ongoing fire safety maintenance.
There are some clear warning signs that the fire compartmentation in your building may be compromised. These include visible holes or gaps in ceilings, walls or risers; cabling or pipework that hasn’t been properly sealed; damaged ceiling tiles or fire barriers; and the use of inappropriate materials – such as foam filler or expanding foam not rated for fire performance. Even tidy-looking penetrations can be non-compliant behind the scenes if the correct, tested firestopping system wasn’t used. Compromised compartmentation may go unnoticed during everyday use, which is why inspections and proper documentation are so important.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the ‘Responsible Person’ – typically the building owner, facilities manager, managing agent, or employer – is legally accountable for maintaining fire safety in the building, including firestopping and compartmentation. This includes making sure that fire-resisting structures are in good condition, any penetrations are properly sealed, and that changes to the building don’t undermine fire protection measures. In multi-occupancy or residential settings, this duty may be shared across organisations, but there should always be a named individual who takes responsibility for coordinating compliance and maintenance.
In most cases, we’re able to carry out firestopping work with minimal disruption to your building’s daily activities. Our teams are trained to work in live environments – including residential properties, commercial spaces, hospitals, and schools – and can adapt their approach to suit your operational needs. We plan works around your schedule and
can often carry out tasks in small zones to keep disruption low. If required, we can also work out of hours or in quieter periods to reduce the impact. Our goal is to help you stay compliant without putting undue pressure on your operations or occupants.
Yes – our firestopping specialists are experienced in working in complex environments where existing services are live and cannot be disturbed. We use the appropriate systems and techniques to apply firestopping around services without compromising safety or causing disruption to critical systems. In many cases, our team coordinates with on-site facilities teams or service engineers to ensure that all work is carried out safely and in line with site procedures. Whether you’re managing a data centre, hospital, office
block, a public building or residential complex, we understand how to work professionally and respectfully in occupied spaces.
We only use firestopping systems that have been tested to the relevant standards (such as BS EN 1366 or BS 476) and certified for use in the UK. These systems include a range of products – such as intumescent sealants, fire collars and wraps, ablative-coated boards, fire mortars, and putties – each selected based on the type of penetration, the surrounding structure, and the required fire rating. The key is that these materials must be installed exactly in accordance with the manufacturer’s test data. Poor installation – even using good products – can result in non-compliance, which is why third-party accredited installation is so important.
As part of our service, we provide full documentation for every firestopping task we carry out. Using our Passifire app, we record the location, materials used, installation method,
and photographic evidence for each penetration or junction treated. This provides you with a complete, auditable record of works, which you can access at any time. It also supports the “golden thread” of fire safety information now expected by regulators, particularly in high-risk buildings. Having clear, up-to-date records makes it easier to prove compliance during audits and helps future contractors understand what’s already been done.
The cost of firestopping depends on a number of factors, including the size and complexity of the building, the number of penetrations, and the type of systems required. In many cases, we can carry out a survey to assess the extent of the work and provide a detailed, itemised quote. We’re happy to prioritise high-risk areas first if you need to spread the cost of works over time. Investing in proper firestopping not only improves safety but also reduces the risk of enforcement action and future remedial costs – making it a smart long-term decision for any responsible person.
LFS Express is our fast track fire door manufacturing service, designed to deliver fully compliant fire doors in just 10 working days from cleared payment. It is built for projects where speed is critical without compromising on quality or safety.
The process is simple and designed for speed:
Your doors will be manufactured and ready within 10 working days from the point your payment has cleared.
Yes, all LFS Express orders are prioritised within a dedicated production schedule to meet the 10 day turnaround, subject to availability within the express lane.
Yes, the express service is limited to 15 production slots per cycle. Orders are processed on a first come first served basis, so early booking is recommended.
There are limits on the number of doors per customer within a single express order. This ensures fair access to the service for all customers.
LFS Express is designed to support urgent safety requirements where fire doors are needed quickly. It is not intended to allow customers to bypass standard production queues for large scale projects.
Yes, the following are currently excluded from the express service:
Yes, all excluded items are still available through our standard manufacturing service with regular lead times.
If all express slots are taken, your order can either be scheduled for the next available cycle or processed through our standard production timeline.
No. All fire doors produced through LFS Express meet the same high standards, certifications, and compliance requirements as our standard production range.