What Materials can be used in the production of fire doors

Many people are curious about the materials used in manufacturing fire doors when purchasing them. In reality, the fire resistance of fire doors is not solely due to the materials. This article will detail the requirements for material selection in fire door production.

UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and CE (Conformité Européenne) Fire Certification Requirements for Fire Door Materials

Both UL and CE fire certifications impose specific regulations and requirements for materials used in fire doors. However, these requirements typically do not mandate specific materials but ensure fire resistance, durability, and safety through performance standards and testing.

UL Certification (e.g., ANSI/UL 10B, ANSI/UL 10C Standards)

UL certification focuses on the overall performance of fire doors rather than specific material types. Fire doors must pass rigorous fire exposure tests, durability tests, and smoke control tests. Key material requirements include:

• Fire Resistance Performance:

• Materials must withstand high temperatures for a specified duration (e.g., 20, 60, 90 minutes, or 3 hours, depending on the fire rating) without unacceptable deformation, combustion, or failure.
• Core materials (e.g., mineral cores in wooden doors or mineral wool, honeycomb paper in steel doors) must provide sufficient thermal insulation and combustion resistance.
• Surface materials (e.g., veneers for wooden doors or steel plates for steel doors) must limit flame spread and comply with UL’s Flame Spread Rating standards.

• Intumescent Sealing Materials:

• Fire doors must incorporate intumescent seals (e.g., graphite- or sodium silicate-based materials) that expand under high temperatures to seal gaps, preventing the passage of smoke and flames (UL 1784).
• These seals must pass UL certification tests to ensure expansion performance and durability.

• Adhesives and Coatings:

• Adhesives for wooden doors (e.g., phenolic or urea-formaldehyde resins) must be heat-resistant to maintain structural integrity during a fire.
• Coatings or primers for steel doors must resist high-temperature peeling and corrosion.

CE Fire Certification Material Requirements

CE certification, based on European standards (e.g., EN 1634-1, CE14351-1), applies to fire doors in the EU market. Like UL, CE focuses on performance but includes some indirect material specifications:

• Material Classification and Fire Rating:

• Materials must be classified for fire performance under CE14351-1 (e.g., A1, A2, B for non-combustible or limited combustibility). For example, core materials in fire doors typically need to meet A1 (non-combustible) or A2 (limited combustion) ratings.
• Core materials for wooden doors (e.g., calcium silicate or magnesium oxide boards) or insulating materials for steel doors (e.g., mineral wool or glass fiber) must meet thermal conductivity and combustion performance requirements.

• Intumescence and Insulation:

• Intumescent sealing materials are mandatory and must effectively expand under high temperatures, complying with EN 1363-1 (fire resistance testing) standards.
• The door’s overall insulation performance (I-value) depends on the materials, requiring core and surface materials to effectively reduce heat transfer to protect the non-fire side.

• Hardware Materials:

• Hardware must use high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials (e.g., stainless steel or galvanized steel) and pass EN 1634-1 tests to ensure functionality during a fire.

Why Choose Certified Fire Doors?
Beyond meeting regional fire and building code requirements, certified fire doors guarantee quality in materials and manufacturing processes. Customers can purchase with confidence, knowing the materials’ origin and performance are assured, providing significant convenience. Certified fire doors are backed by extensive data and evidence to ensure their safety.

XZIC holds comprehensive fire certifications, covering UL and CE standards for both wooden and steel doors across various time ratings. If you have plans to purchase doors, regardless of the type, feel free to contact us:

[email protected], whatsapp: +44 7421725381