Our UL-classified and labeled fire-rated glass door assemblies are available with
The glass in fire rated doors will act as a barrier against flames, stopping their spread, and will also stop smoke from spreading throughout the rest of the building. Depending on the type of glass, the glazed panel will also act as an insulator, protecting the rest of the site against the heat of the fire.
20 & 45 minute doors still require fire-protection-rated glass up to the “Maximum size tested”. To increase the amount of glass in 60 and 90 minute doors requires fire-resistance -rated glass which is tested to ASTM E119 or UL 263 which also limits the transfer of heat.
Understanding the Marks and Certification
Every piece of genuine fire-rated glass carries specific marks and certifications. For instance, genuine Pyroguard Fire Glass is typically marked with the brand name, the standard (like EN14449), and the impact rating (e.g. 2B2).
Standard fire ratings vary, typically ranging from 20 to 180 minutes depending on code criteria. Fire-rated doors are required to be self-closing and positive latching. They must remain closed during a fire to protect the means of egress.
For 60 and 90 minute temperature rise doors, fire protective glazing is limited to 100 sq. inches. However, designers can exceed the 100 sq. inch limitation by using fire resistive glass that meets ASTM E-119 because this advanced glazing type can limit the temperature rise to 250 degrees F.
Requirements of a fire-rated residential door and entryway
Wood, steel, and fiberglass doors can all be fire-rated. And while the structure of the door slab plays an important role in fire rating, the entryway as a whole must meet certain specifications to meet fire rating requirements.
The first and most prominent way is to look at the edge of the door on the hinge side. All fire doors will have a metal identification tag (figure 1) . Sometimes this tag is painted over, but it will still be recognizable as an identification tag.
Is Tempered Glass Heat-Proof? For certain applications, commercial tempered glass does provide low levels of fire protection. It's not ideal for heavy-duty applications. Standard window glass might break at a temperature of around 250° F, while tempered glass can last until 500° F or so.
If a safety glass mark is not present, there are other ways to check. If the edges of the pane in question are exposed, softly and carefully run your finger along the border. If the edge is smooth and rounded, it is very likely to be tempered glass.
Standard window glass will shatter at about 250 degrees Fahrenheit (F), and tempered glass can last to about 500 degrees F. Fire-rated glass, on the other hand, can typically survive heat over 1600 degrees F. Fire-rated glass can withstand such high heat because it is engineered differently than non-rated glass.
b) NFPA 80 – Fire door assemblies (doors, frames and hardware) are designed and tested to withstand smoke, flames and hot gases during a fire. The standard that addresses the requirements for fire door assemblies in depth is NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives.
Our glazed double fire exit doors combine fire safety, security and vision. They are designed to transmit as much light as possible, through the anti-bandit security glass, which is fitted using anti-tamper vision frames. Choose from small window panels or fully glazed panels.
Most modern, normal internal doors cannot be upgraded to achieve 30 or 60 minutes Fire Resistance due to them having a hollow core, being very thin or lightweight and liable to warping shortly after installation.
The main British Standard is currently the BS 476 series with the European Standard including BS EN 1363, 1364 and 1365 together with BS EN 1634. Sheet glass that gets its name from the floating molten glass used to create it.
The glass used in fire doors must be fire-resistant and impact-resistant, with a fire rating indicating its resistance to fire. Different types of glass, such as wired glass, tempered glass, laminated glass, ceramic glass, and fire-rated safety glass, are suitable for fire door panels.
Now, according to the International Building Code (IBC), glazing is permitted in fire-rated doors assuming it has passed the relative testing requirements (2021 IBC section 716.2. 5.1). Glass size limitations are up to each door manufacturer (as tested/listed by independent testing agency).
A permanent stamp is etched onto the glass to indicate it is fire-rated. The name of the glass product, manufacturer/supplier and preferably, the fire performance rating must be shown.
The fire-rated glass IQ uses is manufactured from layers of toughened glass interspersed by intumescent layers. In the instance of a fire, the heat from the fire will cause the outer layer of the glass to break – however, the broken pane will be held in place by the intumescent layer.
Fire doors are therefore normally required in all doorways leading to escape routes. They are also usually required for rooms that have a higher risk of a fire starting (for example, IT server rooms, boiler rooms or rooms containing flammable liquids). You should refer to your risk assessment for further guidance.
Door fittings with fire resistance must be fire tested and certified by the relevant authorities. Certified products will carry the fire rated door hardware label.
NFPA 80 requires that fire doors be equipped with specific types of hardware and accessories, such as self-closing devices, smoke seals, and fire-rated hinges that are able to withstand the temperatures and pressures of a fire.
A fire door should have a label which would typically be found on the edge of the door between the top and center hinges. The frame should have a label or marking as well.
Fiberglass can withstand high temperatures, with its average melting point being 540oC.. Another crucial property of fiberglass is its fire resistance. It will not catch fire and prevent fire from traveling through it, reducing the spread.
Fiberglass doors provide excellently secure barriers to your home, when they're properly installed. They don't deteriorate over time unlike wood doors. Their high-impact skins are impervious to blows, kicks, and other attempted means of breaking into the home.