How Many Hinges Does a Fire Door Need? A Guide for Facilities Managers
TL;DR
Most fire doors need a minimum of three hinges. Heavier, taller or higher-rated leaves may need four.
The real answer is in the door's test evidence and the manufacturer's installation instructions: the door is certified as a complete assembly, hinges included.
Hinges must be fire-rated and CE or UKCA marked to BS EN 1935, typically Grade 13 on a busy commercial door.
Missing screws, worn knuckles, non-rated replacement hinges and a dropped leaf are everyday defects a fire door inspection picks up.
If the hinges are wrong, the door usually needs a straightforward repair, not a new door.
Hinges are the part of a fire door nobody looks at until the door starts catching on the frame. Yet they carry the weight of a heavy leaf, take the force of the closer every time the door shuts, and have to hold the door in place while the rest of the assembly does its job in a fire. Here is how many a fire door needs, and what to check on the ones you already have.
How many hinges does a fire door need?
A fire door normally needs at least three hinges. Fire door leaves are heavier than ordinary internal doors and are fitted with a self-closer, so a third hinge spreads the load, keeps the leaf flat in the frame and stops the top corner dropping over time. Heavier, taller or FD60 leaves may be specified with four. Two hinges are only acceptable where the manufacturer's test evidence specifically allows it.
Why does the test evidence decide the number of hinges?
A fire door is tested and certified as a complete assembly: leaf, frame, seals, closer, latch and hinges together. The number, type, size and position of hinges used in the test is what the certification covers. Fit fewer hinges, or a different type, and the door no longer matches the specification it was certified to. Our article on what makes a door a fire door explains how the parts work as one system. Check the door's label or plug, find the manufacturer and follow their installation instructions.
What type of hinges should a fire door have?
Fire door hinges should be fire-rated, CE or UKCA marked to BS EN 1935, and made from a material with a high melting point, usually steel or stainless steel. Grade 13 is the common choice for commercial doors that see heavy use. Some door sets also need intumescent pads behind the hinge leaves, if their test evidence includes them. Ordinary brass or light domestic hinges swapped in during a quick repair are a common reason a door fails.
Where should the hinges go on a fire door?
Hinge positions come from the manufacturer's installation instructions. As a general pattern, one hinge sits near the top of the leaf, one near the bottom and the third between them, often closer to the top hinge to resist the leaf dropping. Wherever they sit, every hinge must be fully recessed, fixed with all its screws, and sit flush so the gaps around the leaf stay even. Our article on the maximum gap allowed under a fire door explains why those gaps matter.
What hinge defects should you look for on your fire doors?
The hinge problems facilities teams see most often:
Missing or loose screws. One missing screw lets the leaf move. Several and the door drops.
A dropped leaf. The top corner rubs the frame or the gap at the head opens up, usually because hinges are worn or loose.
Worn or squeaking knuckles. A sign the bearings are worn and the hinge is close to the end of its life.
Non-rated replacements. A domestic hinge fitted alongside two rated ones.
Fewer hinges than specified. Often on older doors or doors that were rehung after damage.
Painted hinges. Paint hides missing screws and wear (see can you paint a fire door).
A dropped leaf also stops the latch engaging, so a door with tired hinges is often the same door that will not close on its own. Our guides on why a fire door is not closing properly and how to fix a fire door that won't close cover the knock-on faults.
How do you check fire door hinges?
A quick check your site team can do on routine walk rounds:
Count the hinges and compare them with the other doors of the same type on that floor.
Look for a CE or UKCA mark stamped on each hinge leaf.
Check every screw hole is filled and every screw is tight.
Open the door halfway and lift the leaf gently: it should not move up and down on its hinges.
Look at the gap at the head and the leading edge: it should be even, not wider at one corner.
Let the door close from fully open and check it latches without help.
Anything that fails goes on your defects list and into your fire door register. A professional fire door inspection goes further, checking hinge type, grade and position against the door's certification, and recording the result door by door. How often that should happen is covered in our article on how often fire doors need to be inspected in a commercial building.
What should you do if a fire door has the wrong hinges?
Treat it as a defect that needs fixing, not a note for next year. Missing screws, worn hinges, non-rated replacements and a missing third hinge are routine fire door remedials work: the hinges are replaced with ones that match the door's certification, the leaf is rehung and the gaps, closer and latch are checked again. In most cases the door itself does not need replacing. Our article on whether a fire door can be repaired or needs replacing explains where the line sits.
Keep a record of what was found, what was fitted and when, with before and after photographs. Our guides on fire door records and how to prove fire doors are compliant to an auditor set out the evidence that stands up at audit.
What to do next: how Protest ES Ltd helps
Protest ES Ltd works with facilities managers, managing agents and FM providers across commercial, education, healthcare and public sector estates. We don't simply identify compliance issues. We help clients close them:
Fire door inspections that check hinge number, type and condition on every door against its certification, with photographic, door-by-door records
Fire door remedials that replace worn or non-rated hinges, rehang dropped leaves and re-check every door closes and latches
Fire door installation where a door cannot be brought back to standard
BM TRADA Q-Mark certification for fire door installation, maintenance and inspection
One visit, more disciplines. Most FMs use separate contractors for fire doors, fire stopping and electrical testing, each with its own access, programme and paperwork. Protest ES Ltd delivers fire door work, passive fire protection, including fire stopping and fire compartmentation, and electrical compliance on the same visit: one contractor, one programme, one set of records across every site.
If you have doors dropping, catching or missing hinges across your building or estate, get in touch with our team or visit Protest ES Ltd.
Further reading from Protest ES Ltd
Frequently asked questions
Can a fire door have two hinges?
Only if the manufacturer's test evidence for that door set allows it. Most fire doors are tested and certified with three hinges, so fitting two means the door no longer matches its certification. If you are not sure, check the label or plug and the manufacturer's instructions.
What is the British standard for fire-rated hinges?
Hinges for fire doors are classified under BS EN 1935, the standard for single-axis hinges. Look for the CE or UKCA mark on the hinge and check the grade and fire classification suit the door. Grade 13 is the usual choice for commercial doors.
What size hinges does an FD30 fire door need?
The size comes from the door manufacturer's instructions, not a single rule. 100mm steel or stainless steel hinges are common on FD30 timber doors, but follow the test evidence for the door set you have.
How far apart should fire door hinges be?
Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. As a general pattern there is one hinge near the top, one near the bottom and one between them, often set closer to the top hinge. What matters on site is that every hinge is fully fixed and the gaps around the leaf stay even.
Do fire door hinges need intumescent pads?
Some do. If the door's test evidence includes intumescent pads behind the hinge leaves, they must be fitted. If it does not, they are not required. A fire door inspection will check this against the door's certification.
Can you replace a fire door hinge yourself?
A like-for-like swap with a matching certified hinge is a simple job, but the door must be rehung so it still closes, latches and keeps even gaps. Record the work in your fire door register. If several doors are affected, planned fire door remedials keep the records consistent across the site.
Who is responsible for checking fire door hinges?
The responsible person for the building under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which in practice often sits with the facilities manager. Routine checks can be done by the site team, with periodic inspection by a competent person.
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