Can kick/push plates be fitted to the face of the fire door?
It is usually permitted to face fix kick plates and push plates to a fire-resisting door. We permit facing the door with metal to a combined maximum of 20% of the timber area of the leaf, provided that the metal face is surface fixed and does not wrap around any leaf edge or interfere with any essential intumescent seal. Above the 20% limit of timber surface area, or for any other condition, further test evidence must be generated. The reason for limiting the area of metal on a door is because when heated in the fire the metal will expand, while the wood will shrink, causing distortion. It can also act as a heat sink, thus accelerating char and erosion at localised areas.
