Fire doors for short-duration rated walls

[jaiana]

During an office retrofit, we were asked to upgrade fire safety on certain partitions. I needed to understand how to integrate doors into walls rated for a 1-hour fire period and what design choices would ensure compliance without making the space feel closed off.

[Luckumean]

In practice, a fire rated door in 1 hour wall needs careful consideration of testing standards. Even if the wall is rated for an hour, the door’s installation—including frame, gap, and intumescent strips—determines actual performance. Addressing these details gave me confidence that the compartment would contain fire effectively if needed.