Fire compartmentation is one of the few parts of a residential scheme where the detail is not a matter of taste. A door either holds for the rated period or it does not, and what makes the difference is the whole assembly, not the leaf.
NU and Cochrane Bespoke make and certify bespoke fire doors. Cochrane Bespoke is our joinery partner, and the fire door work sits alongside the rest of the joinery on a project.
Why bespoke matters here
A fire door is tested as a complete doorset: the leaf, the frame, the intumescent seals, the hinges, the closer, the latch and the glazing. Change one component for something that was not in the test evidence and the rating no longer applies. On a period building, where openings are rarely a standard size, that is exactly the trap. A made-to-measure doorset with its own evidence avoids it.
What we provide
- Bespoke fire doors, made to the opening
- Fire door certification and the supporting evidence
- Fire glazing
- Fire door maintenance
- Fire door inspections
- Residential and commercial projects
What an architect should ask for
Ask for the test evidence or third-party certification that covers the doorset as specified, including the ironmongery schedule. Ask who is responsible for installation, because an accurate door fitted with the wrong gap is not a fire door. And ask what inspection regime the building needs after handover, because in some residential buildings that is a continuing duty rather than a one-off sign-off.
How we work
We start by understanding what the scheme actually needs, then give practical advice specific to it. Our proposals say what is included and what is not, so there is nothing to discover later.
For fire door work on a project, tell us about the scheme or call 020 7731 6841.
Published 17 March 2024. Written by the NU Projects studio, edited since for house style and accuracy.