Older buildings carry a lot of character, but they also carry a lot of risk. The fire doors installed in those buildings often significantly predate modern standards. What looked adequate twenty years ago may no longer meet current requirements.
At Pendle Doors, we work with clients across the UK who manage older residential and commercial buildings. One of the most common conversations we have centres on communal fire doors that have passed their useful life.
In this post, we will cover what that kind of upgrade involves and why getting the specification right matters from the outset.
The problem with older communal fire doors is rarely obvious from the outside. The door may appear solid enough on the surface, but the intumescent seals could be long since compressed or missing entirely. The frame may have shifted with the building over decades of natural settlement. The door closer may be original equipment that no longer performs anywhere near its earlier specification.
Modern fire safety standards require the complete door set to be tested and certified as one system. A door that carries years of patchwork repairs using uncertified components cannot reliably guarantee its original fire rating. That creates a real compliance risk for anyone who holds responsibility for the building.
Replacing communal fire doors in an older building takes more thought than simply ordering new doors for the existing openings. Wall depths in older properties frequently differ from modern standard dimensions. Frames may sit in unusual rebates, and corridors may have non-standard widths that require bespoke manufacturing from the start.
As a specialist door manufacturer, we at Pendle Doors account for these variables during the specification stage rather than on site. We manufacture solid timber rebated frames as standard and produce door sets to non-standard wall depths where the building requires it. Getting those details right from the outset avoids delays and additional cost further into the project.
Timber doorsets suit older buildings in a way that few other options can match. They sit naturally alongside the materials and aesthetics already present in the building. They also perform reliably across a full range of fire ratings, from FD30 through to FD120.
We offer our timber doorsets in a wide selection of factory-applied finishes. Real wood veneer options work particularly well in residential communal areas where the environment needs to feel warm and considered.
For projects requiring a cleaner or more contemporary look, we supply laminate faces from market-leading suppliers. Every laminate option leaves our factory fully finished and ready to install. We also offer factory priming and full RAL colour finishing where the building specification requires it.
Before specifying replacement communal fire doors, it is worth reviewing the building’s current fire risk assessment. Older fire strategies may reflect earlier versions of the regulations. The ratings required in certain locations may well have changed since the last assessment.
Communal corridors in most residential buildings call for FD30 or FD60 fire doors depending on building height and layout. Areas that form part of a protected escape route may need FD60 or above. A specialist door manufacturer with experience across different building types can confirm the right specification for each location within the building.
Upgrading communal fire doors in an older building is a significant investment. Choosing the right door manufacturer makes a real difference to both the process and the finished result.
Pendle Doors manufactures fully certified timber doorsets under the BM Trada Q-Mark certification scheme. Every door set we produce carries full traceability and leaves our facility meeting the required standard. We supply timber doorsets across a wide range of sectors and building types throughout the UK.
If you are planning a communal fire door upgrade in an older building, our team is ready to help. We support clients through the full process, from initial specification right through to delivery. Get in touch with us today to start the conversation.
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