Project Overview – Fire Door Compliance for a Government Building
We were instructed to carry out a large-scale bespoke fire door installation project at the National Audit Office, delivering 40 bespoke single and double fire door sets as part of ongoing fire safety and building compliance works.
Due to the nature of the existing structure, all door sets were manufactured on site to suit the exact door openings, ensuring full compliance with current UK fire door regulations and manufacturer specifications.
This approach allowed us to maintain correct tolerances, eliminate excessive gaps, and ensure each door performed as a complete, compliant fire door assembly, rather than just a fitted door leaf.
What Work Was Carried Out
The scope of works included the bespoke manufacture, installation, and finishing of FD30 and FD30(S) fire door sets throughout the building.
Each door set was installed as a complete system, including:
- Fire-rated door leafs
- Fire-rated frames
- Intumescent and smoke seals (where required)
- Approved fire-rated ironmongery
- Door closers installed and adjusted correctly
- Fire-rated glazing to relevant openings
- Final checks to ensure compliant clearances and operation
All installations were completed in line with manufacturer instructions and current fire door standards, ensuring the doors provide effective fire and smoke resistance in the event of an incident.
Why Bespoke Fire Door Sets Were Required
The existing door openings across the building varied in size and condition, meaning standard off-the-shelf fire doors would not have achieved compliant results.
By manufacturing the door sets on site, we were able to:
- Achieve accurate fitting to irregular openings
- Maintain compliant gap tolerances
- Ensure correct seal compression
- Preserve the fire rating of each door set
- Avoid remedial works after installation
This method ensures the doors perform correctly as part of the building’s fire compartmentation strategy, which is especially critical in government and high-occupancy buildings.
Fire Door Ratings Installed
The project included a combination of FD30 and FD30(S) fire door sets, depending on location and fire risk requirements.
| Fire Door Rating | Purpose |
|---|---|
| FD30 | Provides 30 minutes of fire resistance |
| FD30(S) | Provides 30 minutes of fire resistance plus smoke control |
Smoke-rated doors were installed where required to help prevent the spread of smoke through escape routes and protected corridors.
Compliance and Quality Assurance
Every door set was installed with compliance as the priority. Final checks ensured:
- Doors self-close fully and correctly
- Intumescent and smoke seals are continuous and undamaged
- Ironmongery is fire-rated and securely fitted
- Frames are correctly fixed and sealed
- Clearances meet manufacturer and regulatory limits
This level of detail ensures the door sets meet the expectations of fire risk assessments, audits, and future inspections.
Project Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | National Audit Office |
| Door Types | Single & Double Fire Door Sets |
| Fire Ratings | FD30 / FD30(S) |
| Manufacture | Bespoke, made on site |
| Total Installed | 40 fire door sets |
| Purpose | Fire safety & regulatory compliance |
