# Condo - Fire door



## design-time (May 24, 2021)

I'm redesign a condo unit. The kitchen has a door into the building corridor (2hr wall 45 min door). The owner ask to remove the door, so there will be more room for cabinets, but building manager requires door to stay, but allowed the door to be cover on the inside. 

Does the wall on the inside need to be fire rated? if so, what is the wall rating?


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## cda (May 24, 2021)

My call has to be two hour wall

Not sure why, if they are allowing you to put cabinets to cover the door,,, why you cannot remove it???

Plus I would require a sign on the exterior side.  “ Door Blocked “”


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## ICE (May 24, 2021)

If the door was removed there would be an obvious patched wall.  Probably not going to look good,  Would lead to questions from the other owners and just not worth the hassle.  Permission to cover the inside with cabinets is probably not required.

Instead of a sign that says "door blocked"  either nothing or "use other door"  seems like a better choice.


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## cda (May 24, 2021)

ICE said:


> If the door was removed there would be an obvious patched wall.  Probably not going to look good,  Would lead to questions from the other owners and just not worth the hassle.  Permission to cover the inside with cabinets is probably not required.
> 
> Instead of a sign that says "door blocked"  either nothing or "use other door"  seems like a better choice.




So two hour wall does not need to be maintained?


Just thought not sure why it is a two hour wall????


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## Yikes (May 24, 2021)

A wall rating needs to be maintained.  Openings in the walls need to maintain their ratings.
If you get rid of the door (and I'm already assuming it is not a required exit door, but merely an extra convenience door), you are taking away an opening that was already fire-rated by an independent testing lab.  You replacing it with a site-built infill wall that does not come with a fire-rated label on it.  You need to have enough code knowledge to build the correct type of infill wall assembly (studs, fire-rated gyp board of certain thickness, certain types and spacings of fasteners) to maintain the 2-hour rating.  Ditto for the sound rating.  With all that, it probably needs to be inspected by the city.  
IF those aren't done correctly, then there is increased risk that a fire (or lots of noise) from the unit will impact the other users of the corridor.

Now, for the non-code answer:
For the condos that I know about most homeowner associations would not want some individual homeowner's contractor to patch a common area corridor.  For example, if the existing wall paint has a texture and/or sheen, then the entire corridor wall might need to be repainted so it doesn't look like a patch job.

Between the code issues and the non-code issues, my guess is that it's easier for the manager / HOA to


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## fatboy (May 25, 2021)

Yikes is spot on, the infill needs to be 2-HR rated. The reason for the reduced rating of the door, as explained to me once, is that with an opening present, there is not the opportunity for increased fire loading. Cover the door, the opportunity presents itself again, fire loading material up against the wall. .


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## steveray (May 25, 2021)

Where do you get a 2hr wall with a 45 min opening protection?...And FB and I must have had the same class....


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## fatboy (May 25, 2021)

steveray said:


> Where do you get a 2hr wall with a 45 min opening protection?...And FB and I must have had the same class....


 I thought the same thing, was going to dig today. 

First reaction is it should be 90 minutes, but is it because it is in a corridor, less fire loading in the corridor? 

Quick look, can't find anything to support it, I would say 90 minutes


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## cda (May 25, 2021)

fatboy said:


> I thought the same thing, was going to dig today.
> 
> First reaction is it should be 90 minutes, but is it because it is in a corridor, less fire loading in the corridor?
> 
> Quick look, can't find anything to support it, I would say 90 minutes



If the numbers are right, which hopefully it easy to confirm the door 

Have never done a true condo 

To separate ownership??? Or maybe required when built , per adopted building code ???


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## Yikes (May 25, 2021)

The original poster did not say how it was determined that the wall was _required_ to be 2 hour rated and the door was _required_ to be 45 minute rated.  
For example, if the answer is "I looked at it an it has 2 layers of drywall on each side, the the door has a 45 minute label", then maybe the code only required a one hour wall, but 2 layers of gyp board were installed for sound control; and maybe the doors only need to be 20 minute, but the contractor has some spare 45 minute doors available (I've seen that happen more than once).


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## steveray (Aug 23, 2021)

NFPA 80


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## cda (Aug 23, 2021)

steveray said:


> NFPA 80
> 
> View attachment 8176




Don't tell JAR


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