Team Works

Commercial doors: fire-rated, acoustic, security, wood and glazed

Are you upgrading your fire doors to EI 60 when the regulations only require EI 30? You are paying 20 to 25% too much, with no insurance benefit whatsoever. Our teams regularly find that existing doors combine several blocking defects: missing seals, out-of-service door closers, expired fire test report, missing identification plate. Each defect legally invalidates the rating.

Since 2006, Kytom has specified and installed, through its 11 agencies in France and Spain, EI 30 to EI 90 fire-rated assemblies compliant with NF EN 1634-1 requirements, acoustic doors rated 32 to 45 dB, and security models RC2 to RC4 under EN 1627.

Our team manages the entire programme: laser survey, specification matrix that can be integrated into the technical specifications (CCTP), pricing within 15 days, installation, digital as-built file (DOE). Contracted lead time: 12 weeks for an 850 m² floor plate including 25 to 60 doors, with a snagging rate below 2%.

Here is how we secure your programme, from the fire test report to safety commission acceptance.

The framework

Four standards that lock down the specification

A commercial door is not an isolated joinery component. It is a system [assembly + hardware + test report + plate] whose consistency legally determines the rating. A cylinder outside the master-key plan or an EN 3 door closer instead of EN 5 invalidates the EI test report. Kytom treats hardware as a specification input, not an execution detail.

Four frameworks intersect on each door:

Domain	Standard	Typical requirement
Fire	Standardised fire tests, R4216, IT 247 (public buildings)	EI 30 to EI 90, detection interlock
Acoustics	2006 commercial acoustic standard	32 dB office, 38 dB management, 45 dB confidentiality
Accessibility	Decree of 8 December 2014	Clear passage ≥ 0.83 m, force ≤ 50 N
Security	EN 1627	RC2 to RC4 depending on room sensitivity

Heat losses passing through poorly sealed interior joinery represent a significant share of the thermal losses of a commercial floor plate, often underestimated compared to the choice of the leaf itself. On a standard floor plate, controlling the seal and door closer weighs more heavily on the energy bill than the choice of the leaf.

Your gains

Three projects, three quantified results

Three projects led by our teams illustrate the benefits measured in the field.

2,400 m² head office in Lyon. Replacement of 48 standard doors with 38 dB assemblies compliant with the minimum acoustic performance expected on demountable partitions (RA 38 dB solid, RA 28 dB with door assembly, RA 36 dB double-glazed glazed), under NF DTU 35-1. STI index measured on site improved from 0.72 to 0.48 (acoustic measurement carried out on site by an independent acoustician). 70% of the confidentiality complaints raised with the works council eliminated over the following 6 months.

Campus of 6 buildings. 220 EI 30 doors checked or replaced. Complete clearance of the 14 safety commission requirements in 9 weeks.

Haussmann-style commercial building. Resealing of 95 landing doors. Resealing helps reduce heat losses, in line with the energy consumption reduction obligations of the commercial sector decree. Fire safety system coordination (IT 247) generates a notable additional cost in electrical retrofit, to be anticipated from the pricing stage. RC4 or 45 dB assemblies require 12 to 16 weeks of procurement, compared to 4 to 6 for standard wood. Hardware consistency remains critical to preserve the validity of the test report: a single non-compliant element downgrades the entire assembly.

Commercial honesty

When a door programme is not justified

Not all building stocks deserve a global programme. Kytom declines assignments where the ROI exceeds 10 years, out of commercial ethics and to preserve the long-term relationship.

Stock below 8 doors. The fixed weight of the laser survey and specification matrix brings the administrative cost to more than 18% of the programme, compared to 4 to 6% above 25 doors. A local joiner with a manual survey remains more economical. We will direct you accordingly.

Building scheduled for demolition within 5 years. The EI retrofit is not justified. Only the minimum compliance required by the safety commission should be carried out. Kytom can manage this targeted intervention without triggering a full programme.

No regulatory requirement and no formalised acoustic complaint. On a stock in apparently good condition, the ROI of a replacement exceeds 12 years. We then recommend a preventive maintenance plan (seals, door closer, hinges) at marginal cost, rather than a replacement programme.

Our internal safeguard. Before any purchase order, Kytom requires a technical review with your security manager and your fire safety system maintenance provider. This step has eliminated any blocking requirement at acceptance across all the relevant cases.

Method

Laser survey and test report audit
Our teams intervene on site within 7 to 10 days. Each door is photographed, laser-measured (tolerance ±3 mm on the clear passage), and its fire classification test report is checked. You receive a comprehensive inventory with compliance status door by door, the basis for the following specification.
CCTP-ready specification matrix
We cross-reference your fire requirements (EI 30 to EI 90, compliance with fire resistance tests on door assemblies), acoustic (performance levels defined for commercial spaces), security (RC2 to RC4, EN 1627) and budgetary needs. Deliverable: a technical sheet per door with associated hardware and unit price, directly integrable into your architect’s technical specifications (CCTP).
Pricing and carbon variants
Within 15 days, you receive detailed pricing with 2 to 3 variants per door (laminated wood, 44.2 laminated glazed, security) and the carbon impact via FDES from the INIES database. You arbitrate between cost, performance and footprint using verifiable data.
Grouped manufacturer order
Kytom orders from partner manufacturers, with a manufacturing lead time of 6 to 10 weeks depending on classification (12 to 16 weeks for RC4 or 45 dB). Grouping negotiates the price and secures hardware consistency across the entire lot.
Installation with digital as-built file
Our teams install with self-inspection on 18 points: alignment, peripheral clearance 3 to 5 mm, opening force and door closer behaviour. Acceptance with signed test report and digital as-built file (DOE) sent to your maintenance provider. Snagging rate below 2% across 18 tracked sites.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an EI 30, EI 60 and EI 90 door?

EI ratings (flame integrity and thermal insulation) under NF EN 1634-1 indicate the duration of fire resistance: 30 minutes for EI 30, 60 for EI 60, 90 for EI 90. The requirement depends on the room and building category. EI 30 is sufficient in most standard commercial cases. Upgrading to EI 60 or EI 90 without a regulatory obligation adds 20 to 25% to the cost with no insurance benefit. KYTOM verifies the exact requirement before every specification.

05 — Inspirations