CLOSING THE GAP- ENSURING STEEL DOOR FIRE DOORS PERFORM WITH DOOR SELECTORS

When it comes to fire safety, steel fire doors must always meet compliance standards. Their prime function is to prevent the spread of flames and smoke, keeping escape routes clear to ensure that potential evacuations are quick and efficient. The bottom line is, fire doors save lives. To ensure double steel fire doors perform correctly, an essential detail is their ability to close in the correct sequence, this is where door selectors come in.

In this blog, we’ll share how why the sequence that doors close in matters and the most common configurations of double steel doors that require a door selector.

WHY DOOR CLOSING SEQUENCE MATTERS

Fire doors must be fully closed to stop the spread of fire and smoke. For single doors, this means ensuring the closing device works properly and the door isn’t obstructed. For pairs of steel fire doors, however, the meeting stile (where the doors meet in the middle) becomes a critical factor. If certain pairs of steel doors close out of sequence, this creates a gap, compromising fire, smoke and security safety.

watch how it works

The MK2 door coordinator ensures that self-closing timber or metal double doors shut in the correct sequence, without fail. Watch the video to see how the MK2 Fire Door Coordinator (Door Selector) works.

When do double steel doors need a door selector?

The most common configurations of double steel doors which require a door selector are:

1. Doors with astragals

Often fitted to external steel doors for added security or to improve acoustics, astragals can interfere with closing order if a door selector is not installed.

2. Flush meeting stiles with latch bolts or automatic flush bolts

Steel door sets frequently incorporate these locking devices. Without a selector, the doors can bind on the latch bolts, preventing a full and safe close.

3. Escape doors with vertical rod or horizontal rim exit devices

Widely used on steel fire exit doors, these devices require a door selector to guarantee that the doors close in the right sequence. This maintains fire and smoke resistance, whilst also adhering to security requirements.

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Why specify the MK2 Door Selector?

• The MK2 is certified and compliant. CE and UKCA marked to BS EN 1158:1987, UL listed, ANSI approved, and EPD certified for sustainability-focused projects. The MK2 holds worldwide certification making it suitable for any building.

• The MK2 is fire tested beyond requirements. Assessed on steel doors to BS EN 1634-1:2014 for up to 120 minutes fire resistance, with bi-directional coverage.

• The MK2 is durable and versatile. Tested to 500,000 cycles, discrete components, suitable for doors up to 120kg, and available in multiple finishes.

• The MK2 is British made. Offering short lead times, small Minimum Order Quantities, quality manufacturing with checks at every stage to ensure safety for every application.

• The MK2 is Retrofittable. It can be added to the fire doors at any point in the door’s lifecycle to ensure an easy upgrade.

With its breadth of testing and certification, the MK2 stands apart as a trusted solution for steel fire door projects worldwide.

Do you need the MK2 Door Selector for your steel door project?

Contact our team at Selectrite Hardware today for expert guidance, technical advice, or to request a sample of the MK2 Door Selector.