Problem planing a fire door

[Woodchips2]

An internal fire door at our church is getting very difficult to open and close and needs 2 or 3mm planing off the vertical edge. The problem is it has an intumescent fire strip let into a groove in the edging strip. I presume the intumescent strip has to be removed, the door planed and then the groove deepened before putting the intumescent strip back.

Has anybody done this task? Are these strips glued in place? Is there an easier way?

Regards Keith

 

[chippy1970]

Yeah that's the only way really. The strips just pull out , they are sticky backed. You might be able to reuse it but if you need new ones they're easy to get.

They'll be 10 or 15mm wide so you'd need a straight router cutter to re route the groove after you've planed the door down. You can get special cutters but a straight 2 flute one will do you.

Good luck

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[blackrodd]

Yeah that's the only way really. The strips just pull out , they are sticky backed. You might be able to reuse it but if you need new ones they're easy to get.

They'll be 10 or 15mm wide so you'd need a straight router cutter to re route the groove after you've planed the door down. You can get special cutters but a straight 2 flute one will do you.

Good luck

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Exactly wot he said above, but plane off the "leading" edge, and allow enough for the intumesent strip!
Rodders.

 

[Woodchips2]

Thanks Guys, much appreciated.

Regards Keith

 

[Boatfixer]

I haven't had much to do with fire doors but my instinct would be to take the door off and plane the hinge side, chisel the hinge sockets deeper and rehang rather than messs with the strip....

 

[bugbear]

I haven't had much to do with fire doors but my instinct would be to take the door off and plane the hinge side, chisel the hinge sockets deeper and rehang rather than messs with the strip....

Good thought;

OP - are there any fasteners, latches, locks etc on the door, near the strip?

BugBear

 

[Knot Competent]

I've never dealt with a fire door myself, but surely the intumescent strip will also go down the hinge side?

 

[clk230]

The seal needs to go all the way round , you can get surface mount seals not sure if its advisable to mix the two types though

 

[Clockie]

This is why I always suggested to people to put all the fire seals in the frame whenever possible. When planning for easing a fire door you should aim for a 3mm gap between the door and the frame all round including the floor. The 3 mm gap in addition to allowing the door to function it is also to allow the heat to get at the Intumescent seal, so allowing it to expand. Planing the hinges side would be more difficult because if installed correctly there will be intumesent plugs under each hinge leaf. Also now a days, fire doors will invariably have one and a half pair of hinges with the centre hinge sited just below the top hinge.

 

[Woodchips2]

OP - are there any fasteners, latches, locks etc on the door, near the strip?

BugBear

Yes mortice latch.

I did think about planing the lining but probably less trouble to remove the strip, plane the door on the hinge side, deepen the hinge rebates and put the strip back or replace.

Regards Keith

 

[Woodchips2]

I've never dealt with a fire door myself, but surely the intumescent strip will also go down the hinge side?

Yes there is a strip on the hinge side as well.

Regards Keith