Choosing the Right Fire Door for Your Building

Whether you’re managing a residential block, converting an HMO, or securing a commercial space, selecting the right fire door is critical for both life safety and legal compliance. With a wide range of materials, specifications, and certification standards, choosing the correct fire door can feel overwhelming.

In this guide, we’ll break down:

The different types of fire doors
Their applications and performance levels
When to consider bespoke fire doors
The role of metal fire doors
A helpful comparison table by building type
And an overview of trusted fire door brands used in the UK

Types of Fire Doors: What Are Your Options?

Fire doors are available in several types, each designed for specific fire resistance durations and building environments.

1. FD30 Fire Doors

Provides 30 minutes of fire resistance
Most commonly used in HMOs, domestic properties, flats, and some small offices
Typically made of solid core timber with intumescent seals

2. FD60 Fire Doors

Provides 60 minutes of fire resistance
Suitable for larger buildings, commercial spaces, and higher-risk areas
Often used in plant rooms, protected stairwells, and commercial escape corridors

Read our guide on FD30 & FD60 Fire Door Specifications: What You Need to Know

3. Metal Fire Doors (Steel)

Typically FD60 or FD120 rated
Used in industrial units, plant rooms, high-security environments, and external exits
Highly durable and resistant to forced entry and environmental damage

A white metal fire door with a push bar and a vertical window has a sign reading “To Reception.” Above the door is a red “EXIT” sign. The walls are white, and the floor is wood-patterned vinyl. — Emergency exit door in a hospital building

4. Glazed Fire Doors

Feature fire-rated glass panels
Ideal for office corridors, hospitals, schools, and areas where visibility and light are needed
Must be fully tested with fire-resistant glazing and frames

5. Bespoke Fire Doors

Custom-designed to fit non-standard openings, match interior design, or meet specific fire performance needs
Available in various finishes and veneers (e.g., oak, walnut, painted MDF)
Contact us for bespoke fire door design, manufacture, and installation

What Are the Differences?

Feature	FD30 Timber Door	FD60 Timber Door	Metal Fire Door	Glazed Fire Door
Fire Resistance	30 minutes	60 minutes	60–120 minutes	30–60 minutes
Material	Solid Core Timber	High-Density Timber	Steel	Timber/Steel with fire glass
Typical Use	HMOs, Flats, Small Offices	Schools, Offices, Stairs	Warehouses, Plant Rooms	Offices, Healthcare, Schools
Security	Standard	High	Very High	Moderate
Custom Options	Yes	Yes	Limited aesthetic	Yes (limited by test data)
Cost	£	££	££–£££	££–£££
Certifiable?	Yes (if tested set)	Yes (with correct hardware)	Yes (certified doorsets)	Yes (test evidence required)

Note: Fire doors must be installed as a tested doorset to perform as certified. Mixing incompatible components voids certification.

Choosing Based on Building Type

A red fire extinguisher, compliant with HMO Fire Safety Regulations, is mounted on a white wall below an emergency sign. To the right, there’s a closed white door and a green exit sign with arrows pointing down and right.

Here’s a quick reference to help you match door types with typical UK building uses:

Building Type	Recommended Fire Door Type(s)
HMO / Shared House	FD30 Timber Doors
Apartment Blocks	FD30 Internal / FD60 Communal
Schools	FD60 with Vision Panels / Glazed
Hospitals / Care Homes	FD30 or FD60 Glazed with Finger Guards
Industrial Units / Warehouses	FD60–FD120 Steel Doors
Retail Units	FD60 with Panic Hardware
Hotels / Guest Houses	FD30 Bedroom Doors / FD60 Corridors
Plant Rooms / Server Rooms	FD60–FD120 Steel Doors
Office Blocks	FD30/FD60 Glazed Doors

Bespoke Fire Doors – Designed to Fit, Certified to Perform

Not all buildings have standard-sized frames or plain interior finishes. For heritage properties, luxury homes, and creative spaces, bespoke fire doors offer tailored solutions that don’t compromise safety.

At CFP Carpentry & Fire Prevention, we offer:

Custom fire door sizing for non-standard openings
Designer veneers and finishes (veneered oak, ash, walnut, lacquered MDF, RAL painted options)
Acoustic-rated fire doors
Ironmongery specification to suit building use
Full fire test certification and installation by qualified fire door carpenters

Need a custom fire door for a renovation or interior upgrade? Contact us today for a consultation.

A pair of large, reddish-brown wooden double doors with a silver handle, set in a yellow brick wall. A step with tan tiles and a small drain is in front, and a broom leans against the wall to the left.

Metal Fire Doors: When Are They the Best Option?

Metal fire doors (typically steel) are built for heavy-duty environments and offer higher fire and impact resistance than timber alternatives. You’ll most often find them in:

Plant and boiler rooms
Commercial kitchens
Back-of-house loading areas
High-risk industrial zones
External escape exits

Features often include:

FD60 to FD120 rating
Reinforced construction and security-rated locks
Weatherproofing for external use
Louvered or glazed fire-rated panels (optional)

CFP can supply and install certified steel fire doors for internal and external use, complete with correct intumescent seals, hardware, and threshold seals.

Common Fire Door Brands in the UK

When selecting fire doors, it’s vital to choose certified products from trusted manufacturers. Some of the most reliable fire door brands include:

Brand	Known For
Premdor	Certified timber doors, FD30 & FD60 core ranges
JELD-WEN	Domestic and commercial doorsets
Halspan	Fire-rated core materials, used by door fabricators
Leaderflush Shapland	Bespoke and acoustic fire doors
ASSA ABLOY	Fire-rated ironmongery and steel doors
Sentry Doors	FD30/FD60 timber fire doors for social housing
Forza	Design-focused fire doors, premium veneers

CFP works with leading UK fire door suppliers and provides fully certified doorsets installed by qualified fire door installers.

Need Help Specifying the Right Fire Door?

At CFP Carpentry & Fire Prevention, we help landlords, specifiers, and contractors navigate fire door regulations and make informed choices. Our services include:

We cover:

South & South West: Bournemouth, Southampton, Poole, Exeter, Plymouth
London & South East: London, Guildford, Slough, Croydon
Midlands & Wider Reach: Bristol, Swindon, Oxford

Get in touch today to request a fire door consultation or quotation tailored to your building.

Tags :

Article, Fire Prevention