A fire-rated door has to survive a furnace test, but nothing in that test says it must look like a steel hatch. Start with the fire class your fire engineer sets for the opening, then pick a door whose finish matches the rest of the building. A timber leaf with hidden hardware gives you both. Below, we explain what the ratings mean and which details keep the design intact on site.
Key Takeaways
- Fix the fire class first, because the rating decides how the door is built.
- Concealed hinges and a wooden frame stop a fire door from looking technical.
- Order sizes and hardware from the factory, since site changes can void the rating.
What Does the Fire Rating on a Door Mean?
In Europe, EN 13501-2 sets the classes. E means integrity, so flames and hot gases stay on the fire side, and I means insulation, so the far face stays below set temperature limits. EI30 covers both for 30 minutes. Smoke has separate classes: Sa limits leakage at room temperature, and S200 adds a limit at 200°C.
Which Details Make a Fire Door Look Like Part of the Design?
Hardware gives most fire doors away, not the leaf. Our fire-resistant doors are rated EI30 with Sa and S200 smoke control, yet you see only concealed hinges, a wooden block frame and a 56 mm leaf clad in unpainted reclaimed wood.
The cladding matches our standard doors, so a fire-rated door doesn't stand out in a corridor of ordinary doors. Pair it with our interior wooden doors to keep one look across the building.
Where Do Fire-Rated Doors Lose Their Rating?
The rating covers the tested assembly of leaf, frame, seals and hardware. Trim the leaf beyond tolerance or fit an untested lock, and the certificate can be void. Order non-standard sizes, double leaves or panic hardware from the factory so no one cuts the door on site.
Antik-Holz Profis has supplied architects and contractors at wholesale volumes for 25 years. Price your fire-rated door in our configurator or send us your door schedule.
FAQ
Are wooden fire doors as safe as steel ones?
Yes, when the classification matches. An EI30 rating means the door passed the same test, whatever its material. In timber doors, intumescent seals swell under heat and close the gap around the leaf.
Can a fire-rated door have glass?
Only if the tested design includes the glazed version, with fire-resistant glass and matching seals. Confirm the variant exists before you specify it, because a vision panel cut on site can void the rating.
Do fire-rated doors need a closer?
Usually, yes. A fire door protects people only when closed, so building codes generally require it to close automatically, except on doors kept locked. We supply concealed or surface-mounted closers.
