Fire Door Locks, Closers & Panic Hardware

A fire door needs to stay shut in a fire and open instantly for the person running at it. Those two requirements pull in opposite directions, and the ironmongery is what reconciles them. Fit an ordinary lock to a fire door and you have compromised the door; fit the wrong closer and people will prop it open with a bin.

Because we work across both fire safety and locks, this is the service we get called about most. A fire door contractor fits the door and cannot certify the lock; a locksmith fits the lock and does not want to touch the door. We do the lot and take responsibility for all of it.

What we fit

Fire-rated mortice locks and latches: CE-marked, intumescent-wrapped where the case is cut into the leaf.
Door closers: overhead, concealed and floor springs, adjusted to close fully and latch from any position.
Panic bars and push pads for final exit and escape doors.
Electromagnetic hold-opens for doors people genuinely need open in daily use, released by the alarm so the door still shuts when it matters.
Thumbturn cylinders so a flat entrance door is openable from inside without a key: one of the most common and most dangerous things we find wrong.
Hinges, selectors, signage and intumescent protection to suit the leaf.

Security and escape, both

The question we get asked is always some version of "how do I keep it locked without trapping anybody?" The answer is almost always a thumbturn, a panic device, or an escape-rated cylinder, depending on who uses the door and how.

We will tell you which applies to your door rather than fitting the most expensive option. On a flat entrance door it is usually a thumbturn cylinder; on a commercial final exit it is a panic bar; on a stockroom door it may be nothing more than a correctly adjusted closer.

Retrofitting without wrecking the door

Cutting a new lock case into a fire door is where ratings get lost. Done properly, with the correct intumescent protection around the case and the right fixings, a fire door can take new hardware and keep its performance. Done with a jigsaw, it cannot.

If a door is too far gone to take the hardware safely we will say so and price a new leaf instead. See fire doors.

Questions we get asked about fire door hardware

Can I fit a normal lock to a fire door?

Not safely. An unrated lock case cut into a fire door creates a path for heat and smoke through the leaf, and the lock itself may distort and jam the door shut. Fire-rated locks with intumescent protection cost very little more and keep the door's rating intact.

What is a thumbturn cylinder and do I need one?

A cylinder that is keyed outside and turns by hand inside, so you can always get out without hunting for a key. On a flat entrance door or any door on an escape route it is usually the right fitting. We fit anti-snap thumbturn cylinders so you do not lose security to gain escape.

Our fire door is propped open every day. What can we do?

Fit an electromagnetic hold-open linked to the alarm. The door stays open for daily use and releases automatically when the alarm sounds. It is the only honest answer to a door people will keep wedging, and far better than a wedge and a notice.

Do you fit panic bars to shop and office exits?

Yes, including push pads, touch bars and outside access devices, with the correct keeps and closers so the door latches properly when it swings back.

Fire doors

A fire door is only a fire door if it was fitted like one. We hang them, seal them, and make sure they actually close.

Door locks

Front doors, back doors, flat entrances, communal doors and internal doors, fitted to a standard, not to whatever was in the van.

Lock replacement

New tenancy, lost keys, a relationship ended, a break-in, or an insurer asking for a standard you do not have. All the same job, done properly.

Enquire about fire door hardware

Free estimates. Tell us roughly what has happened and where you are, and we will come back to you with a price and a realistic date.

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We reply by email, usually the same working day. We will only use your details to answer this enquiry. See our privacy notice. In a genuine emergency, call 07538 094345.

Fire door locks, closers and ironmongery