Fire Rated Side Hung pair doors, the accessories you need to consider

Selecting hardware for fire rated side hung pair configurations is not only limited to a closer or handle.  As for a standard single leaf side-hung fire door-set, pair leaf fire doors must also be self-closing and self-latching.

Other hardware elements to consider for fire rated side-hung pair doors include: types of meeting stiles, latching devices for the active and non-active leaf, location of latches and sequencing devices.

Pair door-sets require rebated or non-rebated meeting stiles to help resist the passage of fire / or smoke.  For example, the Pyropanel J-section is commonly used for fire rated pair doors with fire ratings of up to 4 hours.

The Pyropanel J-section meeting stile is also approved for use in pair doors for Pyropanel Life Safety Door systems up to 1 hour, in this case, fitted with fin seals for smoke resistance. 

Meeting stiles with an overlapping or rebated meeting stile, such as the J-section, require a sequence selector (also known as a door coordinator device) for the two leaves to close in the correct sequence.

Contact your hardware supplier or your ASSA ABLOY hardware representative about approved sequence selectors used on Pyropanel side-hung fire rated pair door systems. For applications requiring a hold open device for your fire rated side-hung doorset, talk to a door hardware specialist or an ASSA ABLOY representative to help determine the appropriate hold open device that suits the size of the door leaves and the door closer.

Latching device selection is dependent on the type of door furniture and the proposed type of meeting stile used.  Pyropanel offer the Pyropanel Autobolt which is used in conjunction with an approved lock (on the active leaf) inserted at the top of the inactive leaf.  Alternatively, if pull handles are used for door furniture, then the Pyropanel Roller Latch is positioned at the heads of both door leaves.  The Pyropanel Autobolt & Roller Latch have been fire tested and approved for Pyropanel pair fire doors.

It is use essential that fire rated hardware for side-hung pair doors is approved to comply with the fire hardware requirements of AS1905.1, and is approved on the proposed fire door-set.