An acoustic fire doorset is a complete, factory-assembled unit engineered from the outset to satisfy two entirely separate requirements at the same time: a fire requirement and a sound-insulation requirement. Its fire performance is a fire resistance rating — for example 30 minutes' integrity (FD30, broadly E30 to BS EN 1634-1 / BS EN 13501-2) or 60 minutes' integrity (FD60) — established by a fire resistance test. Its acoustic performance is a weighted sound reduction index (Rw), in decibels, established by a completely different test to BS EN ISO 10140 and rated to ISO 717-1. The two are measured on separate rigs, to separate standards, in separate units; one never implies the other, and a fire rating on its own tells you nothing about how much sound a doorset stops.
Because acoustic performance depends on the whole assembly — a suitably dense leaf, a matched frame, and the perimeter and threshold seals proven in the acoustic test — an acoustic rating belongs to the complete doorset, not to a leaf alone, exactly as fire and smoke performance does. Every acoustic-rated fire doorset we supply will be manufactured as a single certified unit under a third-party scheme, with the fire rating and the acoustic rating each traceable to test evidence for that specific specification. We will never present a doorset as 'soundproof': no door is soundproof, sound reduction is a measured reduction rather than elimination, and the only figure that counts for a given doorset is the Rw on its own acoustic test report.
An acoustic fire doorset is specified wherever a single opening has to contain fire and smoke and also meet a defined sound target — flat entrance doors onto common corridors, hotel and student bedrooms, healthcare wards and consulting rooms, and meeting rooms on protected corridors. We will confirm achievable sizes, glazing, hardware and the acoustic specification at enquiry, against the certified field of application, with no site cutting of apertures; each doorset will be delivered with both its fire and acoustic test evidence and installation instructions aligned to BS 8214, ready for the fire door register and Regulation 38 handover. Set the fire performance from the fire strategy and Approved Document B, and the sound performance from the acoustic design and, for dwellings, Approved Document E — never assume one from the other.
Specification
| Fire resistance | 30 or 60 minutes minimum (FD30 / FD60; broadly equivalent to E30 / E60 integrity under BS EN 13501-2), per the certified design |
| Acoustic rating | Per the certified acoustic test report for the specified doorset — a weighted sound reduction index (Rw) in decibels to BS EN ISO 10140 / ISO 717-1; no assumed or standard figure |
| Leaf thickness | Per the certified design; a dense, high-mass leaf serves both the fire and the acoustic requirement |
| Core | Solid, high-density timber-based core as covered by the doorset's certification scope |
| Seals | Intumescent fire seals plus perimeter (cold smoke) and threshold or drop-down seals as proven in the certificated fire and acoustic design; an acoustic seal and a fire/smoke seal are not interchangeable |
| Fire testing route | BS 476-22 or BS EN 1634-1, classified to BS EN 13501-2 on the European route |
| Acoustic testing route | BS EN ISO 10140 (laboratory measurement), ISO 717-1 (Rw single-number rating); DnT,w is the equivalent field descriptor |
| Smoke variant | 's' variant with cold smoke seals (European smoke classes Sa/S200 on the EN route) |
| Glazing options | Factory-fitted fire-rated vision panels within the certified field of application; no site cutting of apertures |
| Security | PAS 24 / enhanced-security variants available where the certified design permits; security is a separate property from both fire and acoustic performance |
| Ironmongery | CE/UKCA-marked hardware within the certification scope: hinges to BS EN 1935, closers to BS EN 1154, compatible locks and latches |
| Third-party certification scheme | Published at launch |
| Lead times | Published at launch |
Typical applications
- Flat entrance doors onto common corridors and lobbies (fire, smoke and Approved Document E sound)
- Hotel and serviced-apartment bedroom doors
- Student accommodation bedroom and corridor doors
- Healthcare wards, consulting and treatment rooms
- Meeting rooms, boardrooms and interview rooms on protected corridors
- Offices and civic buildings where confidentiality and fire compartmentation coincide
Options
- FD30 or FD60 fire ratings paired with a matched acoustic specification
- 's' cold smoke control variant
- Threshold and automatic drop-down seals specified to preserve both the fire and the acoustic performance
- Fire-rated glazed vision panels within the certified field of application
- Veneer, laminate, paint-grade and primed finishes
- Self-closing devices to BS EN 1154, including options suited to lower opening forces
- PAS 24 / enhanced security variants where the certified design permits (security is separate from fire and acoustic performance)
- Pair (double-leaf) configurations within the certified scope
- BS 5499 'Fire door keep shut' signage
Not sure which rating you need?
See fire door ratings explained and FD30 vs FD60: which rating do you need? — or run the compliance checker to find your legal duties.
We will supply FD30 / FD60 acoustic doorsets on their own or installed to BS 8214 with full handover evidence.
Fire door supply →Frequently asked questions
What is an acoustic fire doorset?
An acoustic fire doorset is a complete unit designed and independently tested to satisfy both a fire requirement and a sound requirement at once. It carries two separate ratings: a fire rating such as FD30 or FD60 (integrity to BS EN 1634-1) and an acoustic rating expressed as a weighted sound reduction index (Rw) in decibels, to BS EN ISO 10140 / ISO 717-1. The two are independent — one never implies the other — and each is backed by its own test report for that specific doorset.
Are acoustic fire doors soundproof?
No. No door is 'soundproof'. An acoustic-rated fire doorset reduces airborne sound by a measured amount — its Rw value — rather than eliminating it, and a standard fire door without an acoustic test carries no sound rating at all. We deliberately quote no assumed decibel figure: the only figure that counts for a given doorset is the Rw from its own acoustic test report.
Does a fire rating tell me how much sound a door stops?
No. A fire rating (FD30, FD60) is established by a fire resistance test and measured in minutes of integrity; an acoustic rating is established by a completely separate acoustic test and measured in decibels as a weighted sound reduction index (Rw). One does not imply the other, so you cannot assume a fire door meets an Approved Document E sound target without its own acoustic test evidence.
Will your acoustic fire doorsets carry certification for both fire and sound?
Yes. Every acoustic fire doorset we supply will carry third-party fire certification, with the scheme and scope published at launch, alongside a separate acoustic rating traceable to a BS EN ISO 10140 / ISO 717-1 test report for that doorset specification. The two bodies of evidence are kept distinct because they prove two different properties, and we will confirm both against the certified field of application at enquiry.