Can you overpaint fire seals?

In situations where seals within frames or door leaves require painting, the over painting of Lorient fire seals should not compromise the performance of the product in a fire situation. This assumes that the depth of paint is no greater than the guidance set out in BS 8214:2016.

Guidance on the painting of seals can be found in BS 8214:2016 Timber – based fire door assemblies – Code of practice. Section 14 outlines the situations in which overpainting may be applied:

• There is no evidence to suggest that overpainting of intumescent fire seals has any detrimental effect on the ability of the seals to perform efficiently.
• However, overpainting should be avoided wherever possible, or if unavoidable should be limited to a maximum of five coats of conventional oil bound paint or varnish on the strip without damaging its effectiveness, or a maximum of 0.5 mm, whichever is the greater.

It is worth noting, when preparing a frame for redecorating, the use of heat or chemical strippers should be avoided if seals are incorporated. If seals are damaged by either of these processes, they should be replaced in accordance with BS 8214:2106 section 13.2.3. It is also important not to paint over the label and plugs at the top of the door.

Can you overpaint smoke seals?

SMOKE-ONLY SEALS OR COMBINED FIRE AND SMOKE SEALS SHOULD NEVER BE OVERPAINTED.
It is of the utmost importance to ensure the flexible element of any smoke fin or brush is not painted as this will impede flexibility and subsequently their performance. Lorient seals are available in a range of colours, plus woodgrain so over-painting should not be necessary.

For help and advice, please contact our Technical Services team on +44 (0) 1626 834252 or email technical@lorientuk.com