Turning The Screw On Fire Door Safety

Fire door range

Rapierstar, the fastener firm, has been supporting Hallmark Doors & Panels on the development and manufacture of its new 2021 certified range of composite fire doorsets.

The doorsets have both EN1634 30 minute fire protection and PAS 024 Enhanced Security performance.

The new dual certified FD30sa range from Hallmark provides social housing specifiers, housebuilders and end-users with an assured level of protection in both respects because of its advanced design and manufacture, which is backed by third party testing. Hallmark says its production is regularly audited to ensure high manufacturing standards are maintained to the approved specification. This includes fasteners.

Hallmark’s dual-certified doorsets use the Winkhaus UK's fire door frame FireFrame, which accommodates the Winkhaus AV2 multi-point locking system, with the option of upgrading to automatic multi-point locking with the blueMatic AV2-E. Rapierstar’s StarPVCU fasteners are used throughout this fire and security door set, including the screws for attaching lock keeps, thresholds and toplights, and its StarFix frame fixings are supplied for installation along with very specific fitting guidance.

 

Testing

Rapierstar says that its technical collaboration with both Winkhaus and Hallmark has ensured the most suitable fasteners could be selected and incorporated into an approved frame design. Hallmark is using this complete suite of Rapierstar fasteners for its doorset manufacturing to ensure there is no deviation from the original specification that successfully passed fire and security testing.

 

 “Our FD30sa range is designed to offer peace of mind and remove any uncertainty about the promised level of performance and actual performance. No single element of the doorset can provide fire protection or security in isolation and that means the fasteners are as important as everything else in the assembly.”

– Paul Spencer 

Sales director, Hallmark Doors & Panels

 

Technical support

“The technical support provided by Rapierstar has been extremely important to ensure we successfully pass our testing and achieve the dual certification," continues Hallmark's Spencer. "And now we are in production, their support in terms of making fabrication and installation efficient, and ensuring supply reliability during an unprecedented period, is equally beneficial to us and our customers.”

 

Colour coding

Rapierstar is supplying all of the fasteners needed for the doorsets in colour coded boxes so each one is quick and easy to identify on the production line. It’s a practical step that makes it easier for fabricators to get it right every time and pass quality control.

Paul Balfe, Rapierstar’s technical consultant says: “Any weakness in a doorset designed to provide fire protection or enhanced security can be catastrophic and it is only going to be as good as its weakest link. That’s why we were delighted to support Hallmark and Winkhaus prior to any testing to help them achieve the right result and bring an extremely appealing product range to the market.”

Fire testing commissioned by Hallmark involved subjecting the doorsets to temperatures of up to 8850 Celsius, with fire exposure on both sides to achieve a ‘pass’ result. Both solid and glazed composite fire doors were tested, achieving a fire protection level on average 54% over the 30 minute requirement.

 

PAS24

Independent security testing was also undertaken to ensure the new FD30sa doorsets comply with PAS24, and hence the requirements of Secured by Design as well as approved document Q of the building regulations.

Picture: The Hallmark Fire Door Range.

www.rapierstar.com.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
04th March 2021

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