Highlights of NFPA 80
Standard for Fire Doors and Fire Windows - 1995 Regarding Doors, Frames and Hardware
This
outline is based on Hardware Specialties' interpretation of the code, all information must
be verified and approved by a registered architect, professional engineer,
and/or authority having jurisdiction.
Numbers in brackets ( ) refer to applicable section of the publication.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Developments (1-2)
new products - manufacturer is responsible for furnishing information
ahj is responsible for approving devices not described in this standard
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Job Site Hardware Preparation (1-3.4)
job site prep for surface applied hardware, function holes for mortise locks, viewers, 3/4" maximum undercutting and protection plates is acceptable
round holes through face of door only
1" diameter only except cylinder holes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glazing Material (1-7)
labeled fire resistance rated glazing material in labeled lite kits
allowable size of lite depends on type of glass and fire testing
rules to go by:
* 20 and 30 minute rated - 1296 square inches
* 45 minute rated - 1296 square inches, no dimension greater than 54"
* 60 and 90 minute rated - 100 square inches
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lintels (2-2)
separate reinforcing units shall be provided for pressed steel door frames, where necessary, to support overhead wall loads over door openings
reinforcements of head members of pressed steel door frames shall not be permitted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sills (2-3)
sills shall be constructed of noncombustible materials
frames with a 4" jamb depth or less - sill width shall be equal to the jamb depth
frames with a jamb depth greater than 4" - sill width shall be 4" minimum and shall be installed so that the sill extends from the face of the frame on the door side into the frame
combustible floor coverings shall not extend through 3 hour rated openings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Door Frames (2-6)
door frames for drywall construction installation shall be the wrap around type
door frames with expansion bolt anchors are for use in masonry walls only
clearances:
* head, jambs and meeting stiles on pull side - 1/8" +/- 1/16" for
metal doors, 1/8" maximum for wood doors
* bottom of door - 3/8" maximum between bottom of door and raised
noncombustible sill, 3/4" maximum between bottom of door and floor
where there is no sill, 5/8" maximum between bottom of door and rigid
floor tile, 1/2" maximum between bottom of door and nominal surface of
floor coverings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transom and Sidelite Frames (2-7.2)
transom or sidelites or panels shall be fixed
frames with transom or sidelites shall be permitted where a rating of 3/4 hour or less is required
frames with transom panels shall be permitted where a fire protection rating up to 3 hours is required
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hinges (2-8.1)
hinges shall be made of steel
mortise hinges shall be attached to doors with steel screws, surface hinges shall be attached with steel thru-bolts
doors up to 60 inches in height shall have 2 hinges, and an additional hinge for each additional 30 inches of door height or fraction thereof
non-spring hinges shall be ball-bearing type
spring hinges shall be labeled
pivots may be used if approved and listed
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Locks or Latches (2-8.2)
fire doors with exit devices must have fire exit hardware
all single doors and active leaves of pairs shall have an
active latch bolt that cannot be held retracted
* except doors not in a means of egress may have dead bolts in addition to
the active latch bolt or as permitted by the ahj
locks with interconnected dead bolts which are retracted when the latch bolt is retracted are permitted
automatic fail-safe devices which are activated by the fire protection system and become positive latched upon activation are permitted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strikes (2-8.2.10)
open back strikes shall be used only when tested and approved
electric strikes shall be used only when tested and approved and shall be fail-secure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protection Plates (2-8.3)
the top of the protection plate shall be a maximum of 16 inches above the bottom of the door - may be installed on one or both door faces
plates of other sizes must be tested and approved
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Closing Devices (2-8.5)
where there is an astragal or latch bolt that prevents the inactive door from closing and latching before the active door closes and latches, a coordinating device shall be used
a coordinating device shall not be required where each door closes and latches independently of the other
where pairs of doors are provided for mechanical equipment rooms to allow the movement of equipment, the closing device may be omitted on the inactive leaf
closing devices shall be attached to the doors and frames by steel screws or thru-bolts
all swinging doors shall be closed and latched at the
time of fire - the operation of doors is divided into three categories
* self-closing doors shall be equipped with a closing device to close and
latch the door each time it is opened - the closing mechanism shall not have
a hold open feature
* automatic closing doors shall close automatically by means of a closing
device and an integral or separate, labeled, fail-safe door holder/release
device which automatically closes the door during an alarm condition
* power operated fire doors shall be equipped with a releasing device that
shall automatically disconnect the power operator at the time of fire,
allowing a self-closing or automatic device to close the door regardless of
power failure or manual operation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Astragals (2-9)
pairs of doors rated for more that 90 minutes shall have an overlapping astragal unless otherwise tested and approved
pairs of doors in means of egress shall not be equipped with an astragal that inhibits the free use of either leaf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gasketing (2-10)
only UL listed gasketing shall be used
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperature Rise (E-7)
where fire doors are used in stairway enclosures, such doors shall be constructed so that maximum transmitted temperature end point shall not exceed 450 degrees (F) above ambient temperature at the end of 30 minutes of the standard fire exposure test
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------