By Mike Rooney – Testing and Certification Manager, Deanta
Introduction: The Evolution of Fire Doors
Fire doors are a critical component of building safety, providing essential protection against the spread of fire and smoke. While flush-faced fire doors remain standard in many commercial and residential environments, demand for architecturally detailed panelled fire doors is growing.
Complex designs—such as thin panels, deep rebates, and decorative detailing—have historically posed challenges for fire integrity and thermal insulation. This case study explores how Deanta developed a new range of panelled fire doors that combine aesthetic sophistication with fire performance, tested in accordance with EN 1634-1 standards.
Project Background and Objectives
The development programme, launched in Q4 2023, aimed to deliver fire doors that meet modern design expectations while maintaining full fire protection.
Key objectives included:
- Designing internal panelled doors with thin detailing that maintain structural integrity under fire conditions.
- Achieving or exceeding EI₂ classification according to EN 13501-2.
- Testing performance in challenging configurations, including oversized leaves, double doors, fire rated glazing and unlatched arrangements.
The involvement of Third-party certification at all stages, from design to assembly, ensures Deanta reaches stringent requirements.
Technical Approach: Engineering Panelled Fire Doors
Deanta’s approach involved innovative construction methods and multiple layered technologies. Some panels measured only 22 mm in thickness, requiring careful engineering to maintain fire performance.
Test configurations included:
- Single and double door arrangements, including unlatched setups
- Different panel designs: including Flat, raised, and fielded panel designs
- Glazed sections of the doors
- Decorative vertical inserts rebated into door faces
- Cost-effective framing materials
- Extensive hardware options
- Oversized door leaves
All samples were independently verified at the manufacturing stage by third-party certification bodies, ensuring full traceability and consistency in line with the golden thread principle.
EN 1634-1 Fire Testing Results
The doors underwent a 30-minute fire resistance test, evaluating both integrity (E) and insulation (I₂).
- Integrity (E): All doors maintained a 30-minute barrier against smoke and flames.
- Insulation (I₂): Unexposed face temperatures stayed below 140°C average and 180°C maximum.
Notably, the panelled areas remained structurally stable despite thin sections and increased surface area exposure. This demonstrates that design complexity does not compromise fire door performance when engineered correctly.
Certification and Scope Expansion
Following successful testing, the panelled fire doors were incorporated into Certifire and Q-Mark certification scopes. Updates include:
- Thin-panel designs, both flat and raised/fielded
- Wide variety of configurations, including double doors
- Extended sizes, hardware variations, and fire-rated glazing
These certifications confirm that modern architectural fire doors can deliver both visual appeal and safety compliance, supporting architects, specifiers, and building managers.
Commercial Fit-Outs and Practical Applications
Whether for commercial fit-outs or high-end residential projects, these panelled fire doors transform spaces while meeting strict safety standards. By integrating decorative features without sacrificing performance, designers gain flexibility to meet aesthetic and regulatory requirements simultaneously.
Implications and Future Work
This case study proves that fire doors can achieve high performance without design compromise. Moving forward, Deanta is expanding testing to cover:
- Smoke control in line with EN 1634-3
- Acoustic performance to EN 10140-1 standards
- Wider scope for panelled and decorative features
- Non-standard ironmongery
These developments ensure architects and specifiers gain greater flexibility, with doors that meet rising safety standards while delivering modern designs.
Ongoing research includes:
- Smoke leakage performance (EN 1634-3)
- Acoustic performance (EN 10140-1 & EN 10140-2 Annex B)
As the industry demands higher performance from fire doors, comprehensive testing across multiple criteria is essential.
Conclusion
Deanta’s development programme reflects a significant investment in research, testing, and product innovation. By committing extensive R&D resources, we’ve proven that complex panelled designs can pass testing standards such as EN 1634-1 without compromise.
This work is part of our wider mission to futureproof our fire door range, ensuring every product not only meets today’s standards but is ready for tomorrow’s. For architects, specifiers, and developers, it means confidence in doors that combine rigorous third-party certification with the design flexibility modern projects demand.
