Wooden doors provide a level of class and elegance that other materials just can’t match. They provide a rustic charm to any building, whether it’s a commercial building, office building, or residential tower. However, wood is a much more flammable material than other materials, which means sacrificing aesthetics for safety.

But what if wooden doors were still an option? Are there fire-rated wooden doors that you can install in your building to maintain fire-safe practices while still keeping the charm and elegance of wood? The answer might surprise you!

There Are Fire-rated Wooden Doors

Fire-rated wooden doors do exist. These handy bits of modern engineering play a crucial role in passive fire protection, preventing the spread of flames during incidents and helping to ensure your safety, while also still giving you the charming rustic aesthetic of wood. Wooden doors are quite popular in many applications where décor needs to meet safety standards, such as office buildings, educational institutions, and more.

What is a Fire-rated Door?

Fire-rated doors are doors that are constructed in such a way that they help to either slow or completely stop the spread of flames, smoke, or even sometimes radiant and conductive heat. A fire-rated door is referred to as an “assembly” which includes the door, frame, hardware, glazing, and any component parts. Individual components don’t necessarily need to come from the same manufacturer, but they do need to be classified and labelled for use in a fire door assembly.

Fire-rated doors are more common in commercial buildings than in residential ones and are largely used in areas of egress such as lobbies, stairwells, storefronts, and exits, often required in those areas to meet code requirements.

Fire doors undergo rigorous testing in order to achieve fire ratings and supplemental life safety and security ratings. These doors can be made from a variety of materials, including steel, fibreglass, fire-rated glass, and, yes, even wood! Wooden fire doors are filled with a fire-resistant material, such as gypsum. Wood veneer over a more resistant material, such as steel, can also be an option if you’re looking for a more robust door.

To be properly effective, fire-rated doors require proper installation. They should also be regularly tested and maintained to ensure continued effectiveness.

Key Features of a Fire-rated Wooden Door

Fire-rated wooden doors are equipped with many features that aid in fire protection. Each of these features must be made to a high standard of quality, ensuring the continued integrity of the door. These features include:

Fire Protection

While it’s true that no door can be made 100% fireproof, a fire-rated wooden door does its job long enough to help you and other occupants of the building escape. Wooden fire-rated doors are made to withstand a raging fire for a specific timeframe and contain it in a specific area. How long they can withstand fire depends on the construction, but the ratings vary from 0 minutes (non-fire rated) to 180 minutes (3 hours).

Smoke Control

While the focus is often on the fire itself, smoke should not be underestimated. The biggest cause of death during fires is not heat-related but rather from smoke inhalation, especially in residential fires. Fire-resistant wooden doors play a major part in saving lives during fires by automatically swinging shut and locking, preventing the spread of smoke and containing it in one area. The door is also constructed to include seals and gaskets which help to create the barrier against smoke infiltration.

Self-closing Mechanism

An open door can be a big problem in fire situations. Most fire-rated wooden doors are designed to be self-closing using door closers. This feature helps to maintain integrity against fires and smoke by ensuring doors are not left open after people have passed through.

Fire-rated Hardware

For a door to be properly fire-rated, all parts of it must be tested, including the hardware such as locks, hinges, and handles. Each part is designed to meet specific fire safety standards and can endure high temperatures while remaining functional during a fire.

Labelling

A fire-rated door will have a label or marker on it to denote its manufacturer, fire rating, and compliance with all relevant standards. The label helps occupants of the building and inspectors easily identify what the door is capable of.

Why Choose a Fire-rated Wooden Door?

Wooden fire-rated doors can provide you with many benefits, whether you’re managing a commercial building or a residential one. They are available in many different designs and finishes so they can easily blend in with your existing aesthetics while keeping their fire-resistant properties.

Fire-rated wooden doors prevent the spread of fire in buildings, protecting life and property at the same time. Restricting the fire to its area of origin keeps it from burning the building too quickly, giving occupants more time to evacuate.

Often, fire-rated doors are required by building codes, so choosing a wooden one is a good way to satisfy building requirements while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic.

Call Creative Door Services™ for Fire-rated Wooden Doors

Creative Door Services™ specializes in access solutions, offering installation, maintenance, and repair services for fire-rated wooden doors throughout western Canada. We offer brilliant solutions, strong leadership, and enthusiastic service. We believe service should be smart and solution-oriented, and we love a challenge in our work. We are masters of fire-rated wooden doors, with the expertise necessary to provide more than just installation but complete maintenance and repair programs.

Planned Maintenance

Keeping your fire-rated wooden doors in good condition is a vital part of your building’s safety. Planned maintenance from the Creative Door Services™ team can ensure your doors last a long time and ensure that their fire safety features are effective when called upon. We offer planned maintenance packages that ensure your doors are always up to the task.

To learn more about our garage door products or request a quote, contact us today. We’re happy to serve you from one of our eight locations. You can find us in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.