Question: I live in a 9-level unit block. Can I paint my front fire safety door? I’d also like to paint the hardware, such as the top metal auto-closer. Is this possible?
Answer: Care must be taken to ensure the clearances are not impacted to the degree that the door cannot close and latch automatically or any seals or hardware fitted are affected.
When considering painting fire doors, owners need to consider the following:
- The fire door is part of common property, and painting may change the asset and appearance of that lot, so approval of the owners corporation should be sought first.
- Paint on the door is not generally an issue for compliance, but care must be taken to ensure the clearances are not impacted to the degree that the door cannot close and latch automatically or any seals or hardware fitted are affected.
- For painting the hardware, there’s no direct legislative reason why you cannot, but remember that they still have to work exactly as designed without paint getting in the way of the door closing and latching as required.
- Also, the hardware is (in the majority) common property, and painting hardware may render it less or non-serviceable, so this type of modification would likely trigger an exclusive use under the property’s by-laws, meaning any future maintenance is the lot owners’ sole responsibility instead of strata responsibility.
This post appears in the May 2024 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Rob Broadhead 2020 Fire Protection E: rob.broadhead@2020fire.com.au P: 1300 340 210