Burns centre ('Brandwondencentrum'), Neder-Over-Heembeek

Site

Burns Centre (‘Brandwondencentrum’), Neder-Over-Heembeek

Customer

Wycor offers a comprehensive selection in terms of renovation, interior- and exterior finishing. The full implementation, coordination and follow-up is organized in-house.

Website: www.wycor.be

Assignment

260 fire-resistant doors with an anti-bacterial finish and four-sided visible side-strips with a seamless transition that prevents bacteria from becoming lodged in the V-joint.

Problem

• Almost all of the doors were a different size. Due to the four-sided visible edge-strips, they could not be trimmed to size during the installation. Moreover, these doors had to be machined to size and fit into existing metal frames.
• There were no precedents for gluing the anti-bacterial thermoplastic on a door.
• Uncertainty about the effect on the fire-resistance on our fire-resistant doors (in accordance with EN 1634-1).

The client

“In 2009, with Wycor, we won the competition procurement for a large-scale renovation of the fifth and sixth floors of the military hospital in Neder-Over-Heembeek”, states site supervisor Pascal Vercammen.

We had also looked for a door manufacturer who could offer a solution for the specific requirements of the contractor. When finishing the rooms, we focused on materials that facilitated the maintenance and promoted the hygiene. For example, the finish for the doors had to have anti-bacterial properties, that a conventional laminate sheet does not have. That is why we proposed that they should be equipped with a thermoplastic. This is a material that is already frequently used for manufacturing mould-repellent handles and risers. However, nobody could advise us about the best way to glue the material to the doors. After making inquiries at several different manufacturers, we eventually ended up at Doorsolutions.”

Business Manager Christoph Baete van Doorsolutions

“We also did not have any experience with affixing the plastic to our fire-resistant doors, however I was sure that we would find a solution. In addition to looking for the correct glue and for a way of gluing the material using our machines, we also had to check whether or not the thermoplastic would adversely affect the fire-resistant function of our door. After a series of tests and modifications, it was evident that we had made the right choice.”

The client

“Doorsolutions also came up with a solution for the additional requirements for the delivery. The doors also had to be delivered one-time during the various phases, even though the lower floors of the Hospital had to continue to function as normal, and no storage facilities were present. An additional problem was that the doors had different sizes, since they had to fit into pre-installed stainless-steel frames. Since the door panels were equipped with van four-sided, visible side-strips, trimming to size in-situ was not possible. If this was done, it would cause irreparable damage to the door. In other words, every door had to be a perfect size and milled in order to install the hinges and the lock.”

Conclusion

Christoph Baete: “The fact that this assignment was intended for a site in a Burns Centre with such an excellent reputation, motivated me to go the extra mile to search for quality solutions. I am proud to state that we have succeeded in doing this. Our doors not only satisfy the stringent standards for fire safety, they are also stronger. The ST 53 standard prescribes a M2 mechanically-reinforced door while the Doorsolutions version has an M4 classification. This is unique on the market.”