It is very important that all doors be checked carefully before installation take place.
Storage
Doors must always be stored in a flat position off the ground on a bottom board with no less that three bearers to spread the load. The bearers should be of greater lengths than the width of the door and carefully leveled to ensure that all take an equal share of the weight.
Storage must be well-ventilated, dry conditions. Recently plastered areas are unacceptable for storage. Avoid storing doors in direct sunlight. Doors should never be stored in steel containers on building sites as the extreme temperatures cause warping and cracking of timber.When Fire doors are removed from the frame for storage, the hinges must be removed from the frame section and be left on the door. Dunnage must be placed between the doors to protect the hinges.
Installation
The planing and cutting of the door to fit the frame must be done from both sides and top and bottom equally with a maximum of 5mm from each edge. This is to avoid any structural damage being done to the construction of the door. The installation of the fire door units must be done with care and the installer must make sure the frame is in a square before building it in. Once the unit has settled in the brickwork, the doors can be removed for storage. The ironmongery fixed to fire doors must be installed by a qualified person.
Finishing
All six sides of the door must be sealed with the Architects choice of sealant, it is important that the top and bottom of the door is sealed. The end grain reacts the fastest in allowing moisture to penetrate the framework of the door.
We do not recommend painting or staining doors black, due to the fact that dark colours are more susceptible to a large temperature differences. For example, the surface temperature of black or very dark doors can be up to 10°c higher that the average temperature. This can cause doors to warp or crack.
Please note that doors painted black will not be covered under our warranty.
Handling
Always handle the doors with care so as not to scratch or mark the surface or edge of the door.
Amendment to SABS 545 – 1989
The following was added to Subsection 3.9.1 **Note: It is recommended that a Matt finish be used for painting or varnishing and that veneer not be used when painting is required