Fire Rated Hinges

A fire rated hinge is CE-marked and tested to hold a fire door in its frame for the full duration of the door's rating. Standard butt hinges deform and release the leaf long before that, which is why fitting an untested hinge invalidates the certification of the entire assembly.

How many hinges and which grade

Fire doors are hung on three hinges as a minimum, and heavier or taller leaves take four. Check the grade against the leaf weight, use only the screws supplied, and never pack behind a hinge with anything combustible. Every hinge on the door must be rated, not just the top one.

Buy them alongside intumescent strips and pads and a door closer where the door must self-close. The doors themselves are in FD30 and FD60 ratings, and non-rated options are in butt hinges, washered hinges and door hinges.

Why fire rated hinges are not optional

A fire door is tested as a complete doorset, and the hinges are part of that test. They have to hold a heavier leaf, and they have to keep holding it as the metal heats, which is why a rated hinge is made to a defined grade and carries a load rating. Fitting standard hinges to a rated leaf removes the certification of the whole doorway, even though the door itself is unchanged.

Grades, sizes and how many

Hinge grade describes the tested duty and load, not the finish. The grade you need follows the weight of the leaf: a 44 to 45mm rated door is significantly heavier than a 35mm standard door, and a glazed rated leaf is heavier again. Three hinges is the normal minimum on a fire door. Our guide how to choose door hinges covers sizing, and where to fit door hinges covers the positions.

What else the doorset needs

Rated hinges work alongside intumescent strips and pads, which seal the gap as they expand, and a door closer where the door has to shut itself. The leaf comes from fire doors, with the solid and glazed options in internal solid fire doors and internal glazed fire doors. FD30 vs FD60 fire doors explains which rating applies where, and our fire door guide covers specification.

Can I match rated hinges to my other hardware?

Yes. Rated hinges are made in the usual finishes, so they can match the handles used elsewhere in the house.

Do intumescent pads go behind the hinge?

On many tested doorsets, yes. Follow the leaf manufacturer's instructions rather than a general rule, because the pad specification belongs to the tested build-up.