Steel doors are being used in many more applications now in the UK and for good reasons too, especially in commercial and industrial applications. Other materials just don’t provide the overall integrity, strength and security that steel can and with modern manufacturing processes and finishing processes they can look fantastic too and are used more and more in domestic homes for front entrance doors and internal fire and security doors.
What is a Steel Doorset?
A doorset, in generic terms, refers to a multiple hinged, double skinned, steel door leaf, which has been factory assembled with a steel or aluminium fixing sub frame and all necessary hardware and seals. Doors can be split initially into ‘external’ or ‘internal’ use, where obvious standard differences are immediately obvious.
Doorsets are pre-fitted with all the necessary furniture to give that door a particular specification for a purpose in a particular environment. This might extend to internal insulation for acoustic or thermal insulation, or additional steel bracing for security for example.
A steel door leaf is already a strong leaf and adding additional materials and mechanical or electronic components enables certified ratings to be achieved when required.
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That might be for fire protection, sound insulation, security, ventilation, high usage and so on, because a steel doorset is independently tested from a specific construction.
As a bespoke steel doorset is a factory assembled product, once it has passed all its testing, the doorset can be reproduced exactly the same, time and time again to ensure a continuity in performance in the environments requiring those standards. It ensures compliance.
Many doorsets now fitted into most buildings in the UK require a specific certification, and need to conform to set standards in order to be fully compliant and essentially be generically described as 'fit for purpose' and for building insurances to be valid.
As there are so many potential uses for steel doorsets, the standards are extensive, and obviously when it comes to the purpose of fire protection or security and other very relevant uses, the requirement for compliancy is essential, and not an option. This is why it is vital that the doorset has the right certification and not just something that looks similar, or is built to copy a standard.
A Chinese issued certificate for example WILL NOT be compliant in the UK regardless of what it has been tested for. It has to be tested in the UK or Europe and carry the EN, BS and other certificates. This is currently under change with the UK leaving Brexit of course but still as relevant as ever.
Types of Commonly Specified Steel Doorsets in the UK include:
Fire Resistant Doors
60 minute to 240 minute ratings with a need to be permanently closed when not being walked through. Fire ratings are under scrutiny right now as we are far behind the standards in Europe in terms of thermal transfer and many UK buildings are being specified with EI standards, where fire spread via flames is prevented, but so is the heat transfer through the doorset too.
A door glowing cherry red with a fire the other side of it is extremely dangerous without flames and thermal transfer really needs to be prevented.
Security Rated Doors
One of the most contentious ratings in many ways as so many doors are glibly described as ‘security’ doors. The simple fact is a proper tested and certified ‘security door’ has to prevent access for a time period and the higher the rating the longer that time period is.
The overall integrity of a proper security door is the key and not just a bigger lock or multi point locking. The door must be tested by a third party and pass stringent test processes.
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Acoustic Rated Doors
Prevention of the transfer of noise. Insulated doors, which can also work for thermal benefits too, but if a certified rating is required the amount of decibels coming through is measured to various levels, depending how much sound you want to prevent.
Fire Exit or Emergency Doors
For the fast exit from a building in the event of a fire.
Sometimes confused with fire doors, but not built to prevent fire spreading and only made for people to get away from a fire as fast, efficient and easy as possible, with fast acting and large panic bar handles to open from inside when required.
Louvre Doors or Vented Doors
Doors with louvre vented sections of varying sizes built in the door panel to offer ventilation. Underground car parks, electrical sub stations and many other applications where natural air flow is required.
Vision Doors or Glazed Doors
Steel doors with small, medium or full size glazing sections to offer natural light and vision.
So many people simply think of aluminium when a fully glazed door is required, but steel is so much better all round and usually less money too for commercial specifications.
Internal Designer Doors
Steel doors with patterns and design and beautiful finishes, never expected from steel doors generally. Perfect for apartments, flats and offices where styles and colours and important, but the durability, thermal performance and low maintenance is also a factor too. Painted and laminated finishes all available for the perfect end result.
Front Entrance Door
Steel doors for your home entrance offering the strength, security and longevity so often lacking in Upvc, Composite and budget timber doors. Made to measure with or without glazing options and PAS 24 certified.
Very stylish designer styles are available from the likes of Hormann and Ryterna Doors.
Samson Doors offer a massive range of high quality steel doorsets for almost any application and all the doors are manufactured to the very highest standards in the UK with some specialist models manufactured in Germany. Our doorsets are factory assembled for the easiest on site installation with a fully adjustable fixing frame on our SteelGuard range.
Although suitable for various applications, the primary purpose of a steel doorset is to provide access control and security, and this can now be achieved in accordance with many attractive colours and finishes.
With more rigorous demands on commercial products and far higher standards for testing and compliance steel doors are fast becoming a preferred option for many doors, even in domestic properties. Timber can warp and requires maintenance, GRP and composites generally are not suitable for demanding environments and Upvc is definitely not suitable. Aluminium is used for certain door types and sections, but steel is the outright winner for so many applications with strength, stability and durability as one major factor in the preferred choice.
Of course there are always cheap versions of any product and steel doors are no exception, but cheap, poorly assembled steel doorsets will be a bad choice when security, strength and durability are key factors for the original reason for buying one.
Steel Doorsets from Samson
A steel doorset should be a fully factory produced and assembled, compliant for the environment it is to be used in and fully tested product to ensure it is suitable for the purpose it is being used for.
Steel doorsets can be fitted in various environments, however should always provide a level of security suitable for it.
Relevant now more than ever before, if you are purchasing a steel doorset for a new build project or even a refurbishment, it is essential that the door has the right specification, as well as the correct certification to ensure total compliance with building regulations and more specific performance requirements for the environment and occupants of the building.
So many steel doorsets used and sold in the UK are NOT compliant and have misleading information about their specification, certification and origin.
Samson Doors have made it easy in ensuring all the steel doorsets we provide are generally produced with additional certification. For example, why shouldn’t a fire exit door also be a security rated door or at least have an emphasis on security? Why shouldn't a fire exit door be insulated too and save on energy costs?
Multiple Features…
Fire exit doors are usually situated in a vulnerable, out of sight area on many buildings and are an easy target for intruders, especially when the door fitted is of low quality and specification.
In theory a fire exit steel doorset only needs to comply with regulations in having certified panic escape furniture and the minimum requirements for the threshold.
It is not a fire protection door or anything else, it is merely a door to let people escape in an emergency and its purpose is to be opening outwards as fast as possible. But why wouldn’t you want it to also be as secure as possible, with insulation properties in many cases? All possible by just putting some thought into the door when specifying and ordering.
Browse our Range of Steel Doorsets
Samson have a vast range of steel doorsets spanning different manufacturers and therefore colours, functions, certifications and more.
Take a look at the ranges below:
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More Information
The performance of any steel door can be focussed on one or more performance characteristics and the final doorset can offer multiple performance in its specification if required. Most doors however are requested with one performance requirement.
The general options for steel doorset performance and compliance will be:
- Fire Integrity - Stopping the spread of fire with flames
- Fire Insulation - Preventing combustion through heat transfer through the door
- Security Level - Various levels of tested security with different certifications but the general purpose of security is to prevent access based on time taken to gain access.
- Smoke Protection - prevention of harmful and toxic smoke passing through the door.
- Acoustic Performance - How much noise can be prevented from passing through the door when closed?
- Insulation - What levels of thermal resistance can the door and frame offer when closed to prevent heat or cold transfer.
- Escape - BS standards to ensure an emergency escape door to get away from fire or other danger as fast as possible.
- Bullet Proof - A door to prevent ballistic penetration
Many doors are just for ‘general purpose’ in peoples minds when they decide to replace a door, but in reality they want the door to perform in at least one or more ways but simply haven’t thought about it.
Get in Touch
If you require high quality steel doorsets you can rely on from leading names in the sector, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Call us today on 01933 44 88 50
Email enquiries@samsondoors.co.uk or buy online for delivery to your door.
