The British Woodworking Federation has voiced concern about the TV programme ‘Property Snakes and Ladders’ suggesting the application of intumescent paint to upgrade an existing door to a fire door.
The view of the BWF-CERTIFIRE Fire Door and Doorset Scheme is that while this is a practice which can be proven to work, it is potentially fraught with danger and could lead to death, injury and even criminal prosecution of the installer.
Fit for purpose fire doors, properly installed and maintained, protect lives and property in the event of a fire and there is plenty of evidence to prove their effectiveness.They represent a complex assembly of components, including the door leaf, frame and essential hardware (locks, latches, hinges, closers and edge seals and it is this complete assembly that works together to provide fire protection, not just the door. Upgrading a standard internal door in the way suggested on the programme may seem a simple, cost-effective approach to solving a problem, especially in loft conversions, older property, and hotels. But the fact is that achieving the required fire performance requires attention to many details beyond simply applying a coating to the door leaf. It requires an understanding of the door’s capability to be upgraded including the type of timber, its density, moisture content and method of manufacture. And it requires an accurate and consistent application of the paint which is unlikely to be achieved by a paint brush. The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) believes that such details are difficult to accomplish by a professional, let alone an enthusiastic DIY-er.