i don't know how one could smoke & fire gasket a double-acting door unless the gasket was on an actuator inside the door leaf....

sounds like you may only need one door, if not how about a pair of double-egress doors?

Sounds like a patent idea ....

swingin both ways??? i thought this was the return of john devlin...:(

what do you mean? john devlin has never swung at all

Sounds like an overhead coiling fire shutter

While you're at it, someone please find me a one-hour rated UL-listed SLIDING fire door system--the kind that could conceivably put on a regular pocket door in a normal house, not some crazy industrial get-up

If it's a fire door, myriam, wouldn't it have to be sliding with the option of a push open? I think that's what they have in a lot of retail installations, which probably still aren't suitable for residential. So I guess I'm not being helpful at all, ha.

I would also like to commend mdler on his ability to get us to look at his threads. Crafty.

the break away option on retail sliders (like besam doors) is an exiting requirement. if all of your egress requirements were otherwise met then this function would not be required of the "fire door."

i don't think i've seen a labeled pocket door set up. if it was operable it would need a closer, so it would be essentially spring loaded, then you'd have the maximum operating force requirement (what's that like 8 flbs). then you've got to cram all of that into the wall. gaskets, etc.

when did i start spending my friday nights discussing code issues?

ahh, but to make a self-closing pocket door all you need to do is tilt the track.

All the code requirements are easily met through simple construction details like that, the only problem is that our contractor simply REFUSES to actually THINK for himself and break the code down into its parts; instead he will ONLY install a kit of parts that is UL-listed.

Since it is a pocket door inside a wall (rather than wall-mounted), all the hardware will be covered up by a one-hour rated wall already. On top of that, I've found all stainless steel hardware (no plastic parts, nothing). If you tilt the track it is self-closing. Add a stainless steel pocket door lock and you've almost finished it off. The last requirement is that there be a 4" overlap where the closed door meets the wall, which means instead of having the pocket door sink 1" into the trim when it closes, you have it run into the wall 4" when it's closed. (So the door is 5" wider than the opening.) That's it, per code. BUT the contractor wants a "package" of parts that are UL rated. I HATE CONTRACTORS WHO REFUSE TO THINK.

vado I'm with you on this - I thought it was some cheesy thread on bisexuality - nuts, no pun intended