Door Bolt FAQs - Your Questions Answered

Posted on: 05.11.2024

Categories: DCD News

Door bolts come in all shapes and sizes. While our 30 Types of Door Bolt blog goes into detail on the different types of door bolts, here we give you some quick, direct answers to some of your frequently asked questions.

Q: Do I need to use bolts on tall doors?

A: Need is a strong word but we’d certainly recommend fitting door bolts to the top and bottom of tall doors unless they’re already fitted with a multipoint espagnolette lock or cremone bolt.

Why?

Bolts provide additional locking points for security. They help to prevent warping or bowing as they hold each leaf more securely into the door frame. Cranked or straight bolts on single and French doors can help improve sealing whether this is against draughts, the weather, or for privacy. Bolts can also be fitted to tall pairs of doors to secure the second opening leaf in place, leaving the primary leaf free to operate.

Q: What are the parts of a door bolt called?

A: Despite the exact type of door bolt, there are usually three common parts:

The shoot - the moving part.
The body or backplate - the fixed part.
The handle - the operating part.

Parts of a door bolt

Q: How many hinge bolts per door?

A: Security hinge bolts are sold as a pair. One pair should be fitted per leaf. So, if you have a pair of outward opening doors, then you’d need to install two pairs of hinge bolts.

Q: Can you bolt a fire door?

A: The short answer is yes, you can put a bolt on a fire door BUT it depends on the type of bolt and the type of fire door.

To final exit doors or fire exit doors that must provide single action egress, a panic bolt can be fitted. Panic hardware should be installed on emergency exit doors. Depending on the door it could be operated by panic bars or push pads.

To doors designated Fire Door Keep Locked, fire rated bolts such as flush bolts can be installed in the edge of the door of the second closing leaf of a pair and a half of doors (with the correct intumescent kit). The primary leaf would be Fire Door Keep Shut and non-locking.

Single Fire Door Keep Locked doors can be bolted with a CE/UKCA marked deadbolt lock, whether that is a deadlock or sashlock, lever lock, cylinder lock, or specialist Fire Brigade Lock. Always ensure the correct intumescent ironmongery protection is installed.

Panic bolt on fire exit door

Q: Can you fit a security bolt on a fire door?

A: If you mean a mortice door bolt, the answer is no, you cannot fit a rack bolt into a fire door. They are not CE/UKCA marked or tested for use on a fire rated door.

As we’ve mentioned, other types of bolts can be fitted to fire doors that are kept locked, but not a mortice security door bolt.

Q: Can you use a drop bolt on a fire door?

A: Bolts such as a drop garage bolt cannot be installed on a fire rated door. They are not CE/UKCA marked or tested for use on a fire rated door.

If you need to hold a fire door open, products like a Dorgard, Dorgard SmartSound, and the UNION DoorSense fire door retainer can be used in place of a drop door bolt. Always ensure a compliant hardware solution is installed that allows the door to close in the event of a fire.

If you’re looking to lock a fire door or hold it in the closed position there are compliant solutions such as door closers or an access control system. Contact our team today to discuss your project or facility.