I’ve seen this application hundreds of times, gymnasium fire doors with applied padding to protect the kids when they run into the door at full speed during indoor recess. But is applied padding allowed when the doors are fire rated?
In my opinion, padding is different from cladding, which I addressed in a previous post. In that post, I included the information about cladding from Steelcraft’s fire door listings, and flammable padding would not meet the listing requirements.
We checked in with the listing labs, and could not find any fire door that allows the installation of padding like this. It would not be allowed by NFPA 80 either. So my question is this…who is approving the use of these pads on fire door assemblies? Or has (almost) no one noticed?
Have you been involved with similar gym projects?
WWYD?
Thank you to Andy Lindenberg of King + King Architects for the photo!
You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.
This looks like panic hardware, not fire exit hardware. Are these fire doors?
Hi Kevin –
I can’t say for sure because I didn’t see these particular doors, but it is extremely common to see fire doors with padding in a gym.
– Lori
Definitely fire rated openings. Doors and hardware are being replaced and like padding being specified/applied. Frames are to remain.
Isn’t it also a concern that now the exit device isn’t going to protrude past the padding so in a mass exit scenario the bar might not be pressed by a large volume of people pushing into that door if you don’t know where the gap in the padding is?
Hi Carl –
I asked that question in a post a long time ago (https://idighardware.com/2014/09/access-to-panic-hardware/), but there is currently no amount of clear space specified in the codes. Maybe it’s something we should consider trying to add.
– Lori
– Lori
Code is still minimum. It doesn’t mean that just because it passes code there isn’t a better way to do it.
We have the same padding on our gym walls. I fail it every year I inspect it.
Hi Terry –
Thanks for sharing your insight! So what happens after you fail the padding?
– Lori
Go for you Terry. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that happening.
Hi Lori
Nothing is done. I have been failing them for the past 6 years. it’s up to our AHJ and nothing has been done each year reported.
Terry Hamilton
Well, I guess you just have to keep doing the right thing.
– Lori
Absolutely!!!
Terry