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August 21, 2024
Steel door frames are essential in modern construction, providing exceptional strength, durability, and versatility. At Australian Architectural Fire Doors, we ensure our steel door frames meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. This guide explores the manufacturing process, applications, and benefits of steel door frames, focusing on the unique requirements of Southeast Queensland (SEQ).
A steel door frame is a durable component made from high-quality steel sheets, designed to support and secure a door within an opening in a wall. It forms a crucial juncture between the door and the wall, accommodating various fixing methods depending on wall construction. Steel door frames are versatile, used in applications such as fire-rated systems, acoustic barriers, and radiation shielding. They enhance security and functionality, providing essential access and amenity to a building. As bespoke items, these frames are tailored to meet specific building requirements and standards.
Our metal door frames are manufactured with precision to ensure durability and functionality. Here’s how we create them:
Preparation of Shop Drawings: Based on the specifications and architectural documentation provided, we prepare detailed shop drawings. These drawings outline every dimension and feature of the frame, ensuring that all requirements are met accurately.
Detailing: Using advanced parametric software, we refine these shop drawings to design each frame. This software ensures that every detail is meticulously planned before manufacturing begins.
Cutting: We use state-of-the-art laser technology to cut flat sheets of high-quality metal according to the detailed plans. This step ensures precise cuts and consistent dimensions for each frame component, essential for forming the secure juncture between the door and the wall.
Folding: The cut sheets are then folded using a press brake to form the desired shape of the frame. This step is crucial in creating the structure that will support and secure the door within the wall opening.
Welding: The folded sections are welded together, enhancing the frame’s strength and stability. During this process, we also incorporate essential components such as wall fixings and mortar boxes. This ensures that the frame can accommodate various fixing methods and meet the specific requirements of fire-rated, acoustic, or radiation shielding systems.
Priming and Labelling: Each frame is primed to prevent corrosion, ensuring long-term durability. The frames are then labelled for identification, facilitating easy installation and quality assurance before delivery.
Quality Assurance: Each frame undergoes a rigorous quality assurance check to ensure it meets all specifications and standards. This step includes verifying dimensions, inspecting welds, and ensuring the proper application of primers and labels. Any frame that does not meet our high standards is reworked or rejected.
By following this meticulous manufacturing process, we ensure that our steel door frames provide the necessary access, security, and functionality tailored to the specific needs of any building.
Selecting the right material for steel door frames and metal door frames is crucial for durability and fire resistance, especially considering Queensland’s diverse environments:
Steel Types and Gauges: We use various types and gauges of steel tailored to specific applications to ensure optimal performance and longevity. For coastal areas with high salt content, galvanized steel with high coating classes or stainless steel is recommended for metal door frames.
Zincanneal ZF100: Suitable for less aggressive environments, such as urban areas with moderate weather conditions. It offers a balance of strength and impact resistance for steel door frames.
Galvabond Coating Class ZF275: Designed for more demanding environments, such as coastal areas and tropical rainforests. This coating provides higher corrosion resistance, making it ideal for outdoor and industrial applications exposed to moisture and salt air, ensuring the longevity of metal door frames.
Stainless Steel (304 and 316): Available in brushed or polished finishes, these types of stainless steel offer superior corrosion resistance and aesthetic appeal. They are particularly suitable for high-end applications in coastal and tropical regions where corrosion risk is high, including around pools, making them ideal for steel door frames.
Material Thickness: We offer metal door frames in thicknesses of 1.2 mm and 1.6 mm. Thicker materials may be required for enhanced acoustic or fire performance, or for security applications such as prisons, to prevent doors from dropping or sagging on the hinge in steel door frames.
Fixing Methods: Different wall constructions require a variety of fixing methods to ensure stability and security for metal door frames. This includes the use of appropriate bolts and anchors tailored to the specific type of wall, whether it be concrete, brick, or steel stud.
Backfilling: For fire-rated and acoustic door systems, backfilling is essential. Hollow frames are filled with grout or other suitable materials to prevent internal corrosion and enhance the frame’s overall stability and strength. This process is crucial for maintaining the integrity of steel door frames in high humidity and moisture-prone environments and also improves insulation and acoustic performance.
By selecting the appropriate materials based on the specific environmental conditions of Queensland’s various regions, we ensure that our metal door frames provide the necessary durability, fire resistance, and functionality tailored to meet the specific needs of any building.
Metal door frames offer a wide range of applications and functions, making them versatile and essential components in various building types and environments:
Fire-Rated Systems: Steel door frames are integral to fire-rated systems, providing necessary fire resistance and safety in commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. These frames help contain fires and prevent their spread, ensuring occupants’ safety.
Acoustic Barriers: Metal door frames are used in acoustic systems to reduce noise transmission between rooms. They are essential in environments where sound insulation is critical, such as recording studios, hospitals, and offices.
Security Applications: Steel door frames provide enhanced security for buildings requiring high protection levels, such as prisons, banks, and government facilities. Their robust construction makes them resistant to forced entry and tampering.
Radiation Shielding: In medical and research facilities where radiation protection is needed, metal door frames are designed to integrate with lead-lined doors and walls, ensuring a safe environment for both staff and patients.
Coastal and Tropical Areas: Stainless steel door frames (304 and 316) are ideal for coastal and tropical regions due to their superior corrosion resistance. These frames are particularly suitable for buildings near the ocean or in areas with high humidity and can be used around pools for their durability and aesthetic appeal.
Industrial and Outdoor Applications: Galvabond-coated metal door frames (Class ZF275) are designed for industrial and outdoor use, where they are exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Their high corrosion resistance makes them suitable for warehouses, factories, and agricultural buildings.
Residential and Commercial Buildings: Steel door frames are commonly used in residential and commercial buildings, providing a durable and secure option for both exterior and interior doors. Their versatility allows them to be customized to fit various architectural styles and design preferences.
Emergency Exits: Metal door frames are crucial for emergency exits, ensuring the doors are robust, reliable, and able to withstand heavy use. They are often installed in schools, hospitals, and public buildings to facilitate safe and quick evacuation during emergencies.
In SEQ, compliance with Australian Standards is crucial. Our steel door frames adhere to standards AS1530 and AS1905.1, ensuring they meet the necessary fire resistance levels and overall safety requirements.
Fire Resistance Compliance: Compliance with Australian Standards AS1530 and AS1905.1 is essential for fire-rated door installations in SEQ. AS 1905.1 – 2015 outlines the requirements for the installation of fire-resistant door sets, including the door frame. It mandates that the frame must be backfilled to meet the temperature rise requirements specified in AS 1530.4. This involves insulating the frame to ensure it meets the necessary fire resistance levels.
Hardware Preparations: Our steel door frames are prepared for tested systems, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware, including locks, hinges, and other essential components. This preparation ensures that the door frames integrate seamlessly with fire-rated and acoustic systems, maintaining compliance with Australian Standards.
Edge Tolerances: Precision in manufacturing is critical to meet the edge tolerances required by Australian Standards. Our steel door frames are designed and fabricated to ensure tight edge tolerances, which are essential for the proper installation and performance of fire-rated and acoustic door systems.
By adhering to these standards, we ensure that our steel door frames provide the highest levels of safety and performance, meeting the rigorous requirements of fire resistance and overall structural integrity in SEQ.
Our steel door frames can be finished with powder coating, providing a durable and aesthetically pleasing surface. Powder coating enhances the frame’s resistance to corrosion and adds to the overall aesthetic of the building. However, it is important to note that powder-coated frames should not be installed into masonry construction due to the likelihood of damage and the difficulty in patching or fixing damage to powder coat systems.
Vinyl Frame Protection: To further protect our steel door frames in health settings, we offer vinyl frame protection. This protective layer helps prevent scratches, dents, and other damage, ensuring that the frames remain in pristine condition. Vinyl protection is particularly beneficial in environments where the frames might be exposed to frequent cleaning, disinfectants, or other factors that could cause wear and tear.
By selecting the right finish and protection methods, we ensure that our steel door frames maintain their durability, corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appeal, providing long-lasting performance and enhancing the overall look of any building.
Regular maintenance is essential to ensure the long-term performance of our steel door frames. This includes checking for any signs of wear or damage, ensuring all components are functioning correctly, and adhering to our maintenance guidelines. Proper maintenance can extend the lifespan of steel door frames, providing reliable performance for many years.
Steel door frames are an integral part of modern construction in SEQ. At Australian Architectural Fire Doors, we combine our expertise with local manufacturing capabilities to deliver steel door frames that meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. Their strength, durability, and versatility make them an excellent choice for a wide range of applications, from residential to industrial settings. Understanding the manufacturing process, applications, and benefits of our steel door frames helps building owners and contractors make informed decisions that enhance the safety, security, and longevity of their structures.
Australian Architectural Fire Doors Pty Ltd
29 Andrew Campbell Dr
Narangba QLD 4504
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