Fitted FD30 firedoor and top hinge is wrong

[rick1632]

Fitted the door without spotting the top hinge CENTRE needs to be within 100mm of top of door!

Thinking of cutting a hardwood sliver to infill the cutouts. Anyone know if this will invalidate the door? Going to be tricky as the cutout extends 2mm beyond the intumescent strip recess so will probably need to cut out a little more there to give the patch something to grip.

It's a semisolid core door with mdf frame.

 

[HERTS P&D]

POSITIONING OF HINGES ON FD30 DOORS​

It’s important to ensure that the hinges are fitted in the correct positions on the door. When doors are fire tested, the position of the hinges is carefully noted and the fire test assessment will only cover a certain range of hinge positions based on those test positions. Therefore it’s important to check the fire test data for the door before installing any hinges.

For example, BM Trada’s Fire Assessment for Falcon Panel Product’s Strebord 44mm FD30 door core stipulates the following positions;

Top hinge: 120 – 200mm from head of leaf to top of hinge
Bottom hinge: 150 – 300mm from foot of leaf to bottom of hinge
Middle hinge: Centrally between top and bottom hinges OR can be fitted higher than this point, up to a maximum height of 100mm

Where is your top hinge fitted?

Andy

 

[johnny2007]

Are you sure about the hinge position?
If you're using 100mm hinges and fit the centre within 100mm from the top, basically the top of the hinge will be at 50mm from the top, which is wrong.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Probably but in reality it's unlikely to make much difference, they have tested the door with the hinge in that position ergo that is where it should be fitted. Do a good fill job and Mr BCO will be none the wiser surely.

 

[johnny2007]

Hearts go there quicker.
In my old days you would fit hinges 6 inches from the top, 8 inches from bottom of door.
Middle hing either in the middle or, as I prefer, leaving a 6 inch gap from the top one (better leverage)

 

[rick1632]

The door spec definitely states top hinge: Max 100m from top of door to centre of top hinge, Max 300mm from bottom of door to centre of bottom hinge, max 1020mm from bottom of door to centre of middle hinge.

My top hinge is cut 160mm from top.

 

[rick1632]

It will be tricky, maybe impossible to hide completely as the face is textured - if it was smooth easy, but that 3mm width will probably give me away.

 

[johnny2007]

Is it your house, a customer or a commercial property?
If it's your house, just leave it.
60mm won't make any difference.

 

[^woody^]

If it's your gaff, leave it. It won't make the slightest bit of difference if the rest of the installation is properly done, gaps and strips etc

 

[rick1632]

It's my property, but to be leased to the council for emergency housing provision. They're the ones who requested a firedoor be fitted (although none of my neighbours (all council stock) have any. But they apply different rules to leased properties.

Don't know how rigorous an inspection would be - my contact told me that she'd be the one to tick off everything on the demand sheet and doubt she knows anything about fire doors, but in the absence of a certificate from me may require an inspection take place - or they may have a policy of regular fire door checks anyway.

Regardless everything else about the door is currently to manufacturer's spec apart from this bloody hinge.

I've realised that one workaround would be to fit an extra top hinge (nothing in the spec says it can't have 4 hinges as it specs minimum of 3), but the centre hinge also wrong I've noticed - the spec wants it below halfway and I fitted it 1cm above halfway. Don't know how picky firedoor inspectors are lol.

 

[johnny2007]

Don't give her the manufacturer's instructions.
Just give them the certification.

 

[Notch7]

Max 100m from top of door to centre of top hinge

I think that’s wrong

I’ve never seen a fire door with the hinge 50mm down to start of hinge. I’ve made loads of fire door sets.

Usually on fire doors the middle hinge starts 300mm below top hinge - that may only be a requirement for doors with closures or FD60

 

[rick1632]

I think that’s wrong

I’ve never seen a fire door with the hinge 50mm down to start of hinge. I’ve made loads of fire door sets.

Usually on fire doors the middle hinge starts 300mm below top hinge - that may only be a requirement for doors with closures or FD60

It seems weird - But I've re-read the spec several times to be sure.
"Maximum 100mm from top of door to centre of top hinge"

And the spec is only for FD30

 

[rick1632]

Just had the assessment sent from WarringtonFire and all good. Hinges in normal positions. Phew.