A fire door rating tells you how long a specific door assembly held back fire in a standard furnace test, and which performance criteria it met during that time. The minutes are only half of it. The letters, the test standard and the tested configuration matter just as much, and the three systems you will meet on door schedules in Jordan and across the region, European EN, American UL and British BS, write and measure them differently.
European ratings: EI 30, EI 60, EI 90, EI 120
European fire doors are tested to EN 1634-1 and classified under EN 13501-2. The classification is written as letters followed by minutes, for example EI2 60. Each letter is a separate criterion:
- E, integrity. The door stops flames and hot gases passing through gaps or openings to the unexposed side. A door rated E 60 has met only this criterion.
- I, insulation. The temperature rise on the unexposed face stays within set limits, so the door does not ignite materials or injure people on the safe side. The two variants, I1 and I2, differ mainly in where temperatures are measured near the leaf edge and frame. I1 is the more demanding, which is why most doors are classified I2.
- W, radiation. Heat radiated from the unexposed face stays below a set limit. It exists in EN 13501-2 but is less common for doors, mostly on glazed doors that do not achieve full insulation.
Doors are usually classified at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes. A door can hold a longer time for E than for I, so a classification such as E 120 / EI2 60 should be read in full.
Two further letters often follow. S is smoke control, tested separately to EN 1634-3: Sa means the door limited cold smoke leakage at ambient temperature, and S200 means it did so at ambient and at 200°C. C shows that the self-closing function has been tested for durability, with a number giving the cycle class. A corridor door might read EI2 30-Sa-C5.
American ratings: UL 10C labels in minutes and hours
In North America, swinging fire doors are tested to UL 10C, a positive pressure test in which most of the door height is above the neutral pressure plane, so hot gases are pushed out through the gaps around the leaf. For most ratings the fire test is followed by a hose stream test. Results are given as time: 20, 45 or 60 minutes, 90 minutes (1½ hours) or 3 hours.
A UL rating has no separate insulation class in the European sense. Where heat on the safe side matters, for example on stair doors, a door can be listed with a maximum temperature rise on the unexposed face after 30 minutes, shown on the label.
Proof of a UL rating is the label. Listed doors carry one on the hinge edge of the leaf and listed frames carry one on the frame, issued under the listing body's follow-up service. If the label is painted over or removed, the rating can no longer be confirmed on site.
British ratings: BS 476-22 and FD30, FD60
BS 476-22 reports integrity and insulation separately in minutes. Doors are usually described by the FD notation: FD30 and FD60 mean 30 and 60 minutes of integrity. An S suffix, as in FD30S, means the door also has smoke seals and meets the ambient temperature smoke leakage requirement. The FD number says nothing about insulation unless the test report states it.
Why fire door ratings are not interchangeable
| Aspect | EN 1634-1 / EN 13501-2 | UL 10C | BS 476-22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical notation | EI2 60-Sa-C5 | 90 min (1½ hr) | FD60S |
| Integrity | E, in minutes | Main pass criterion | Minutes, the FD number |
| Insulation | I1 or I2, in minutes | Not classified; optional temperature rise on label | Reported separately if tested |
| Radiation | W, optional | Not used | Not used |
| Smoke | Sa or S200 via EN 1634-3 | Separate smoke and draft listing where required | S suffix with smoke seals |
| Common times | 30, 60, 90, 120 min | 20, 45, 60, 90, 180 min | 30, 60 min, others possible |
| Proof on site | Classification report or certificate, product marking | Listing label on leaf and frame | Test report or certification mark |
It is tempting to treat UL 90 minutes, EI 90 and FD90 as the same thing. They are not. The standards use different furnace pressure conditions, specimen mounting and failure criteria, and UL 10C adds a hose stream test the other two do not include. A door can pass one test and fail another.
The practical rule is to match the rating to the standard named in the project's fire strategy: an EN 13501-2 classification for a European-based strategy, a UL 10C or equivalent listing for a US-based code.
Where the required rating comes from
The required rating is set by the building's fire strategy, which applies the project's adopted code to its layout, use and escape routes. In Jordan, the strategy and door schedule are typically reviewed by the General Directorate of Civil Defence as part of local approval; elsewhere in the region, by the local civil defence authority.
The starting point is the wall. A fire door sits in a fire separating wall or compartment boundary, and its rating either matches the wall or is set relative to it by the code. Some codes require the door to match the wall; others accept a lower door rating in specific locations. Under US-based codes, for example, a door in a two hour wall is commonly required to be rated 90 minutes. The fire engineer, not the door supplier, should define the rating, the criteria and the standard for each opening.
The rating belongs to the tested assembly
A fire door rating applies to the complete assembly that was tested: leaf, frame, intumescent and smoke seals, glazing and beads, hinges, locks, closers and the type of wall it was installed in. Change any of these outside what the test evidence covers and the rating no longer applies.
A leaf and frame from different sources, a lock from another range, or a vision panel enlarged on site can each void the rating, even if every part is described as fire rated. That is also why fire door inspection checks gaps, seals, labels and hardware against the certified configuration.
What to ask a supplier for
Before approving fire rated steel doors or fire rated timber doors, ask for:
- The test report, classification report or certificate, naming the standard, the laboratory and the report or certificate number.
- The scope of application, showing that your sizes, single or double leaf, glazing, hardware and wall type are covered.
- Smoke test evidence, if the schedule calls for Sa, S200 or an S suffix.
- The hardware schedule used in the tested or assessed configuration.
- The label or marking that will appear on the delivered door and frame.
- Installation instructions that match the tested installation.
Check the documents against each opening on the schedule and confirm the certificate number with the issuing body. For more on checking test evidence, see our certifications page.
