Fire doors
Fire Rated Door Specifications: A Checklist for Procurement and Tender Documents
A checklist for writing fire rated door specifications: rating, core, skin, frame, hardware, glazing, seals, labels and the test evidence to demand in tenders.
Safety Plus technical team · Updated · 9 min read
Why vague fire door specifications cost money
Many tender documents in Bangladesh describe fire doors in a single line: "supply and install fire door, 2 hours, size as per drawing". That line invites bids that cannot be compared. One bidder offers a tested rock wool door with listed hardware; another offers a steel door with a paper honeycomb core and an ordinary lock. Both claim "2 hours", and the cheapest wins.
A proper specification does three jobs:
- It tells bidders exactly what to price, so quotations are comparable.
- It sets measurable acceptance criteria, so the site engineer can reject a non-compliant delivery.
- It makes one party responsible for the assembly, so there is no argument later about whether the door, frame or hardware caused a failure.
The checklist below is organised in the order a technical evaluator reads a bid. Copy the headings into your BOQ or technical schedule and fill in the values your fire safety consultant requires.
1. Fire rating and test standard
Start with performance, because every other line depends on it.
- Required fire resistance, in minutes: 60, 90, 120 or 180. Your fire safety plan, consultant or the approving authority should set this per door location, for example stair doors, plant rooms or compartment walls.
- Test standard. Name the standard the rating must be proven against. Standards commonly specified for fire door assemblies include UL 10C (positive pressure fire test of door assemblies), BS 476 (Part 22 covers non-loadbearing elements such as doors) and EN 1634-1. NFPA 80 is commonly specified for the installation and maintenance of fire doors.
- Integrity and insulation. Under European-style classification, "E" refers to integrity and "EI" to integrity plus insulation. If the door is on an escape route next to a high fire load, insulation can matter as much as integrity. State which you need.
- Smoke control. If the door must also limit smoke, say so; this brings in smoke seals and, in some standards, separate smoke leakage testing.
Avoid the phrase "fire proof". No door is fire proof; it resists fire for a tested period under defined conditions.
2. Leaf construction: thickness, skin and core
Construction details let you compare bids and check deliveries. Specify measurable values, not adjectives.
| Item | What to specify | Example from the Safety Plus catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| Door thickness | Overall leaf thickness in mm | 50 mm |
| Skin material | Cold-rolled mild steel, galvanised steel or stainless steel grade | CRMS or GI; SS 304/316 for SFD 503 |
| Skin thickness | Sheet thickness in mm | 1.2 mm |
| Core type | Honeycomb, rock wool or other tested core | Honeycomb or high-density rock wool |
| Core density | kg/m³ for mineral wool cores | 105–110 kg/m³ rock wool |
| Edge construction | Reinforced edges, lock and closer reinforcement | Ask bidder to describe |
| Finish | Pretreatment and paint system, colour | Zinc phosphate pretreatment, oven-baked powder paint, RAL colour |
The core should be the one used in the tested door. If a bidder offers honeycomb for a door that needs a long rating, ask to see test evidence for that exact construction. The honeycomb vs rock wool core comparison explains the differences.
3. Frame, fixing and installation
The frame is half the assembly and the part most often under-specified.
- Frame profile and material: same material family as the leaf, with sheet thickness stated by the bidder.
- Frame type: wrap-around or butt frame, chosen to suit the wall (brick, block, RCC or drywall).
- Fixings: anchor bolts or fixing lugs per the tested design. The Safety Plus catalogue lists anchor bolts as standard.
- Frame filling or grouting: where the installation instructions require it.
- Gap sealing: fire-stopping between frame and wall, compatible with the wall's own rating.
- Clearances: gaps between leaf and frame and under the door must stay within the limits of the listing or standard. Ask the bidder to state the installed clearances.
- Installation responsibility: require that the supplier, or an installer they approve, installs and commissions the doors, and that a handover check is recorded.
Also require that the surrounding wall is rated at least as high as the door. A 120-minute door in a non-rated partition does not create a 120-minute compartment.
4. Hardware, glazing and seals
Write a hardware schedule per door type, and require every item that affects fire performance to be listed or tested for use on fire doors.
| Component | What to require | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hinges | Steel or stainless steel, rated for fire doors, quantity per leaf | Safety Plus uses UL-certified 3-hour stainless steel hinges, 4 per leaf, 4.5 × 4.0 in, 3.4 mm |
| Closer | Fire-rated closer sized for leaf weight and width | Safety Plus uses a UL-marked door closer |
| Panic or exit device | Fire exit hardware listed for fire doors, on escape doors | Safety Plus uses a UL-marked panic exit device |
| Lock or latch | Positive latching, fire-rated | Fire doors must latch when closed |
| Coordinator and astragal | For pairs | Ensures correct closing sequence |
| Hold-open device | Magnetic holder released by the fire alarm, where doors are held open | Never wedges or hooks |
| Vision glass | Fire-rated glass type, thickness and maximum exposed area | Safety Plus standard: 6 mm tempered vision glass, 450 × 150 mm exposed area |
| Seals | Smoke seals and/or intumescent seals as tested | Safety Plus fits imported smoke seal |
Ask bidders to submit hardware data sheets with their offer. A hardware item without evidence of fire rating should be treated as non-compliant. For an explanation of each item, see the fire door hardware guide and the fire door hardware range.
5. Labels, test evidence and documents to request
Evidence is what separates a fire door from a steel door painted red. Put these requirements in the tender:
- Test certificate or report for the offered construction, showing the test standard, laboratory, rating achieved and the configuration tested (size range, core, glazing, hardware). Examples include a UL listing, a BUET test certificate or a report from another recognised laboratory.
- Scope check: the certificate must cover the sizes, rating and glazing you are buying. A certificate for a smaller single leaf does not automatically cover a large double door.
- Permanent labels on leaf and frame showing manufacturer, rating and an identification or serial number.
- Hardware data sheets and listings for hinges, closers, exit devices and locks.
- Shop drawings for each door type before manufacture, for approval.
- Installation instructions from the manufacturer.
- Handover documents: door schedule as built, label photos, warranty and maintenance instructions.
If a bidder cannot show evidence, do not accept a verbal assurance. Ask what they can show and evaluate it with your consultant.
6. Commercial terms that protect the specification
A strong technical specification can still be undermined by weak commercial terms.
- Single responsibility. Package leaf, frame, hardware and installation together.
- Pre-delivery inspection. Reserve the right to inspect doors at the factory before dispatch, checking thickness, skin, core, labels and hardware preparation. Safety Plus manufactures at its factory in Demra, Dhaka, which makes this practical for local buyers.
- Substitution control. No change of core, hardware or glass without written approval and new evidence.
- Site measurement. Require the supplier to verify openings on site before manufacture.
- Warranty and spares. State the warranty period you expect and ask for spare seals and closer parts.
- Maintenance training for the facility team, linked to the fire door inspection checklist.
Once your specification is ready, you can issue it to Safety Plus through the request a quote page or review the fire rated doors range. For the wider procurement process across all fire safety items, see the fire safety procurement checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What should a fire door specification include at minimum?
At minimum: fire rating in minutes, the test standard, door thickness, skin material and thickness, core type, frame type, hardware schedule, glazing, seals, labels and the test evidence required.
Which test standards are commonly specified for fire doors?
UL 10C, BS 476 and EN 1634-1 are commonly specified for fire resistance testing of door assemblies, while NFPA 80 is commonly referenced for installation and maintenance. Your consultant should confirm which applies to your project.
Is a BUET test certificate enough for a tender?
It can be valid evidence, but check that it covers the rating, size range, core and glazing being offered. The same check applies to any certificate or listing, whether local or imported.
Should hardware be specified separately from the door?
It should be listed in detail, but bought in the same package. One supplier should be responsible for the leaf, frame and hardware working together as tested.
What is the difference between E and EI fire ratings?
In European-style classification, E means integrity (stopping flames and hot gases) and EI means integrity plus insulation (limiting temperature rise on the unexposed face). Specify which one your design requires.
Sources
Get a quotation
Name, phone and what you need is enough — we will call you back.