FD30 and FD60 are the two fire door designations that come up most often on UK projects, and the difference between them is frequently misunderstood. This guide explains what the designations are generally understood to mean, why a fire door only performs as a complete assembly, and what our own range contains.
Before anything else, one point that runs through the whole of this article. We are a door supplier, not your fire risk assessor. Nothing here tells you what your specific building requires. Confirm that with your local building control body, a competent fire risk assessor or a suitably qualified professional, working from the door manufacturer instructions.
What FD30 and FD60 Are Generally Understood to Mean
The designation refers to an integrity period
FD30 and FD60 are generally understood to refer to intended integrity periods of thirty and sixty minutes respectively, measured under standardised test conditions on a complete doorset rather than on a leaf in isolation.
Test conditions are not real fire conditions
A designation describes performance in a controlled test. It is not a promise about how any particular door will behave in any particular fire in any particular building.
The number is not a countdown
People sometimes read FD30 as a guarantee of thirty minutes of protection. It is a classification derived from testing, not a stopwatch.
Integrity and insulation are different things
Some specifications also refer to insulation performance alongside integrity. Whether that applies to your opening is a question for your building control body, not for a supplier article.
Smoke is a separate consideration
Smoke control is dealt with through seals and detailing, and it is specified separately from the integrity designation.
Why we are being careful here
Fire door guidance is a life safety matter. Confident, simplified statements about what is required where are exactly how the wrong door ends up in the wrong opening. We would rather send you to the right person than sound authoritative.
The Assembly Is What Performs, Not the Leaf
This is the single most important idea in the whole subject, and it is the one most often missed.
What the certification covers
A fire door is tested and certified as a complete assembly: the leaf, the frame or lining, the hinges, the intumescent and smoke seals, the latch, the closer and any glazing, all together as a matched set.
Why substitution matters
Swapping one component for something that looks similar can affect how the whole assembly behaves. A certified leaf in an ordinary lining with ordinary hinges is not a certified assembly.
The frame or lining
Part of the assembly, not an accessory. Our over 30 internal frames and linings include ordinary lining sets from £29.25, which are not a substitute for whatever the certification specifies.
The hinges
Also part of the assembly. Our over 350 door hinge lines include Grade 13 ball bearing patterns intended for fire door use from £4.63, but which specification your assembly requires is set by the manufacturer instructions.
The seals
Intumescent and smoke seals sit in a groove in the leaf or the casing. Never paint them, never fill the groove, and never remove them because they look untidy.
The closer
A door that does not close does nothing. Never remove a closer because the door is inconvenient.
The glazing
Glass in a fire rated leaf must be the certified glass in the certified beading. Ordinary glass in a fire door is not a fire door. We list over 50 glazed fire doors from £123.50.
The gaps
Gaps around the leaf and at the threshold are part of the tested arrangement. Blocking the threshold gap or leaving oversized gaps both matter.
What Our Fire Door Range Contains
The overall range
We list over 240 fire doors starting at £87.39 and reaching £1,300 for a fully finished clear glazed oak leaf.
FD30 lines
Our FD30 fire doors collection holds over 150 lines from £87.39 for the LPD White Primed Flush. Textured four panel and smooth cottage patterns follow at £94.50.
The top of the FD30 range
Fully finished glazed oak FD30 leaves reach £900 and £1,300 in the Mendes ranges, which shows how wide the spread is within a single designation.
FD60 lines
Our FD60 fire doors collection holds 8 lines. They start at £257.75 for the Deanta Flush Fully Finished Oak with 6mm lipping and run to £472.58 for the LPD Belize Fully Finished Oak.
FD60 in white primed
The Deanta Seville and Ely white primed FD60 leaves both sit at £298.50, and the LPD Vancouver primed white at £378.06.
FD60 in other timbers
The Deanta Flush Fully Finished Walnut FD60 is £320.25 and the Seville Fully Finished Oak FD60 is £327.
Glazed fire doors
over 50 lines from £123.50 for the LPD Sydney fully finished laminated white.
Black fire doors
Fire rating and contemporary colour are not mutually exclusive. Our over 110 internal black doors include fire rated options.
Practical Differences Between FD30 and FD60 Leaves
Setting aside where each belongs, which is not our call, there are real physical differences you will notice.
Thickness
FD60 leaves are typically thicker than FD30 leaves. That has knock on effects for the casing, the ironmongery and the opening.
Weight
Thicker means heavier. Hinges, casing fixings and the person carrying it upstairs all feel the difference.
Price
In our range FD30 starts at £87.39 and FD60 starts at £257.75. That is a substantial step, and it is driven by construction rather than branding.
Choice
We list over 150 FD30 lines against 8 FD60 lines. The choice of styles and finishes is far wider at FD30, which is simply a reflection of what the market buys.
Lippings
FD60 leaves often carry heavier lippings, such as the 6mm lipping on the Deanta flush FD60 range. Trimming allowances differ accordingly.
Casing requirements
A heavier, thicker leaf usually needs a more substantial casing. Do not assume an existing lining will take an FD60 leaf.
Ironmongery
Heavier leaves need hinges and closers suited to them. This is specified by the assembly, not chosen for looks.
Available sizes
Our FD60 leaves are supplied in imperial widths from 533mm to 838mm and metric widths of 826mm and 926mm at 2040mm height. Our door sizes guide lists the standard ranges.
Things That Quietly Destroy Fire Door Performance
Every item on this list is something we see in real buildings, and every one of them undermines an assembly that was specified and paid for correctly.
Wedging or propping the door open
A fire door held open does nothing at all. If a door needs to stay open, that needs a proper engineered solution, not a wedge.
Removing the closer
Usually done because the door is annoying. It removes the one thing that guarantees the door is closed when it matters.
Blocking the threshold gap
Draught excluders and rolled towels at the foot of a fire door interfere with the tested arrangement.
Painting or filling the seal groove
Intumescent seals need to be able to expand. Paint and filler in the groove stop that.
Overtrimming the leaf
Planing beyond the certified allowance, very often to clear a newly laid floor, can expose the core. Our guides on planing a door and flooring mistakes both cover this trap.
Fitting non certified ironmongery
Including handles, latches, hinges and letter plates that were not part of the tested assembly.
Cutting in cat flaps, vents or letter plates
Any hole through a fire door leaf is a hole through a fire door leaf.
Leaving damage unrepaired
Splits, deep gouges and missing seals all matter. Report them rather than living with them.
Assuming a heavy door is a fire door
Weight is not certification. Our over 420 unglazed doors include plenty of heavy leaves that are not fire rated at all.
Buying and Specifying
Start with advice, not a catalogue
Establish what your building requires before you look at styles. Your local building control body or a competent fire risk assessor is the correct starting point.
Specify the assembly, not the leaf
Leaf, casing, hinges, seals, latch, closer and glazing together.
Keep the paperwork
Certification documentation matters, particularly in rented, shared and commercial buildings.
Measure carefully
Fire doors are the worst possible product to trim to fit. Order the right size. Our measuring guide covers the method.
Sequence the floor first
So nobody is tempted to plane the bottom of a certified leaf later. Our flooring range of 12 Karndean lines starts at £14.00.
Use a competent fitter
Fire door installation is not a general DIY task. Our internal door fitting costs guide explains how to get comparable quotes.
Match the rest of the house
Fire doors do not have to look institutional. Our over 700 internal doors, over 290 oak doors from £87.75 and over 350 fully finished doors from £75.00 include patterns that coordinate with fire rated leaves.
Do not economise here
Our over 20 clearance doors from £53.00 are excellent value for ordinary openings, and completely inappropriate for a fire separation opening.
Living With Fire Doors
They are heavier to use
That is normal and it is a consequence of the construction.
They slam
A poorly adjusted closer makes a fire door slam. Adjust the closer, do not remove it. Our guide on stopping a fire door slamming covers the correct approach.
Check them periodically
Seals intact, closer working, door closing fully into the frame, gaps consistent, no damage to the leaf.
Report faults rather than fixing them creatively
In a shared or rented building, tell the responsible person rather than improvising.
Keep them closed
Simple, free, and the single most effective thing anyone can do.
Decorating
Paint the leaf if the specification allows, never the seals or the groove. Our painting guide covers technique.
Squeaks and stiffness
Our guide on stopping doors squeaking applies, provided you are not altering the assembly.
Background reading
Our guides on what fire doors are and where they go and fire door materials add context. None of it replaces advice from your building control body.
Fitting Fire Rated Openings Into a Whole House Scheme
Most people do not buy a fire door on its own. It arrives as one line on a door schedule alongside ordinary internal doors, and the practical question is how to make the two sit together.
Match the pattern, not the rating
Many fire rated leaves are made in the same visual patterns as their non rated equivalents. Choosing the same pattern across the house is usually possible.
Match the finish
Our over 80 white primed doors from £30.84, over 350 fully finished doors from £75.00 and over 80 unfinished doors from £92.25 all have fire rated counterparts in comparable finishes.
Accept the thickness difference
A fire rated leaf is thicker than the ordinary door next to it. Side by side in an open plan hallway, that shows. Plan for it rather than being surprised.
Plan the ironmongery in two groups
Whatever the certified assemblies require on the fire rated openings, and whatever you like on the rest. Our over 2,500 door handle lines and over 280 handle packs from £8.99 cover the ordinary openings.
Budget the fire rated openings separately
They cost more per opening, sometimes considerably. Building them into an average across the house hides that.
Do the advice first, the shopping second
Establishing which openings are fire separation openings before you start choosing styles saves reordering.
Consider the casings early
Fire rated assemblies may need casings you would not otherwise have bought. Our frames versus linings guide explains the difference between the two.
Consider the hinges early
Our hinge selection guide covers types and grades, though the specification for a fire rated assembly is set for you.
Consider the floor early
Because the temptation to plane a certified leaf comes from a floor laid after the door was hung.
Other door types in the same house
Folding, sliding and pocket doors are generally not appropriate for fire separation openings. Our 15 bi fold doors, 16 sliding kits and 4 pocket systems belong on the openings that do not carry a requirement.
Wide openings
Our 17 room dividers and 3 french door pairs are style products, not fire separation products.
Where to read next
Our guides to choosing the right door, door materials and hollow versus solid core cover the rest of the specification.
Who to Ask, and What to Ask Them
Because we will not tell you what your building needs, it is only fair that we tell you who will.
Your local building control body
The right first call for anything involving a building project, an alteration or a change of use.
A competent fire risk assessor
The right call for an existing building, particularly a flat, a house in multiple occupation or a commercial premises.
The responsible person
In shared and commercial buildings there is a person with legal responsibility for fire safety. If that is not you, it is them you talk to.
Your landlord or managing agent
In rented and leasehold properties, changes to fire separation are rarely yours to make unilaterally.
The door manufacturer instructions
The definitive source for how that specific assembly must be built, including hinge specification, seal position and trimming allowance.
A suitably qualified professional
An architect, building surveyor or fire engineer for anything unusual or complex.
What to ask
Which openings require fire separation, what designation applies to each, what ironmongery and seals the assembly requires, and what documentation you need to keep.
What not to rely on
A supplier blog post, including this one. We can tell you what we sell and what it costs. We cannot tell you what your building needs.
Other Considerations Around Fire Rated Openings
Listed buildings and conservation areas
Fire safety requirements and heritage constraints sometimes pull in opposite directions. Listed building consent, conservation area rules and Article 4 directions may all apply. Speak to your local planning authority as well as building control.
Leasehold and shared buildings
Restrictive covenants and lease terms frequently govern flat entrance doors. Ask your freeholder or management company before ordering anything.
Rented properties and HMOs
Obligations are stricter and are not something to work out from general reading. Get a competent assessment.
Garage to house openings
Often carry specific requirements. Confirm before ordering.
Ventilation
Never block ventilation serving a gas or solid fuel appliance, and never block underfloor airbricks, when addressing gaps around doors.
Accessibility
Heavy fire doors with strong closers can be difficult for some people to use. That tension needs resolving properly rather than by removing the closer. Ask a competent professional.
Structural work
Altering an opening is structural work and needs structural advice.
Electrical
Hold open devices linked to alarm systems involve electrical work for a qualified electrician and an appropriately specified system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FD30 mean?
It is generally understood to refer to an intended integrity period of thirty minutes for a complete doorset under standardised test conditions.
What does FD60 mean?
The same idea with an intended integrity period of sixty minutes.
Which one do I need?
That depends entirely on your building, its use and its layout. Confirm with your local building control body or a competent fire risk assessor.
Is FD60 always better than FD30?
Not in any useful sense. The correct designation for your opening is the one specified for it, not the highest number available.
Can I fit an FD60 leaf into an FD30 casing?
Do not assume so. The assembly is certified as a whole and the casing is part of it.
How much do FD30 doors cost?
Our FD30 range starts at £87.39 and reaches £1,300 for a fully finished glazed oak leaf.
How much do FD60 doors cost?
Our FD60 range runs from £257.75 to £472.58 across 8 lines.
Why are there so many more FD30 options?
Because FD30 covers far more of what UK buyers specify, so manufacturers produce more patterns and finishes.
Can a fire door be glazed?
Yes, with certified glass in certified beading. We list over 50 glazed fire doors from £123.50.
Can a fire door be oak?
Yes. A significant part of our over 290 oak door range is fire rated.
Can I trim a fire door?
Only within the manufacturer stated allowance, and never beyond it. This is the most common way a certified assembly gets compromised.
Do fire doors need special hinges?
They need whatever the assembly specifies. Our range includes Grade 13 ball bearing patterns from £4.63, but the specification is not ours to choose.
Do fire doors need a closer?
Where one forms part of the assembly, yes, and it should never be removed.
Can I paint a fire door?
Usually the leaf, if the specification allows. Never the seals and never the groove.
Can I put a cat flap in a fire door?
No. Any hole through the leaf compromises it.
Is a heavy door a fire door?
No. Weight is not certification.
What is the difference between integrity and insulation?
They are separate performance measures. Whether insulation performance applies to your opening is a question for your building control body.
Do I need fire doors in my house?
That depends on the building, its layout and its use. We are not able to answer that for you, and neither is any other supplier article.
Who should fit a fire door?
Someone competent in fire door installation. This is not the opening to learn on.
What should I check on an existing fire door?
Seals present and intact, closer working, door closing fully, consistent gaps, no damage, and no additions cut into the leaf.
Fire Doors at Doors2Floors
We have supplied doors and flooring to homes and businesses across the UK. Our fire doors collection holds over 240 lines from £87.39, comprising over 150 FD30 lines, 8 FD60 lines from £257.75 and over 50 glazed fire door lines from £123.50, in white primed, oak, walnut, laminated and black finishes.
We can tell you exactly what we stock and what it costs. We cannot tell you what your building requires, and we will not pretend otherwise. Establish that first with your local building control body or a competent fire risk assessor, then come to us with a specification. Our full advice centre covers measuring, fitting and aftercare for the rest of the house.
Which finishes do fire doors come in?
The same finishes as standard internal doors, so a fire door does not have to look different from the rest of the landing. See oak fire doors, walnut fire doors, white fire doors, grey fire doors and black fire doors.
Solid or glazed at either rating
Both ratings are available as solid and as glazed leaves, so the decision about borrowed light is separate from the decision about the rating. Compare internal solid fire doors against internal glazed fire doors once you know which rating the opening needs. Whichever you choose, the leaf must be hung with intumescent strips and pads sized to match the door’s test evidence, because the rating belongs to the complete assembly and not to the leaf on its own.
Prices and product counts are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. This page makes no certification or fire performance claim about any specific product or any specific opening. Manufacturer instructions always take precedence over general guidance. Regulatory requirements vary by building, use and location. Confirm your specific obligations with your local building control body, a competent fire risk assessor or a suitably qualified professional before ordering or carrying out work.