Fire-rated office partitions and doors

Fire-rated office partitions, glazed screens and FD30 or FD60 fire door sets for escape routes and protected areas in UK offices, with typical costs.

In short: Fire-rated office partitions are walls, glazed screens and door sets tested to resist fire for a set time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, used to protect escape corridors, stairs and higher-risk rooms. They suit any office where the fire strategy requires protected routes or compartments. In the UK fire-rated glazed partitions typically cost from around £800 to £1,200 or more per linear metre, with plasterboard versions much cheaper.

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Fire resistance is about keeping a fire contained for long enough for people to escape and for the fire service to act. A partition's rating is expressed in minutes, and in European classification, glass and screens are rated E for integrity, stopping flames and hot gases, or EI for integrity and insulation, also limiting heat passing through. Fire doors are commonly described as FD30 or FD60, with an S suffix where smoke seals are fitted. Which rating a partition needs comes from the building's fire strategy and Building Regulations, not from preference.

A fire rating only holds if the whole system matches what was tested: the board or glass type, the framing, the seals, the door leaf, frame, hinges, closer and ironmongery, and the fire stopping where the partition meets the ceiling, floor and services. Gaps above a suspended ceiling, unsealed cable holes and the wrong hinges are common reasons a rated wall fails in practice. Using certified products and installers, and keeping the paperwork, matters for building control and for your fire risk assessment.

What is included

Review of the fire strategy or building control requirements for the layout
Fire-rated plasterboard partitions built to a tested specification
Fire-rated glazed screens with integrity or integrity and insulation ratings
FD30 or FD60 fire door sets with the correct frames, seals, hinges and closers
Intumescent and smoke seals fitted to doors and glazing
Fire stopping at the head of the partition and around service penetrations
Signage such as fire door keep shut where required
Product and installation documentation for your records and building control

Who it is for

Partitions forming protected escape corridors or lobbies
Walls around stairs, lift lobbies or protected routes
Comms rooms, plant rooms, storage and kitchens where the strategy requires separation
Compartment walls between tenancies or different uses
Fit-outs where building control has asked for fire-rated construction

How much does it cost?

As a guide, fire-rated glazed partitions typically cost from around £800 to £1,200 or more per linear metre, fire-rated plasterboard partitions are usually far less, and FD30 fire door sets supplied and fitted are commonly around £600 to £1,200 each depending on finish and ironmongery. See our full cost guide.

How it works

Confirm the requirement

We check the fire strategy, building control advice or fire risk assessment to confirm which partitions need ratings and to what level.

Specify tested systems

Partitions, glazing and door sets are chosen from systems tested together, so the rating applies to the complete assembly.

Install and fire-stop

Walls, screens and doors are installed to the tested details, with fire stopping above the ceiling and around every service penetration.

Document

You receive the product data, certification details and installation records needed for building control sign-off and your fire safety file.

Fire-rated office partitions and doors: FAQs

What is the difference between E and EI fire-rated glass?

E-rated glass maintains integrity, stopping flames and hot smoke passing through for the rated time, but heat can still radiate through the glass. EI-rated glass also provides insulation, limiting the temperature on the protected side, which allows it to be used where people need to pass close by during a fire, such as escape corridors. EI glass is thicker and considerably more expensive.

What does FD30S mean?

FD30 means a fire door set tested to resist fire for 30 minutes. The S indicates it is also fitted with smoke seals, which restrict cold smoke passing around the door in the early stages of a fire. The rating applies to the whole door set, including the frame, hinges, closer, seals and any glazing, so changing components can invalidate it.

Who decides if my partitions need to be fire-rated?

The requirement comes from the building's fire strategy, the Building Regulations and, where applicable, building control. The responsible person for the premises, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England and Wales, must also keep the fire risk assessment up to date when the layout changes. A competent fire engineer or building control officer can confirm what is needed for a specific layout.

Can fire doors have glass in them?

Yes, as long as the glazing, beads and seals are part of the tested and certified door set. Vision panels in fire doors are common and help people see through before opening. The glass must be fire-rated and installed exactly as tested. Adding glass to an existing fire door on site, without certification, will usually invalidate its rating.