Two Pathways to BAL Compliance
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Deemed-to-Comply – Aluminium and Timber Doors
Many of Parkwood’s aluminium and timber doors are classified as deemed to comply with AS3959. This means they meet the bushfire performance requirements based on the properties of the materials used, without requiring individual fire testing.
- Some aluminium doors are considered non-combustible and highly resistant to ember attack and radiant heat.
- Timber doors, when manufactured from compliant timber species, satisfy the requirements for BAL-12.5 up to BAL-29, depending on the specific material and design.
Installation flexibility:
Deemed-to-comply doors can be installed in either BAL-compliant timber or aluminium frames, allowing for design freedom without compromising compliance
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Tested Solutions – Duramax Composite Fibreglass Doors
Parkwood’s Duramax composite fibreglass doors are not deemed to comply based on material alone. Instead, they have been independently tested and certified to meet BAL requirements for specific bushfire zones.
To maintain compliance, Duramax doors must be installed exactly as tested — including frame type, hardware, and glazing configuration. Specifically:
- They must be installed in a timber frame as tested (Pine, Emberwood, Rosewood, Ash, Kwila, Merbau or Cedar are acceptable).
- They cannot be used with deemed-to-comply aluminium or alternate timber frames.
Assessed Variations Available
To provide greater flexibility, Parkwood has a range of assessed variations for our Duramax doors. These variations have been reviewed and approved within the testing scope, and allow for:
- Changes in overall door size (within limits),
- Hardware substitutions (e.g., handles, hinges, levers, must always have a mortice lock body), and
- Different glazing panel configurations.
These assessed variations mean that while the doors must still follow the tested construction principles, some customization is possible without compromising compliance.
