How to Inspect Fire Door Hinges (and Spot a Fail in Seconds)

Practical Guide #16

For: Fire door inspectors, joiners, caretakers, responsible persons

Why Hinges Are a Make-or-Break Detail

A fire door is only as strong as the components holding it up. Hinges bear the full weight of the door, maintain alignment, and resist deformation under extreme heat. If they’re loose, worn, or the wrong spec — the entire door-set could fail.

Yet bad hinges are everywhere. Inspecting them properly takes minutes and can prevent major compliance issues.

1. What the Regulations Say

Per BS 8214 and BS EN 1935:

• Fire doors must have a minimum of 3 hinges (4 for oversized or heavier doors)

• Hinges must be:

  • Grade 13 or higher

  • CE marked

  • Made of steel or similar fire-resisting material

  • Fixed with steel screws into solid timber

• Hinges must have been fire-tested with the door type (part of the door-set certification)

Brass, aluminium, or mixed-material hinges = fail Always check for BS EN 1935 or BS EN 1634-1 certification marks

2. Key Visual Checks (No Tools Needed)

Check	What to Look For
Screw fixings	All screws present, tight, and steel
Gaps or lift	Door isn’t sagging or binding
Hinge body	No bending, warping, or gaps at knuckle
Markings	CE and grade visible (or test evidence provided)
Paint	Hinges and screws are not painted over (makes inspection difficult and could hide damage)

Stand side-on and check for: - Droop at latch side = sagging hinge - Top hinge pulling out = poor fixing or heavy wear - Unusual creaks or resistance = misalignment

3. Advanced Checks (For Inspectors or Joiners)

• Check hinge depth: improperly set hinges can throw gaps out of spec

• Test screw hold: very old doors or retrofits may have stripped or reused holes

• Look for signs of movement: door rubbing, shifting gaps, or latch misalignment may trace back to hinge fatigue

4. When to Replace

Symptom	Action
Missing or loose screws	Replace with correct steel fixings
Sagging door	Re-hang, re-bed hinges, or add reinforcement
Uncertified hinges	Replace with Grade 13 CE-marked fire-rated hinges
Hinges not tested with door leaf	Replace with correct, approved set
Hinges painted over	Strip carefully or replace (as per site policy)

5. How to Log Hinge Condition (Simple Format)

If using paper or digital inspection:

• Door location / ID

• Number of hinges

• Type and marking (Grade/CE)

• Pass/fail on:

  • Fixings

  • Alignment

  • Certification

• Inspector name / date

• Notes (if re-fit or replacement needed)

Final Word

Don’t let a £5 hinge cause a £50,000 failure.

These small parts carry big responsibility — literally and legally.

So inspect them properly, use the right gear, and remember:

When the heat’s on, your hinges need to hold.