While necessary to safeguard occupants, fire-rated materials have long proved problematic for design professionals when it comes to balancing aesthetics with performance. This is particularly true when it comes to fire-rated doors. When the hardworking systems are not in service defending against a fire, it is essential they complement a building’s overall design and support occupant wayfinding. But far too often, the door’s traditional appearance and space-limiting swing trajectories force designers to curb aspirations in fire-rated areas. Thanks to manufacturer advances, fire-rated barn doors are now an emerging solution.
Understanding the need for fire-rated barn doors
To ensure a fire-rated door is code-compliant and able to provide occupants with time to safely exit a building during a fire event, it must first pass a set of rigorous tests. Among other outcomes, these tests indicate that a door can contain flames and smoke for the duration of its fire rating.
While many swing doors can meet this stringent code criteria, first generation interior sliding door systems were not able to rise to the challenge. Due to problems sealing the perimeter, smoke and flames were able to pass through the gaps between the wall and the door when the system was set in the closed position. As a result, even though design professionals were increasingly specifying sliding doors to preserve square footage and give interiors a modern edge, they were not able to use them in areas requiring fire protection.
Fire-rated barn doors from AD Systems
To sideline these design challenges, AD Systems brought to market FireSlide™, the first-of-its-kind, interior fire-rated barn door system. The surface-mounted, top-hung single-leaf doors achieve a 45 minute UL 10B fire rating, defending against the spread of flames and smoke from one side of an opening to another. The doors slide sleekly along the wall, maximizing space, while offering the clean, ultra-modern aesthetic of sliding flush wood doors. They are currently available for clear openings up to 40” wide by 8’ tall.
The benefits of fire-rated barn doors
While new offerings like FireSlide make it possible for designers to reimagine doors in areas of egress, they also provide a number of functional benefits. Here’s a look at some of the most noteworthy for commercial spaces:
· Noise reduction – when not in an active fire event, FireSlide doors help enhance privacy and reduce indoor noise transfer since the door leaf is sealed on three sides.
· Space savings – by removing the arc of space needed for swing doors to open, the fire-rated barn doors provide about 30 sq. ft. more of usable room.
· Customization – FireSlide doors are available in a wide range of laminate and natural veneer options to integrate with nearly any interior design scheme. Sizes, finishes and hardware can all be customized within the parameters of the fire-rated listing.
· Specialty hardware options – AD Systems’ fire-rated barn doors have a variety of hardware options, including self-latching hardware with privacy or key lock functionality, access control by key lock or electric strike and optional magnetic hold open.
One step further
Answering the call to have sliding doors in hospitals, schools, clinics and other locations where fire ratings and accessibility are equally important, AD Systems’ fire-rated barn doors advance ease of movement and navigation. The doors provide additional usable space and reduce the approach clearance space needed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Hardware is also ADA compliant and the doors slide along heavy-duty, quiet rollers, instead of obtrusive floor tracks.
With a modern look and innovative features available, fire-rated barn doors are now a viable option for a wide array of commercial settings. Learn more about how AD Systems’ FireSlide doors can help achieve your design goals.
