Sliding door systems and glass walls in fire zones – combining design with safety

Modern commercial interiors increasingly favour openness, transparency and minimalism. Glass partitions, light structures and sliding solutions are now standard in offices, shopping centres, hotels and public buildings. The problem arises when the architectural design collides with fire-protection requirements. A fire zone is not just a matter of regulations – it is a real design challenge that requires precise selection of materials, systems and hardware. It can, however, be solved without giving up on aesthetics.

What are fire zones and why do they affect the choice of glass partitions?

A fire zone (fire compartment) is a separated area of a building designed to limit the spread of fire and smoke. Its boundaries are formed by building elements with the required fire resistance – walls, floors and doors.
Every partition separating fire zones must meet specific standards, expressed as fire-resistance classes. The most common are EI 30, EI 60 and EI 120 – the number is the time in minutes for which the partition maintains integrity and thermal insulation.

Glass partitions in fire zones require special materials and systems. Ordinary float glass cracks from heat within minutes. Fire-resistant glass is designed to maintain its integrity for the required time and not let fire or smoke through.

What glass is used in fire-rated structures?

The basic material in fire-rated partitions is laminated glass with an intumescent gel interlayer. On contact with fire, the gel swells and forms a barrier impermeable to heat and smoke. The look is preserved – in normal use the glass remains clear and attractive.

Another option is borosilicate glass, which is highly resistant to thermal shock. It is used for classes that mainly require integrity (E), without full thermal insulation.

The choice of glass depends on the required fire-resistance class, panel size, fixing method and operating conditions. It is a decision for the designer together with the system supplier – it cannot be made on looks or price alone.

Can a sliding door system meet fire requirements?

Many architects ask this at the design stage. The answer is yes – provided a properly certified system is used.
A fire-rated sliding door system differs from a standard one on several levels. The frame profile, seals, track, closing mechanism and hardware must be designed and tested as an integrated set. The fire-resistance certificate covers the whole system, not individual components.

The key element is the self-closing mechanism. In a fire, fire-rated sliding doors must close and lock automatically – usually on a signal from the fire alarm system or when an electromagnetic hold-open device is released. This mechanism must work reliably even during a power failure.

How to design a fire-rated partition without giving up on looks

Designing a fire-rated wall in a modern interior means balancing standards and aesthetics. Contrary to appearances, the two need not conflict – but the right systems must be chosen at the concept stage, not at building handover.

A fire-rated wall made of fire-resistant glass can look almost identical to an ordinary glass partition. The difference is only visible in the details – profile width, sealing method, type of hardware. To someone unfamiliar with the subject, the two partitions look the same.

The colour and finish of the profiles, the type of handle and the routing of services can all be adapted to the interior design. Fire-rated system manufacturers offer ever wider ranges of finishes, allowing visual consistency across the whole space.

What are the differences between fire-resistance classes in design practice?

EI 30 means the partition maintains integrity and thermal insulation for 30 minutes. It is most often used to separate lower-risk zones or for internal divisions of a building.

EI 60 is the standard in many commercial buildings – offices, hotels, shopping centres. For an hour the partition effectively holds back fire and smoke, giving the emergency services time to act.

EI 120 is used to separate high-risk zones or where required by the special function of the building. Glass panels in this class are thicker, heavier and more expensive, which directly affects the choice of fixing system and profiles.

How does hardware affect the certification of the whole fire-rated system?

This is one of the most often overlooked aspects when planning fire-rated glass partitions. Hardware – hinges, locks, handles, tracks – must be tested together with the profile and the glass as a complete system.

Replacing certified hardware with another product, even one that looks identical, can invalidate the fire-resistance certificate of the whole partition. In practice this means problems at building handover and potential legal liability for the installer.

That is why it is so important to work with a supplier offering complete, certified systems – not a loose set of components from different sources. The technical documentation should clearly state which elements make up the certified set.

Can glass partitions be both acoustic and fire-rated?

Yes – and this is increasingly required in office and hotel projects. Combining acoustic and fire performance requires special glass laminates that absorb sound while maintaining the fire-resistance class.
Glass walls with this dual function – acoustic and fire-rated – cost more than single-purpose solutions. But in spaces where both functions are required at the same time, they are the only solution that meets the standards and users’ expectations.

Check the acoustic data given by the manufacturer – Rw above 40 dB is a good result for an office partition. Lower values may prove insufficient in a noisy working environment or for hotel requirements on sound insulation between rooms.

What to check at the handover of fire-rated partitions

The handover of fire-rated partitions requires particular attention. An incorrectly installed fire-rated partition can look identical to a correct one, and the difference only emerges in an emergency.

At handover, check that the materials used match the technical documentation and certificates. The certificate number should be verifiable with the manufacturer or in the database of the notified body that carried out the test.

Self-closing doors must be tested – both manual closing and automatic release by the fire alarm system. Any gap in the profile, a missing intumescent seal or a wrongly adjusted door closer is a defect that must be remedied before final handover.

When should you consult the system supplier early in the project?

As early as possible – ideally at the architectural concept stage. Many problems with fire-rated systems arise because the designer assumes a solution without first checking its availability or certification.

A system supplier experienced in fire-rated projects can identify the best solution for a given resistance class, help choose profiles and hardware consistent with the interior design and supply the technical documentation required by building control.

An early consultation also helps avoid costly changes during construction. Redesigning a partition after the building design has been approved costs time and money that no client wants to lose mid-project.