What is a fire-rated pocket door?

Fire is one of the most common causes of safety issues in a building, whether that is a commercial office or a residential property. Fire can start through various different means, and therefore there are several mechanisms that need to be in place to prevent fire and to control the spread of fire, in  order to protect the occupants of a building. In a commercial building, the employer has a legal duty to protect the employees, while in rented property or a residential property run as a commercial business, the landlord or business owner carries this legal duty. Fire safety regulations also extend to private domestic homes, whereby homes with a third floor, such as homes with a loft or a basement, must put certain fire safety controls in place, and in most cases this means fire doors. You should always speak to your local building control to check the latest regulations before purchasing.

What are fire doors?

A fire door looks exactly the same as a regular door, and it carries out exactly the same purpose also. However, the structure of a fire door is substantially different in terms of being made from denser, slow-burning hardwoods. This means it is more robust in terms of withstanding the spread of fire, and so a fire door can be fitted to doors which are particularly vulnerable to the risk of fire. In a commercial property this would be most internal doors, and in a domestic home this is doors for rooms which are normally occupied for a significant length of time. So this would be bedrooms, living rooms and the kitchen. In fact the only rooms it doesn’t really apply to in a domestic setting is a bathroom.  

Our range of fire rated pocket doors

At MB Direct, our range of fire rated pocket doors are certified to use with a select range of 44mm door panels, but otherwise there is no difference in which door designs can be used, and hence an interior design scheme shouldn’t be affected by having to include fire rated pocket doors. Similarly, fire rated pocket doors can be single or double doors, and can also be used with everyday accessories, such as the anti-slam accessory and the self-closing mechanism. While you can also install flush pull sets as the standard type of pocket door furniture.

So although fire rated pocket doors are fundamentally different to standard pocket doors, and provide a very important safety feature, they do look and operate exactly the same as a standard pocket door.

Choose your fire rated pocket door online today

If you are an employer or a facilities manager and are charged with designing the interior of a commercial building or a residential property, check out our range of fire rated pocket doors online. These will form an important part of your general fire safety system and are therefore an essential element of how you design and manage a commercial or residential property. So contact our team at MB Direct if you need any further information about fire rated pocket doors, and browse our range online and order today.