The ultimate purpose of our fire doors, door sets and screens is to protect lives – but there’s no reason why they can’t look great while performing this role!
There are so many design choices to get your head around that we’ve put together a handy guide to help you make the right choice.
Make Your Home As Safe From Fire As It Can Be
Sadly, there have been more than 500 fire-related deaths in the UK in recent years.
The numbers of fire-related deaths in the UK each year are still unacceptably high. But those numbers have reduced considerably since the year 2000, thanks, largely, to increased fire awareness among the public and the introduction of much more stringent fire prevention or protection measures in domestic settings.
Fire doors are one such measure, forming a crucial part of passive fire protection systems which go a long way towards reducing the risk of fire-related deaths or injuries.
The typical fire door of the past may have looked bulky and unattractive. But today’s fire doors can be designed to suit – and help create – elegant surroundings.
Our bespoke design service and craftsmanship allows us to design beautiful fire doors that match and stand tall in any environment.
Hinges, seals, handles, glazing and other components are as important as the door itself. This is because, in a fire, doors can warp, move and allow smoke and fire through the opening. The seals and the gaps between the door frame and the wall are truly vital too because they help prevent smoke and fire spreading quickly.
The Vigor team can add a variety of features which will help your fire doors fit your décor, including certified ironmongery such as beautifully crafted handles, drop seals, locks, latches and door viewers.
The Ratings
Let’s begin by establishing what fire doors are, and how they’re rated.
A fire door is a door with a fire-resistance rating that reduces the spread of fire and smoke between separate compartments of a building, thus giving occupants a vital window of opportunity to escape to safety.
The standard doors that you currently have in your home won’t be able to withstand fire, nor prevent toxic smoke – by far the biggest cause of fire-related deaths and serious injury – from making their way through unsealed gaps.
Fire doors are typically made of a combination of fire-resistant timber, glass, gypsum, steel, and aluminium.
Fire doors are tested, certified and given an FD (Fire Door) rating by an independent body.
FD30 fire doors are the most common type of fire door, capable of withstanding and preventing the spread of fire for a minimum of 30 minutes.
FD30S fire doors, meanwhile, also prevent the spread of deadly smoke.
Now, it may be tempting to think that fire doors serve a practical purpose but don’t offer anything in terms of style and visual appeal. And that may have been true in the past, but today’s fire doors are available in a huge range of elegant styles that, when properly manufactured and installed, don’t compromise on safety.
Finding Your Type
Here at Vigor, we design and manufacture a vast array of doors that give your interior style and character while also keeping you and your loved ones safe.
Because who said you can’t combine style and safety?
Veneered Doors
What exactly is veneer, you ask?
A veneer is a piece of wood that is sliced thinly and applied to an engineered material, such as chipboard or MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) to give the appearance of a solid piece of timber.
When considering good quality internal doors for their homes, many people immediately assume they must be made of solid hardwood rather than veneer, which is often seen as a cheap alternative.
This isn’t true, though. Looking beyond the environmental benefits of choosing veneer, veneer it’s also resistant to warping – a problem that affects many doors.
Warping occurs when a solid piece of wood responds to changes in the surrounding climate. This means the slightest change in temperature in moisture may cause the door to expand and crack.
This makes veneer a perfect option for a fire door, considering the huge temperature change that occurs in the event of a fire.
Laminate Doors
Laminate doors are one of the more popular interior door types, and for good reason.
We offer a wide range of high-quality and extremely durable laminate doors that can be matched to any contemporary interior.
Foil Doors
Our high-quality fully-finished foil doors offer a uniform consistent appearance similar to the variation of grain and colour you see with natural wood veneers.
Foil doors are simple in character and durable. Think of them as a gritty midfielder in football that always gets the job done!
Vision Panel Doors
Natural light is great, isn’t it?
It’s a vital resource for our general physical and mental wellbeing, and gives us a wicked Vitamin D boost, so it’s little wonder that people want natural light flooding into their homes.
If natural light is important to you, then vision panel doors with fire-rated glass windows could be the best choice for your home.
Fire-rated glass has come on in leaps-and-bounds in recent years, and there are tonnes of truly stylish options to choose from that will not only protect you from fire for up to 30 minutes but also really lift your interior.
You Don’t Need To Sacrifice Style For Substance
As we said before, fire safety is essential in any home, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style for substance.
As we’ve shown, there are a variety of styles and types that are designed not only to give you and your loved one’s peace of mind, but also give your property the character it deserves.
We recommend you speak to a member of our highly knowledgeable and friendly team if you’re looking for bespoke fire door designs to match and enhance your interiors. Equally, we’ll be happy to talk you through the details of a standard fire door with a more functional design.
Get in touch with our expert team on 01642 265 034 or info@vigordoors.com if you’re interested in installing stylish fire doors that save lives in your home
