Do we need fire door between kitchen

3 years ago

Hello all,
We are considering creating a doorway between the kitchen and the hall in our two-storey three-bed 1929 semi. The hall also contains a staircase leading up to bedrooms. Do we need a fire door according to UK building regulations, or could we leave the doorway open or use a fire-retardant curtain or a normal door? If we had a door, we would want a glazed one. Also, do fire doors automatically slam shut? We would probably usually want it open during the day but close it at night. Also, I assume we wouldn’t be able to put a cat flap in it so the cat could get upstairs?!
Many thanks!

Featured Answer

PRO

Eulinea Ltd

3 years ago

If this is a new opening please check if the wall is structural. If it is, you will need to notify the council and provide suitable calculations etc. for the new lintel.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

Daisy England
3 years ago
The specification has changed and you no longer need a closer on a domestic fire door.

If you go on to a second floor ALL doors including on to landings or hallways should be fire doors.
Related Discussions
Need help with Kitchen especially pelmet!
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks for all the replies. I have the blind ordered so I cannot change this. However, if it were to be fitted to the outside frame of the window, it would be let down on top of the tap. I`m not planning on tiling, as we`ve recently repainted the kitchen. I am trying to attach some photos from this website to show examples of pelmets that may work. Is there a way to do this??
...See More
need help with open plan kitchen /living room
Q
Comments (11)
I agree with everything said so far. Would suggest you get built in book shelvers on both sides of fireplace, lift tv into a slot it fits perfectly into (make sure you have power on both sides). Then it will disappear more rather than fight with fireplace as focal point. I am always disappointed with mirrors over fireplaces, they become dark, are to high to reflect much. Plus then you have three rectangles fighting for center stage. I'd say very colorful artwork instead. Wonder if you can reorient tv where the big chairs are so both tv and fireplace are addressed? Color, maybe you should decide on furniture first?
...See More
Need help for my kitchen
Q
Comments (38)
A soft mossy or grey green would be my first impulse but Sarah's dark blue looks good. It depends on your kitchen ware. White porcelains will pop with the blue and earthy stoneware will go more with the soft greens. I'd add a shelf to extend from the cabinet across the tile and a pot rack or hooks over the stove.
...See More
Need help with creating a casual seating area in my kitchen
Q
Comments (10)
Thanks. Beautiul space. Can you please take a photo of the wall that is across from the island? -there is no overhang on the counter...so I am not seeing stools there on either the long portion of the island or the shorter portion by the window. -if you mean by the window, there is a door on one side and an oven on the other.....hence it is a traffic way,,,,,,you don't want stools there I am not sure why you feel the need to put something there. You might consider art on the wall across from the island to ground that wall. Need a photo.
...See More
Helen Grützner
Original Author
3 years ago
Hello, thank you both!

Eulinea: There used to be a doorway there but previous owners blocked it up for some unknown reason. You can hear that that part of the wall is thin when you knock it. So structurally it should be fine.

Daisy: thanks for the info! By “closer”, do you mean a mechanism that closes the door when you let it go, or just a door that can be closed manually? Do we need any sort of door, do you know, or could we just leave it as an open doorway?
PRO
Eulinea Ltd
3 years ago
Thanks, Helen.

You could leave it as an open doorway, but the danger is that if there is a fire in the Kitchen, there is nothing between it and your bedrooms upstairs! This is why there are strict Building Regulations in place, to safeguard yourselves.
minipie
3 years ago
I am not an expert but I believe you do not need a fire door on the kitchen if the house is two storeys, only if 3 or 4 storeys. So beware if there is a chance of a loft conversion at some point. Otherwise you are ok.

I believe fire doors do not need self closers any more. I’m not sure if you could have a cat flap in a fire door, I can’t see how it would still be fireproof with a hole in it. But hopefully these things are not an issue for you anyway given 2 storeys.

I think you would want some sort of door there to stop kitchen noise and smells from pervading the rest of the house, but it’s personal choice. Our kitchen door lives open most of the time but we do shut it eg if cooking fish or curry or if we have people over and kids are sleeping upstairs, or if one of us has got up earlier and starts banging pans and plates and the other is still sleeping...
Ellie
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I am in Scotland.

A quick buzz to your local council planning dept will tell you what you can/can't do.

We have just recently had renovations, went through planning permission etc no problems.

We have staircase in the new open plan kitchen area, stairs go up to the bedrooms - only 1 floor of above kitchen.

We don't have any special doors downstairs.

We have a glazed door from hallway into the kitchen and it is not a selfclosing door or anything. Door stays open most times!
Helen Gruetzner
3 years ago
Thank you all!! We will probably get a normal glazed door due to smells and noise, but will put interlinked smoke alarms throughout the house. Probably simplest overall. Thanks again!!!

Do we need fire door between kitchen

Eulinea Ltd

Comments (7)

Daisy England

Related Discussions

Helen Grützner
Original Author

Eulinea Ltd

minipie

Ellie

Helen Gruetzner

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Do we need fire door between kitchen

Eulinea Ltd

Comments (7)

Daisy England

Related Discussions

Helen GrütznerOriginal Author

Eulinea Ltd

minipie

Ellie

Helen Gruetzner

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Helen Grützner
Original Author