Recent BS8300 changes and measuring Door Closer performance

Recent BS8300 changes and measuring Door Closer performance

UK law requires all public buildings to be accessible to those with disabilities, and this is a vital consideration in the design of new buildings and improvements to existing buildings. Specifying and supplying door closers is an important part of this process. Meeting Accessibility Building Regulations is now more complicated than it used to be due to the revised requirement for minimal opening forces for doors under the most recent Part R* and the changes incorporated in BS8300: 2009.

Construction Products Regulations compliance can be demonstrated with a CE Certificate, and a Third Party Fire Test Certificate (such as Certifire), will satisfy Fire Safety requirements in Part E. However, a stand alone manual door closer cannot be certificated to be ‘compliant’ with Part R or BS8300 requirements – as these require that the complete doorset must be compliant in respect of its opening force, as hinges and seals may provide extra resistance.

Unless the door closer is Hold Open, Free Swing or Automated, there is no way of stating compliance. It is therefore critical that information concerning a door closer’s performance is made available, so that compliance can be ensured when combined with the performance characteristics of the other doorset elements to comply with Part R or BS8300.

The preferred method for measuring door closer performance is a combination of closer efficiency and minimum door width, accompanied by Third Party Torque Curve Certificate that details the door closers performance throughout its opening cycle.

A Torque Curve shows the opening and closing forces throughout the opening and closing cycle, enabling all necessary valuations and calculations to be made. These include:
• Ensuring performance is at EN3 (minimum for fire doors)
• Opening force in Nm from initial opening through and beyond 60º of opening
• Efficiency at any point of the opening/closing cycle
• Minimum door width to which the closer can be applied where opening force is 30N or less
• Tolerances which door closer will allow for other fitted items, such as door seals and hinges, and site conditions.


When presented with all the information that torque curves provide, it is possible for specifiers, or suppliers, to accurately calculate door closer performance. Armed with similar information on the performance of the hinges and any door seals they can then ensure compliance with ADM or BS8300.

For more information on the correct selection of door closers to meet the requirements of the DDA and Fire regulations, DORMA has produced its “Which Door Control?” brochure. It clearly details the opening force performance for all DORMA closers and the minimum door widths where they comply. The brochure also gives advice on electro-magnetic hold open and free swing devices.

For more information ask for our “Which Door Control?” Guide.

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