I would love some input on this question, because I know that many of you have experience with this issue. Typically, flush bolts with extension rods are listed for use on pairs of hollow metal fire doors. For wood fire doors, “corner wrap” flush bolts are tested and listed.
With most of the flush bolts listed for use on a wood fire door, the door prep removes a larger portion of the door, which may result in damage to the door over time. For example, if a wood fire door is latched with the corner wrap flush bolts and a cart hits the door, the force may cause the bolt to break through the veneer on the face of the door.
How do you handle this application? What type of flush bolts do you prefer for wood fire doors? WWYD?
The extension rod flush bolts shown on the left are typically listed for use on hollow metal fire doors, while the the corner wrap flush bolts on the right are listed for wood fire doors.
BTW…while I was googling about this topic, I found a video from Rich Howard and his daughter, Anna, of Architectural Builders Supply, all about flush bolts and coordinators. Very cool!
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never use corner bolts
they always break the door corners
Thanks Paul – that has been my experience too. What do you do on rated wood doors?
– Lori
Extension rod flushbolts are preferred if possible. With today’s improved machinery and materials, this is not the issue on wood doors that it once was. With traditional wood door flushbolts, the corners of the wood doors are too susceptible to damage. Flaring of the door corners is also an issue since there is no material at the corner. One of our manufacturers actually ships a short U-channel with every inactive leaf prepped for wood door flushbolts, whether fire rated or not. Unfortunately, it only comes in satin stainless steel and the legs are 1″ so you see it on both sides of the door (legs are longer than the frame stop is high).
Several manufacturers have approval to do extension rod flushbolts on some of their wood fire doors but there are limits and they vary. Not every rated pair can use them and there are opening size limits, rod length limits, etc. Check with your manufacturer.
Operationally, wood door flushbolts are fine. On tall pairs, auto flushbolts of either kind are fine because both flushbolts release when the active leaf opens. When you have manual or self-latching wood door flushbolts on pairs over 7’0″ high, however, unlatching the top wood door flushbolt is problematic because of how high off the floor you have to reach.
Thanks Ray! I appreciate you sharing your insight!
– Lori
Has anyone come across a 90 min rated top flush bolt with aux fire latch at bottom for wood doors?
Thanks
Happy New Year Lori!
There are some edge guards (U channel @ full door height) that are available for the corner wrap flush, similar to the 5″ channel that are used on fire rated door with CVR preps
I’ve noticed many wood doors being revised to metal at cross corridor locations in hospitals because of cost (Mineral core & 5″ mandatory wrapped channel on CVR doors)
Best Regards,
Brian
Thanks Brian!
– Lori
This is one of my pet peeves. We sell wood doors–and only wood doors–and get asked often by distributors to prep fire rated wood pairs for metal-door approved flush bolts. Our answer–“We can’t. It voids the label.” Their reply–“But we do it all the time.” Our reply to that–“Maybe you should call whoever it was them provided that to you before.”
I can’t for the life of me understand why Allegion doesn’t make a flush bolt comparable to the Hager 296W, or Rockwood 2960. It’s a great wood door automatic flush bolt and it solves the problem of the weak corners of inactive doors.
Thanks so much, Terry! I’ll pass along the request! 🙂
– Lori
Hi Lori! –
I agree with most everything that was said from your previous responders. I find that reminding the Architect about the issues that arise with wood doors and corner flush bolts will immediately generate curiosity. Then the question; “What are our options?”
I like to suggest wood grain hollow metal doors like Graintech, especially if the look of wood is preferred. Occasionally, we’ve even gone to fire rated FRP. I’ve had pretty good luck getting doors changed to something less problematic.
Thanks Andy! You must be more persuasive than I am! 🙂
– Lori