Internal FD30 door linings

[Grosey]

I have a 3 storey house and so require all internal doors to be FD30, however becoming confused about the appropriate door linings. 

 

Today i I bought some specific howdens fire check linings without realising how expensive they were (joys of using an account!)

 

Do I have to use these firecheck linings or will a standard MDF primed lining work with an intumescent strip, or do I not even need an intumescent strip? The howdens catalogue seems to suggest I can use the MDF ones with a strip but I don't believe it has the groove. 

 

Very confused - help appreciated!

[TerryE]

Talk to your BInsp.  Ours was very relaxed about the linings so long as we had well fitted FD30 doors.    

[Bitpipe]

I had the same requirement and found that fd30 metric linings were hard to get hold of, Howdens only ever had a few in stock.

 

But I believe that the intumescent strip and appropriate thickness of stop are the key requirements in addition to the door itself - not the material itself.

 

As Terry says, just check with your bco.

 

 

[Grosey]

So do you think I could router a groove in to a standard lining, or just surface mount the strip (also seen this mentioned a couple times as well as putting the strip on the door itself?

[PeterW]

Do these help ..??

 

http://www.doordeals.co.uk/products/door-frames-and-mouldings/internal-door-frames/internal-softwood-30-minute-fire-door-casing-(1).aspx

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

I wouldn't surface mount the strip for any reason whatsoever. This is not an area that you want to have any possible weak points   

As said, it's not for us to decide, it's your BCO who will be giving / not giving the completion certificate so theyve got the final say. 

[TerryE]

Incidentally, I don't understand the rationale for putting the strip in the liner and not the door.

 

But focusing on this core issue, we're talking about a single family dwelling here with a third floor -- just like the millions of homes in this country with loft conversions -- and not a multiple occupancy flat or public building.

 

The regulators have given up on having automatic door closing hinges as the statistics showed that too many house occupiers were simply propping doors open semi-permanently, and this is worse.  

 

IMO, this decision is quite incompatible with the requirement to fit strip linings, as doors will often be ajar and you want to have confidence that you can close them easily as an immediate action.  Doors in an MVHR-fitted house already have a ventilation gap at the bottom; the each room has at least one MVHR duct, so the room sealing is already compromised.    IMO, a well fitted lining + door will give the required 30 min protection, and you can have confidence that you can close the door.  You don't have this confidence with a strip liner fitted. 

 

I see this view as a pragmatic balance of risks to reach a realistic optimum, and not recklessness.  My BCO hasn't asked for intumescent strips. but I will be fitting my doors accurately and I have backfilled the gaps between the liners and the timber frame with fire-rated foam.

 

 

[Bitpipe]

2 hours ago, Grosey said:

So do you think I could router a groove in to a standard lining, or just surface mount the strip (also seen this mentioned a couple times as well as putting the strip on the door itself?

 

Yes, we did this on a few door linings as we couldn't get enough of the pre-routed versions.

 

Don't see how you'd surface mount the strip - they are quite chunky, about 4-5mm thick and 15mm wide. They're also only in white or brown so would not look that good in a door.

 

 

[Bitpipe]

[Grosey]

Thanks all, will call BCO on Monday and pick his brains, will report back for anyone else who may be interested. 

 

Meanwhile I have found these -

 

http://www.diytimberpacks.com/pre-primed-wood-30-minute-fire-door-liner-square-stop.php?cat=33

 

which means the Howdens fire linings I have bought at £60 a piece will be going straight back!

[PeterW]

Useful link there @Grosey ..!

[Grosey]

Yeah, randomly stumbled across them. Browsing the rest of the site looks like they have a lot of good items at reasonable items. If I end up buying I'll do another post on the quality.