Description
The 44mm Halspan Optima FD30 Ash Veneered Graduated Density Chipboard Door Core in 2440 x 1220mm (8×4) gives joiners and door fabricators a generous ash faced sheet to cut from. The 8×4 size suits tall openings, wide single leaves and double door sets, where you want extra length and width to work with. The blank is unlipped and square cut, with a real ash veneer already bonded to both faces and ready for a clear finish.
Why this size
The 8×4 sheet gives you more material to work with than a door sized blank. The 2440mm length suits openings that run taller than a normal leaf, while the extra width lets you set out a pair of leaves, or a run of doors, from one piece with sensible offcuts. Choose it when the finished door is longer or wider than standard, or when batching work makes the extra yield worthwhile.
Inside the core
The heart of the blank is Halspan’s three layer graduated density particleboard. Think of it as a sandwich, with firm outer skins over a lighter centre. Those firm faces are what hold your hinges, locks and intumescent hardware securely, while the lighter middle stops the sheet from becoming needlessly heavy for its size.
30 minute protection
FD30 grade means a properly built doorset using this core is designed to resist fire for up to 30 minutes. The Optima core is fire tested to BS 476 Part 22 and BS EN 1634-1. These standards are used to assess the fire performance of complete door assemblies. Remember that the rating is earned by the finished assembly, so the core has to be paired with a certified frame, the correct intumescent and smoke seals, and fire rated ironmongery, all fitted to Halspan’s certification.
Moving it safely
This is a large and heavy sheet, noticeably more so than the smaller blanks in the range. Plan to move it with mechanical help or at least team of 2 people, keep it supported along its length, and avoid carrying it flat by the ends where it can flex. Store it flat and fully supported until you work on it, never leaning on the edge for long periods.
Finishing the ash face
The veneer is genuine ash, pale and straight grained, so it is made to be seen rather than painted. Lightly sand both faces, then bring out the grain with clear lacquer, hardwax oil or a light stain. Finish both sides to the same degree so the door does not pull or cup, and seal the edges after lipping.
Lipping the edges
- Comes unlipped, so you fit your own timber lippings before hanging
- Square cut all round, which keeps cutting and squaring simple
- Single doors take flat lippings between 6mm and 18mm thick
- Double doors use rebated lippings between 18mm and 28mm where the leaves meet
- Always seal every cut edge to guard the exposed core
Best uses
- Tall door openings in older or high ceilinged buildings, where a normal length leaf falls short
- Double door sets, where both leaves are cut from one generous sheet
- Oversized single doors in shops and commercial entrances, where the width runs beyond a standard blank
- Joinery shops batch several doors, where one large sheet improves the cutting yield
- Bespoke refurbishment work, where real opening sizes rarely match off the shelf doors
Treat this as an interior, non-structural fire door core. The core is manufactured to E1 formaldehyde emission standards for internal use. It is not moisture resistant, so it has no place in bathrooms, wet rooms or any external doorway. The ash faces and chipboard core are built for dry, heated rooms and will not cope with damp or weather.
