Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in any building. When installed correctly, they hold back fire and smoke, protect escape routes and save lives. When installed badly, they can fail within minutes, putting people, property and reputations at risk.
In recent years, fire door failures have been a major focus of safety investigations and new regulations, including the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. These laws make it clear that everyone involved, from specifiers and fitters to building owners, must make sure fire doors are installed and maintained correctly.Correct installation is not just about skill. It’s about following the test evidence for each door system and using materials that have been tested together. Substituting parts, using generic foams or ignoring gap tolerances all risk invalidating the certification of the fire door installation.
Fire doors in the UK are tested to recognised standards:
BS EN 1634-1 – fire resistance tests for doors.
BS EN 1634-3 – smoke control tests for doors.
BS 476 Part 22 – BS 476 pt22 (which will become obsolete 1st Sept 2029).
In order to reduce the risk of failure, every part of a fire door, from the leaf and frame to fixings, seals and hardware, must work together as tested. Any changes to the materials, approved or tested methods used can cause the installation to fall short of the required standard.
The space between the door and frame, or between the door and the floor are critical to the performance of the door assembly and common mistakes include gaps larger than 4 mm at the sides or top of the door leaf, or more than 8 mm at the threshold. Smoke-control doors usually need smaller gaps, with around 3 mm at the bottom being the safe limit. Tolerances may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and the installation guide and fire certification should always be referred to before installing a fire door.
Why do errors occur?
Frames are not installed straight or square.
Incorrect or insufficient packers are used around the frame, leading to a lack of consistency in the installation.
The door leaf is trimmed too much during fitting.
Installers follow normal door tolerances instead of specialist fire door rules.
Door frames move after installation.
Door leaves shrink as moisture levels change.
Why it matters: Even a small extra gap can let smoke and hot gases pass through the door long before the doorset fails the inspected fire integrity. A 30-minute rated door can lose protection in just a few moments. It’s also one of the most common reasons for inspection failure.
How to prevent it:
Follow the doorset’s data sheet for the exact gap tolerances.
Check that the frame is square and fixed firmly with packing to support the fixing point.
Use fire-rated packers to keep the frame in the right place.
Measure gaps at several points before sealing the frame to the sub-structure.
Never cut or plane a fire door beyond the manufacturer’s limits.
How Blue60 helps:
Blue 60 Fire foam when correctly installed fills the gap between the door frame and the substructure fully, this provides improved structural support, in turn reducing movement. Blue60 fire-rated foam and packers make it easier to set the frame correctly and keep gaps within the right range. The Blue60 system is tested for 30- and 60-minute fire doors in many wall and frame types, giving confidence that the gap behind the frame is safe and compliant. Obtain test evidence and FoA from Blue60 for your project.
What happens: The seals around the door edge or frame are missing, damaged, painted over or replaced with the wrong type of material.
Why does it happen:
Painters or decorators cover seals by accident.
Installers use whatever seal is available, not the one tested with the door.
Seals are damaged when the door is fitted or adjusted.
Maintenance staff remove seals and don’t replace them properly.
Why it matters: These seals are designed to expand in heat and block smoke and fire. If they’re missing or damaged, smoke and flames can get through quickly, even if the door itself is intact.
How to prevent it:
Always use the exact seal type and size listed in the door’s certification.
Never paint or varnish over seals.
Check seals are continuous and firmly fitted all around the edge.
Inspect seals regularly and replace any that are worn, cracked or missing with an appropriate and tested product.
What happens: Fire doors are often fitted with the wrong hinges, locks, latches or closers, or the hardware is not installed properly. Sometimes self-closing systems are missing altogether.
Why does it happen:
Installers use standard hardware instead of fire-rated / tested versions during the installation process
The specified components are not immediately available, so substitutes are used.
Hinges are fixed with short screws or inappropriate fixings.
Closers are not adjusted properly, so the door doesn’t latch fully, or slams shut putting unnecessary strain on the frames and hinges.
Why it matters: If the door doesn’t close and latch properly, it can’t hold back smoke or fire. Using untested hardware also breaks the certification chain and makes the door non-compliant.
How to prevent it:
Follow the doorset’s approved list of hardware exactly.
Use fire-rated hinges, closers and locks with proper fixings.
Check that the door closes fully and latches on every test from any angle.
Keep a record of all hardware installed and its certification. Using a fire door management system can help ensure doors remain compliant over time by centralising certification, inspection records and maintenance history. Many organisations choose to register their doors on the National Fire Door Registry, for example via www.doordatasystems.co.uk, to maintain a clear audit trail and support future inspections and compliance checks.
What happens: The frame is out of line, not fixed firmly, or the gap between the frame and the wall is filled with the wrong materials. Sometimes the gap behind the frame is left unsealed.
Why does it happen:
The wall opening is uneven or too large for the chosen and ordered door frame and or door-set.
Installers use general-purpose foam and inappropriate shims instead of fully tested material combinations.
Finishing trades add trims or architraves that hide unsealed / unfinished areas of perimeter seal.
Door frames and door leaves are part of a multi-fit process, meaning frames fitted, then door leaves at a later stage and the frame fire-stopping had been omitted.
Why it matters: A weak or unsealed frame can twist or pull away in a fire. Flames and smoke can pass around the frame even if the door leaf stays closed, this destroys the compartmentalisation that’s key to fire containment and can cause early failure.
How to prevent it:
Check the wall and frame type match the frame sealing test evidence, with special attention to the width of the seal required.
Pack the frame only with fire-rated packers.
Use tested fire-stopping foam or sealant around the perimeter, that is evidenced for the size and depth of perimeter seal required.
Fix the frame securely and the fires stopping is the full depth and edge of the door frame.
Record the materials and fixings used for sign-off, to support Regulation 38 handover evidencing the material used and the fire testing and / or certification to support the suitability in its ‘as used’ state. Ideally this should be door by door with photographic evidenced and provided in a digital format to support the requirements of ‘Golden Thread’.
How Blue60 helps: The Blue60 system provides both fire-rated foam and colour-coded packers designed for accurate, compliant installation. It’s tested for timber and steel frames in different wall types to both 30- and 60-minute fire ratings. The supporting fire test evidence for using Blue60 means installers can rely on one proven method for consistent, safe results.
What happens: Even when a fire door is installed properly, it can fail an inspection because labels, certificates or maintenance records are missing.
Why does it happen:
Installers don’t provide completion paperwork or photos.
Doors are repaired or changed later without updating the records.
Maintenance teams don’t inspect or adjust doors regularly.
Identification labels are removed, painted over or never fitted.
Why it matters: Without proof of certification or maintenance, the door can fail compliance checks. Over time, small issues like worn seals or loose hinges can make a once-compliant door unsafe.
How to prevent it:
On installation make sure every fire door has a clear label showing its rating and manufacturer. Alternately data tags are often fitted, be sure to activate and check that the doors data can be accessed.
Keep all installation and test documents together for each door-set.
Take photos and measurements during installation.
On installation issue maintenance guidance and recommend doors are subject to a suitable ‘system of maintenance’ to include regular inspections and maintain inline with the manufacturers guidelines.
Record any repairs and ensure replacement parts match the certification before handover.
How Blue60 helps: Blue60 provides clear technical data and testing evidence, which can be included in handover documents. Fitters and distributors can easily show that the materials used match the tested system. This simplifies documentation and helps with future audits.
Fire doors are tested as complete systems, including the leaf, frame, seals, hardware and fixings. If any part is changed, the fire door could fail, and its performance can no longer be guaranteed.
The standards, BS EN 1634-1 and -3, define how doors are tested for fire and smoke resistance. Test evidence proves that the door system can resist fire for a set period (often 30 or 60 minutes). To stay compliant, the door must be installed exactly as it was tested.
Unfortunately, surveys show most fire doors fail inspections, mainly due to poor installation, excessive gaps and missing seals. These are problems that good testing, proper materials and correct documentation can prevent.
Blue60 products, including fire-rated foam and packers, have been tested with timber and metal frames in a wide variety of different wall types. They have proven 30- and 60-minute fire resistance, and also provide up to 43 dB of acoustic performance. Each test is documented with reports and data sheets available for specifiers, installers and distributors.
This means everyone in the supply chain can be confident that when Blue60 is used correctly, the installation matches the tested fire safety rating of the doorset.
Every fire door installation should have:
A copy of the test or certification for the door-set.
Records of materials used, including Blue60 foam, packers.
Measurements of the final gaps.
Photos of each stage of installation (which can be found here www.doordatasystems.co.uk)
Maintenance and inspection logs (which can also on the same website as above)
This digital trail proves that the fire door installation is compliant with the standards required under current building safety rules. Using a tested system like Blue60 makes it easier to gather and present this information.
Fire doors save lives, but only when they’re installed and maintained correctly. The five common failures: incorrect gaps, missing seals, non-compliant hardware, poor frame installation and bad documentation, cause most inspection problems and can make doors useless in a real fire.
To prevent these issues:
Measure gaps carefully and keep them within the tested limits.
Use the right seals and hardware exactly as specified.
Install frames correctly with tested packers and foam.
Document everything and inspect doors regularly.
Blue60 provides a proven, tested installation system that makes compliance easier for everyone involved:
Specifiers get clear, tested data they can include in project specifications.
Installers get a practical system that helps them pass inspections the first time.
Distributors can supply a product that’s in demand, compliant and supported by evidence.
By using tested materials and following proper installation methods, you can avoid costly rework, failed inspections and most importantly, protect the lives of the people using your building.
If you’d like more information on Blue60 fire-rated foam or any of the specialist products we offer, contact a member of our team today.