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What To Expect During A Fire Compartmentation Survey
An internal fire door is a key part of a building’s passive fire protection strategy. It helps slow the spread of fire and smoke between rooms, corridors, stairwells and escape routes, giving people more time to evacuate and helping protect the wider structure of the building.
Unlike a standard internal door, an internal fire door must be specified, installed and maintained as a complete fire rated system. The door leaf, frame, seals, hinges, closer, glazing and ironmongery all need to work together to provide the required level of protection.
At Fire Industry Specialists Ltd, we provide internal fire doors for commercial buildings, managed properties, apartment blocks, schools, healthcare settings, offices and industrial premises across the UK. Our team can support both internal fire door installation and replacement, helping you choose the right fire rating, door set and specification for your building.
What is an internal fire door?
An internal fire door is a fire rated door installed inside a building to help resist the spread of fire and smoke. It is usually used to protect escape routes, maintain compartmentation and separate higher risk areas from other parts of the property.
Internal fire rated doors are commonly found in:
- corridors and stairwells
- offices and commercial buildings
- schools, colleges and universities
- hospitals and healthcare environments
- hotels and hospitality buildings
- apartment blocks and managed residential properties
- plant rooms, risers and service cupboards
- storage rooms and higher risk areas
- communal areas and protected routes
A fire rated internal door is usually tested to provide a defined period of fire resistance, such as FD30, FD60, FD90 or FD120. The correct rating depends on the building’s design, fire strategy, layout and risk profile.
The most important thing to remember is that an internal fire door is not just the door leaf. It should be treated as a complete door set, where every component contributes to performance.
FD30 internal fire doors and other fire resistance ratings
One of the most common ratings is the FD30 internal fire door, which is designed to provide at least 30 minutes of fire resistance when correctly specified, installed and maintained. You may also see this written as FD30 internal fire doors, particularly where several doors are being installed across a building.
FD30 doors are commonly used in many commercial and residential settings, but other ratings may be required depending on the fire strategy.
Typical fire resistance ratings include:
- FD30 for 30 minutes of fire resistance
- FD60 for 60 minutes of fire resistance
- FD90 for 90 minutes of fire resistance
- FD120 for 120 minutes of fire resistance
The correct rating should be based on the building’s fire strategy, compartmentation layout, escape route design and relevant guidance. It should not be selected purely on cost or availability.
It is also important to understand that the rating applies to the complete installed door set, not just the door leaf. An FD30 door leaf fitted into the wrong frame, with unsuitable hinges or excessive gaps, may not perform as an FD30 door in practice.
Where are internal fire doors required?
Internal fire doors are typically required where a building needs to control the spread of fire and smoke between different spaces. Their exact location should be determined by the building’s design, fire risk assessment and fire strategy.
They are often required in:
- protected corridors
- stairwells and lobbies
- escape routes
- compartment lines
- kitchens and higher risk rooms
- doors between commercial units and shared areas
- doors between flats and communal areas
- communal corridors in apartment blocks
In commercial and public buildings, internal fire doors help keep escape routes protected for longer. In healthcare and care environments, they can support progressive or phased evacuation. In schools, offices and hotels, they help separate rooms and corridors so fire and smoke do not spread unchecked through the building.
For responsible persons, building owners and facilities managers, the key point is that internal fire doors should be considered as part of the wider fire safety strategy, not as isolated products.
Internal fire door regulations
Internal fire doors regulations vary depending on the building type, layout, use and fire strategy. In most commercial and managed buildings, internal fire doors are required where they help:
- protect escape routes
- maintain compartmentation
- separate higher risk areas
- protect stairwells, corridors and lobbies
- reduce the spread of fire and smoke
In the UK, internal fire doors are usually considered under a combination of fire safety legislation, Building Regulations guidance and product standards. This can include:
- Building Regulations Approved Document B, which provides guidance on fire safety, means of escape and fire resisting construction
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which places duties on the responsible person to assess and manage fire safety risks
- The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, where relevant to multi occupied residential buildings with common parts
relevant fire door testing and installation guidance, including BS EN 1634 and BS 8214
Because requirements can vary, the correct specification should always be confirmed before installation or replacement. This includes the fire rating, frame, seals, hinges, closer, glazing and hardware.
Our internal fire door services
Internal fire door installation
We install internal fire doors as complete door sets, including the door leaf, frame, seals, hinges, closers and compatible ironmongery where required. This helps ensure the door is installed as a working fire protection system rather than just a standalone door.
Our installation service can support new builds, refurbishments, planned upgrade works and wider fire safety improvement programmes. We can work with contractors, building owners, landlords, facilities managers and responsible persons to ensure the correct door rating and specification are selected.
Internal fire door replacement
Internal fire doors may need replacing if they are damaged, non compliant, poorly fitted, missing certification or no longer suitable for the building. Replacement may also be required where previous alterations have affected the door set or where repairs would not restore the required performance.
We can replace existing internal fire doors with suitable FD30, FD60, FD90 or FD120 fire rated internal doors, depending on the building’s fire strategy and door location.
Double internal fire doors
We provide installation and replacement of double internal fire doors for commercial and managed buildings. These are often required where wider access is needed without compromising fire protection, such as corridors, communal areas, education settings, healthcare environments and public buildings.
Double fire doors require careful specification and installation, particularly around the meeting edges, closers, seals and coordination between both leaves. Our team can help ensure the full door set is suitable for the required fire resistance rating.
Support for fire door compliance
Internal fire door performance depends on the full system. Alongside installation and replacement, we can advise on compatible frames, seals, closers, hinges, glazing, locks, latches, signage and ironmongery.
We can also support wider fire door requirements through inspections, maintenance and repair recommendations where needed. This helps building owners and responsible persons understand whether existing fire doors are suitable, whether replacement is required, and how to maintain compliance over time.
Why choose FIS?
Clients choose FIS because we provide:
- complete internal fire door set installation
- internal fire door replacement and upgrades
- FD30, FD60, FD90 and FD120 options where required
- double internal fire door support
- fire door services for commercial and managed buildings
- support for apartment blocks and communal areas
- practical compliance guidance for responsible persons
- UK wide support through LS Fire Group
- IFC third party certified fire door expertise
Speak to FIS for your fire door needs
Internal fire doors play a vital role in protecting escape routes, maintaining compartmentation and supporting fire safety compliance. Whether you need a single or double FD30 internal fire door, or replacement doors across a managed property, FIS can help.
Contact Fire Industry Specialists Ltd today to discuss your internal fire door installation or replacement requirements. Our team can review your building, advise on suitable options and help you choose a compliant, practical solution.
Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fires, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.
Internal Fire Door FAQs
- What is an FD30 internal fire door?
- An FD30 internal fire door is designed to provide 30 minutes of fire resistance when correctly specified, installed and maintained. The rating applies to the complete door set, not just the door leaf. This means the frame, seals, hinges, closer, glazing and hardware all need to be compatible with the tested specification.
- Are FD60, FD90 and FD120 internal fire doors available?
- Yes, internal fire doors can be specified with different fire resistance ratings, including FD30, FD60, FD90 and FD120. The correct rating depends on the building’s fire strategy, the door location, compartmentation requirements and the level of risk. Higher ratings are typically used where a longer period of fire resistance is needed.
- How much does internal fire door installation cost?
- The cost of internal fire door installation depends on the door rating, door size, frame condition, hardware requirements and whether a single door or full door set is needed. An FD30 internal fire door will usually have a different specification from an FD60, FD90 or FD120 door, and costs can increase where specialist glazing, access control, double door sets or remedial frame works are required. The best way to confirm cost is through a site assessment, as this allows the existing openings, fire strategy and required door specification to be properly reviewed.
- What is included in an internal fire door set?
- An internal fire door set usually includes the fire rated door leaf, compatible frame or lining, intumescent seals, smoke seals where required, fire rated hinges, a suitable door closer, latches, locks, glazing if included, signage and other compatible ironmongery. The full set must work together to provide the required fire performance. A fire rated door leaf on its own is not enough if the frame, gaps, seals or hardware are unsuitable.
- Do internal fire doors need self closers?
- Many internal fire doors need a suitable self closing device, particularly where they protect escape routes, corridors, stairwells, communal areas or higher risk rooms. A fire door can only help contain fire and smoke if it closes fully into the frame. If a closer is missing, faulty or incorrectly adjusted, the door may be left open or fail to latch properly, reducing its effectiveness during a fire. The exact requirement should be confirmed against the fire strategy and door specification.
- Can internal fire rated doors include glass?
- Yes, internal fire rated doors can include glass, but the glazing must be fire rated and installed as part of a tested door system. Standard glass should not be fitted into a fire door, as it may fail quickly during a fire and compromise the door’s performance. The glass, glazing beads, seals and fixings all need to be compatible with the required fire rating, whether the door is FD30, FD60 or another specification.
- Who is responsible for maintaining internal fire doors?
- In commercial buildings and the common parts of residential buildings, the responsible person or duty holder is usually responsible for ensuring internal fire doors are properly maintained. This may include building owners, landlords, managing agents, facilities managers or employers, depending on the property. Fire doors should be checked regularly, with any defects such as damaged seals, faulty closers, excessive gaps or damaged frames addressed promptly.
- Can internal fire doors be repaired instead of replaced?
- Internal fire doors can sometimes be repaired if the defects are minor and the original fire performance can be restored. For example, it may be possible to replace damaged seals, adjust a closer, repair minor frame issues or replace compatible hardware. However, if the door leaf is badly damaged, the frame is unsuitable, gaps are excessive, certification is missing or the door has been altered incorrectly, replacement may be the safer and more compliant option.
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