News & Articles | Doorstuff

Door Stops and Door Hold Open Devices

Posted on 22nd August 2022 by helen

In this blog we will be looking at different door stops and door hold open devices, including electromagnetic door holders, acoustic release door holders for fire doors, and more.

Door Stops

Door stops are mainly used to protect walls and skirting boards, as they prevent doors from swinging out and hitting them, which can cause damage. Door stops usually have rubber on the end of them, where the door swings out to, this also stops the door from becoming damaged.

Door stops can either be floor mounted, where they are screwed in to the floor next to a wall or skirting board, or they can be mounted directly on to a wall or skirting board instead. All door stops we sell come complete with screws for easy instalment. They are also available in different finishes to match any other door hardware, such as handles, etc.

Door Holders

Door holders, or door hold open devices, are used to hold doors open, and some can be used on fire doors, to keep them held open safely, according to legislation.

Hold open devices can be operated in different ways. They can be foot operated, where pressing down the plunger engages the rubber foot onto the floor stopping the door moving, please note that simple foot operated door holders cannot be used on fire doors.

Acoustic release hold open devices are also foot operated, however they work by detecting the sound of fire alarms, the hold open will then automatically be released, so that the door closes.

Electromagnetic hold open devices are often fitted on the wall with a plate on the door. They must be wired to a fire or smoke detection system or a fire alarm panel which, in the event of fire, interrupts the power supply. These are 24V DC. The door is then released and is closed by a door closer.

For more information on door stops and door hold open devices, or any of our other products just pop us an e-mail or give us a call and we will get back to you.

Posted in accessories | Tagged door stops, foot operated door holder, hold open, hold open device | Leave a comment

Fire Signage and Pictograms

Posted on 29th July 2022 by helen

In this blog we will be looking at fire signage and pictograms. These come in a range of finishes as well as different pictograms which represent different things.

Pictograms

Pictograms are often use on public buildings to label doors and give information about the usage of a room, most commonly on bathrooms. Not to be confused with mandatory fire signage, our pictograms come in different bathroom options; Male, female, unisex, disabled, baby changing and shower. They indicate who the bathroom is intended for, as well as the facilities in the room such as a baby change or a shower. These pictograms are available in multiple finishes, including satin stainless steel (SSS), satin anodised aluminium (SAA) and polished brass (PB)

Fire Signage

Not to be confused with mandatory fire escape signage (the green signs with running men and arrows, etc.) these blue circular fire signage discs are mandatory for display on any Fire Check Door to give information about its usage. For example, “Fire Door Keep Shut;” these signs are used for fire doors with a self-closing device. “Fire Door Keep Locked” are used for fire doors which do not need to have a closing device, such as a locked store or cupboard door. Finally, “Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear” should be used for fire doors fitted with an electromagnetic hold open or free swing door closing device. These signs also come in different finishes, although they are all blue, the finish just determines the finish of the border.

Push Plates and Kick Plates

Push plates and kick plates are thin sheets of metal which can be attached to doors. Push plates, also referred to as finger plates are designed to cover drilling holes on the reverse of doors which have been fitted with bolt through pull handles or have witness marks of previous drilling holes. Kick plates are a sheet of material, usually a thin metal, which is attached to the bottom of a door, protecting it from damage. The name comes from when people kick doors open if they have their hands full. Push plates and kick plates are often seen in commercial and public buildings.

If you have any further questions on any signage, push/kick plates, or any of our other products do not hesitate to contact us by phone or by e-mail.

Posted in accessories, Fire Doors | Tagged finger plate, fire doors, fire regulations, fire signage, kick plate, pictogram, push plate | Leave a comment

Anglesey Trac Môn Race Reports – 13 Didwell Racing

Posted on 22nd July 2022 by helen

Last weekend, Blake headed to Anglesey for round 5 of the No Limits races. After missing round 3&4 and not having raced since round 2 at Snetterton, Blake now stands at 15^thout of 36 scorers, with a total of 52 points.

Race 1 Report

In race 1, Blake didn’t quite make his trademark good start, however he still gained 1 or 2 places. With track conditions being different to what Blake is used to, in high heat the greasy track meant he had a big slide about two thirds of the way through the race, causing him to lose a bit of confidence. After holding P21 for a majority of the race, unfortunately Blake dropped 3 spots and finished in P24 (P14 in class.) This gained Blake 2 championship points and his best lap was 1:17.898.

Race 2 Report

After a rear tyre change needed after race 1, race 2 began. Starting at P27 on the grid, Blake gained 1 spot off the start, which he then lost by the second turn. Following another racer very closely for most pf the race, he manages to overtake this racer, only to get overtaken on the last section of the last lap by a different racer. Race 2 was finished in P24 (P13 in class) which earned a further 3 championship points. The best lap for race 3 was 1:17.536, which was Blakes personal best for this course over the weekend.

Pace 3 Report

Starting at P28, Blake was off to a good start where he gained a few places, unfortunately these were lost throughout the duration of the rest of the race. Most of race 3 was spent quite lonely, until getting lapped by 2 racers fighting for first place towards the end. Considering one of Blakes goal was to finish a race without being lapped and its taken until this race for it to happen, he hasn’t done too badly. This race was finished in P26 (P15 in class.) With a best lap of 1:19.376, and 1 additional championship point for race 3.

Race 4 Report

Last but not least – race 4, Blakes favourite race of the weekend. Starting at P29 Blake had a 1 on 1 battle with another racer, who kept getting ahead and then making small mistakes, such as small excursions on to the grass. On the final lap the other racer overtook Blake, meaning Blake finished in P23 (P14 in class) with a best lap of 1:17.735 and 2 more championship points.

Up Next…

Though this may have been Blakes worst weekend in terms of results, he thoroughly enjoyed his time and found Anglesey the most enjoyable weekend so far. Next up is Round 6, which is being held at Brands Hatch circuit on the 30^th-31^st July, best of luck!

Be sure to follow Blakes Facebook page for live updates on this upcoming race weekend here.

Posted in Uncategorised | Leave a comment

Hinges – Types and Differences

Posted on 8th July 2022 by helen

At Doorstuff, we sell many different types of hinges. In this blog we will be looking at some types of hinges and what makes them different.

Hinges for Fire Doors

These hinges are designed to comply with BS EN1365, meaning they have been tested and fire rated, for use on fire doors. In order to comply with the fire testing of these hinges, they must be used with the appropriate intumescent hinge pads. You will need to purchase one pair of intumescent hinge pads per one pair of hinges. (What is intumescent?)

Hi-load Hinges

Hi-load hinges are heavy duty and designed to take a high load, and can be used on much heavier doors, up to 120kg. Each hi-load hinge is rated to a different door weight, ranging from doors from 60kg to doors of up to 120kg. They come with a 25 year maintenance-free guarantee too. These hinges are also suitable for fire doors and are fire rated, only to be used on fire doors when using an intumescent hinge pad.

Rising Butt Hinges

Rising butt hinges are designed to allow your doors to close slowly using gravity where a door closer is not required, but where it is desirable not to have the door resting wide open. The hinges can be handed on both the right or the left of the door. However these hinges are not fire rated, so they cannot be used on any fire doors.

Parliament Hinges

Parliament hinges are mainly used on external doors. They are used when you want the door to be able to rotate through 180 degrees, clearing the frame to lie flat open against the wall. Again, these types of hinges are not fire rated so should not be used on fire doors.

Counter Flap Hinges

Counter flap hinges are designed to lie flat when in use, the counter flap hinge allows a gap in a bar or countertop to be hinged upwards. They have a back stop which supports the counter at hinge side. These hinges are sold in pairs.

If you have any further questions related to the hinges we sell, or any of our other products, do not hesitate to give us a call or pop us an e-mail, we will be happy to help with any queries.

Posted in accessories, hinges | Tagged counter flap hinge, fire rated hinges, hi-load, hiload hinges, hinge pads, hinges, parliament hinge, rising butt hinge | Leave a comment

What are Intumescent Packs – Why do we need them?

Posted on 24th June 2022 by helen

What are intumescent packs and why do we need them? In this blog we will be answering this question.

What are Intumescent Packs?

Intumescent packs are designed to reduce fire hazards in public places. There are many different intumescent products for different hardware, and there are two types of intumescent. Expanding intumescent are designed to fill gaps when exposed to heat, these are fitted round door frames, letterplates, spy holes, etc. Intumescent jackets are essentially a sheet of material that act as an insulation layer and slow down heat transfer where wood has been removed. For example hinges, lock cases, vision panels (where the glass must also be fire rated) or anything else cut in to a door.

Important Information

When purchasing intumescent products, it is important to ensure that the intumescent comes from the same manufacturer as your product. All products are tested with specific intumescent, so using a different intumescent would invalidate the fire certificate (this varies between products), as the products would not be tested or compatible.

Why are Intumescent Packs Important?

Intumescent packs are important not only for the safety of any individual using a building, but they also help to reduce damage to buildings and property by preventing the spread of fire and smoke, also allowing more time for emergency services to arrive and extinguish the fire.

If you have any further questions you can call us or e-mail us, but don’t forget to consult the fire certificate.

Posted in Fire Doors | Tagged fire certificate, intumescent, intumescent fire and smoke seals, intumescent seals | Leave a comment

Panic Hardware – Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on 10th June 2022 by helen

In this blog, we will be answering some frequently asked questions regarding panic hardware.

Will my Panic Hardware Lock if my Door is Locked with an OAD?

You will be able to get into a building from the outside even if your panic hardware is on the inside. This is only possible if you use a compatible outside access device (OAD)

Panic hardware will still allow door to open, even when a door is locked with an OAD, if it is fitted properly. There are some regulations in regards to locks on doors with panic hardware too. You cannot add any secondary locks or bolt latches to any doors with panic hardware. This is because they will not be a part of the mechanism, and your door will not open as the hardware is designed to be used with its own locking mechanism only.

Can I use Panic Hardware on an Inward Opening Door?

The simple answer to this question is no. Panic hardware can only be used on outward opening doors. The way they work is when the push bar/push pad is pushed, the door opens outwards with the push. This means they cannot be used on doors that opened inwards.

Do I Need a Push Bar or a Push Pad?

The type of panic hardware you will need will depend on the kind of building it is being used for, to comply with different EN standards. EN179 is the standard for buildings which are not used by the public, for example offices. For these types of building push pads can be used, though it is important to ensure everyone is familiar with the hardware. For public buildings, EN1125 is the standard. On these building push bars should be used. Push bars must extend over at least 60% of the width of the door.

For smaller office buildings, Escape sashlocks can also be used as an alternative to push bars or push pads, as these are panic rated to EN179.

My Door is Staying Open or Not Opening?

If you find that your door is stuck; not opening or not closing this most likely means that something has gone wrong with your panic hardware, which will either need replacing, or repairing using spare parts. When buying spare parts, it is important to make sure that you are getting the correct parts for the correct model of panic hardware, as these would have been tested together, any parts that aren’t right for the model being used will not have been tested and will not meet regulations.

How do I Stop People Using the Doors for Non-emergencies?

Though you can’t stop people from using the doors, you can fit alarms which will sound when the door is opened to discourage people from opening the doors. Some people cable tie or security tag their panic hardware which does not meet regulations and should not be done. The only way to safely stop people from opening doors in non-emergencies is to fit an alarm system and attach a sign saying that the doors are alarmed and should only be used in an emergency.

If you have any other questions relating to panic hardware, or any of our other products, don’t hesitate to email us on info@doorstuff.co.uk or give us a call.

Posted in panic hardware | Tagged EN1125, EN179, outside access device, panic hardware, push bar, push pad, regulations | Leave a comment

Commercial Door Handle Sets

Posted on 27th May 2022 by helen

Commercial door handle set - bathroom set

Commercial door handle sets must be used on any non-domestic property, like schools, hospitals, hotels, office buildings, etc.

What makes them Commercial?

Any building that is used by the public is considered a commercial building and must meet certain acts and regulations. Commercial door handle sets are designed to meet these regulations an comply with acts such as the Disability and Discrimination Act, falling under the Equality Act.

All commercial locks we supply also comply with BS-EN12209, grade 3 or grade 4, meaning they are suitable for use on doors used by the public. To read more on BS-EN standards, click here.

All our commercial door handle sets are fire rated and meet the DDA. They are also heavy duty and come with a 5-year manufacturers guarantee.

Conforming with the DDA

All commercial lock sets are designed to conform with the Disability Discrimination Act, or the Equality Act. The act recommends that doors be easily accessible, have lever handles and should not exert excessive resistance. The door handle should be operable with a clenched fist and be of sufficient size to allow an easy grip. The lever handle should ideally be a safety, or return-to-door lever handle. This means the locks are bigger than normal, as they require a minimum back set of 60mm and a minimum fixing centre between the handle and cylinder/bathroom thumb-turn of 72mm.

Meeting Fire Regulations

By being fire rated, all commercial locks we sell are able to be used on both normal doors, and fire doors in public buildings, as long as the manufacturers fitting instructions are followed to ensure that the locks are installed correctly to meet fire regulations. Please note: You must also have an intumescent pack for doors to be fire rated.

Different Commercial Locks

We supply a range of different commercial locks including bathroom locks, sashlocks, night latches and more. If you want to learn more about the different types of commercial mortice locks, we have another blog which you can read here.

For more information on our commercial locks or any of our other products, feel free to pop us an email or give us a call, we will be happy to help.

Posted in door handles, Uncategorised | Tagged BS EN12209, commercial use, DDA compliant, door handles, fire regulations, mortice lock | Leave a comment

Door Closers on uPVC Doors

Posted on 29th April 2022 by helen

In this blog we will be talking about door closers on uPVC doors. Though the door closers we sell at Doorstuff are all standard to be fixed on to timber doors, there are ways in which they can be fitted to doors of different materials, like uPVC.

Do I have enough Space for a Door Closer?

Before we go into how a door closer can be fitted to a uPVC door, it is important to know whether you will have enough space on the door for one.

Firstly, is your door inward or outward opening? Because door closers are usually fit to the inside of a door if your door is outward opening the door closer would have to be fit in a non-traditional way.

For outward opening doors, the door closer body would have to be fit to the frame above the door, with the arm being fit to the actual door. However, this can only be done if there is enough room on the door frame for a door closer body.

If your door is inward opening, please ensure you have sufficient space behind the door to ensure that the door closer wouldn’t hit your reveal.

As well as making sure that there is enough space for the door closer body, you will also need to ensure that there is enough space for the arm to move freely and not hit either the reveal, or the top of the door.

Mounting Plates

Mounting Plates can be used to fit a door closer on to a door when it doesn’t have a solid door structure, for example uPVC doors, because they are hollow.

Mounting plates are fitted to any door using the screws provided, there are many holes which can be used to fit the plate to your door, and it is also possible for extra holes to be drilled anywhere on the plate if needed.

The door closer will then be mounted on to the mounting plate using bolts, which are also provided.

For more information on door closers or mounting plates, feel free to contact us by phone or e-mail and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Posted in door closers | Tagged door closer, door closers, mounting plate, mounting plates, uPVC doors | 2 Comments

Snetterton Race Reports – 13 Didwell Racing

Posted on 15th April 2022 by helen

The Doorstuff bike is back! This time Blake headed 300 miles to the Snetterton Circuit for Round 2 of the races, where he competed in a further 4 races and now stands at 11th place so far in the championships.

Be sure to like Blakes Facebook Page for more updates and live action straight from the races here! And Subscribe to our YouTube channel here for more racing content.

Snetterton (Round 2) Overview

After round 2 at Snetterton, Blake stands at 11^th place in the championships at this point, meaning he has moved up a spot in the leader board from 12^th place after round 1. Blake earned a total of 20 points this round across his 4 races. His fastest lap time for the Snetterton circuit was 2:08:601