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NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives is the standard that includes detailed information about fire door assemblies.  This standard is referenced by the model codes, in addition to the information that is included in the codes with regard to fire doors.  The model codes mandate the locations where fire doors are required, and the amount of protection the opening protectives must provide, and NFPA 80 includes more specific information about the construction, testing, and maintenance requirements pertaining to the fire door assemblies.

3A – Introduction to Fire Door Assemblies

Once you understand the purpose of a fire door assembly, it's easy to see why a fire door needs to be closed and latched when there is a fire.  An open fire door can not provide the protection it was designed and tested for...it's like having a gaping hole in your roof and expecting it to protect you from the rain.

3B – The Purpose of Fire Door Assemblies

NFPA 80 is the Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, and includes detailed information about the requirements that pertain to fire door assemblies.  Rather than including each and every fire-door requirement in the model codes, the codes incorporate the requirements of NFPA 80 by reference.

3C – Classification of Openings

NFPA 80 addresses three operational methods for fire doors:

3D – Operation – Self-Closing, Automatic-Closing, and Power-Operated

When a fire door closes, it must latch to prevent it from being forced open by the pressure from a fire.  NFPA 80 requires fire doors to have an active latchbolt that can not be held retracted, except in the case of electrified hardware incorporating a mechanism that automatically latches the door if a fire occurs.

3E – Latching Requirements

The requirements related to maximum clearances on a fire door assembly seem pretty straight-forward, but generate a disproportionate amount of questions.  In part, this is because it is so difficult (and often expensive) to rectify non-compliant clearances on a fire door in the field, and clearance problems are one of the most common deficiencies found during a fire door inspection.  Products have begun to enter the market which are listed for use in repairing doors with excessive clearances, but there are some strict limitations on the amount of clearance, the door material, and the duration of the fire rating.

3F – Clearances

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3G – Fire Door Assembly Test Methods

3H – Gasketing and Thresholds

3J – Hinges, Pivots, and Continuous Hinges

NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives includes limitations on protection plates installed on fire doors. The purpose of these requirements is to address the installation of kick plates, armor plates, or stretcher plates that could otherwise affect the performance of the fire door assembly if a fire occurs.

3K – Protection Plates

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