Bushfire (BAL) rated entrance doors explained

A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rates a building's exposure to ember attack and radiant heat, measured in kilowatts per square metre (kW/m2), from BAL-LOW up to BAL-FZ (Flame Zone). Every entrance door is BAL12.5 compliant subject to a few conditions, the Bushfire Resistant range covers BAL19 and BAL29, and a 45mm range covers BAL40. In every case the door must be paired with a compliant frame and installed in accordance with AS3959.

What do the BAL levels mean?

BAL is measured in increments of radiant heat flux. The further a building is from the potential fire, the lower the heat flux and the lower the construction requirement.

Level	Risk	Radiant heat flux	Door options
BAL-LOW	Very low	Not enough risk to need specific construction	No specific requirements
BAL12.5	Low	Up to 12.5 kW/m2, ember attack	All entrance doors (conditions apply), Elite Aluminium
BAL19	Moderate	Up to 19 kW/m2	BFR BAL19 & BAL29 doors, Elite Aluminium
BAL29	High	Up to 29 kW/m2	BFR BAL19 & BAL29 doors, Elite Aluminium
BAL40	Very high	Up to 40 kW/m2, increased risk of flame exposure	BAL40 doors
BAL-FZ	Extreme	Over 40 kW/m2 plus direct flame from the fire front	No timber door

Which doors meet BAL12.5?

The manufacturer's 2026 price list states that the complete range of entrance doors is BAL12.5 compliant, with these conditions:

• Illusion: only with laminated glass (Clear, Grey or Translucent Laminate).
• Glass Opening: only in 40mm thick, solid construction.
• Frames: only Meranti or Merbau Weatherguard frames, or Meranti or Merbau Pivot systems, tested to AS1530.8.1 when supplied as a complete door and frame unit. H3 treated pine frames do not carry the rating.

Which doors meet BAL19 and BAL29?

The Bushfire Resistant BAL19 & BAL29 range (BFR3, BFR4, BFR12, BFR13, BFR14, BFR15, BFR20, BFR30, BFR44 and BFR66) uses a solid HMR MDF core and is 40mm thick. Glazed designs use 6mm toughened glass in hardwood beading, in Clear, Grey Tint or Frost. The standard size is 2040 x 820 x 40mm, with made to order sizes up to 2400 x 1200 x 40mm. Doors up to 2040 x 820mm need at least three 100mm butt hinges; larger doors need four.

The matching BAL19 & 29 Merbau Weatherguard frame has Merbau hardwood jambs and head and an intumescent fire and smoke perimeter seal that can be removed for painting. Sidelites are glazed in 6mm toughened glass, and any glass that opens or sits within 400mm of the ground must be fitted with a BAL approved screen (screens not included).

Which doors meet BAL40?

BAL40 doors are tested to AS1530.8.1, are 45mm thick and use a vermiculite core. Glazed designs have 6mm toughened safety glass with a double-sided fire-resistant hardwood glazing bead, in Clear, Grey Tint or Frost. They come with at least four 100mm butt hinges, cannot be trimmed, and must be supplied together with the BAL40 Merbau Weatherguard frame, which is offered for a single door or a door with sidelite. The standard size is 2040 x 820 x 45mm, with options up to 2340 x 1200 x 45mm.

Why does the frame have to match?

The manufacturer's BAL12.5 frames and BAL40 systems are tested as a complete door and frame unit, so the rating belongs to the entry system rather than the door alone. For BAL40 the door and frame must be supplied together. For BAL19 and BAL29 the manufacturer recommends ordering them together to ensure compliance. The manufacturer's BAL catalogue also notes that its standard entry frames are not compliant for BAL19, BAL29 or BAL40, and that BAL frames need a bushfire compliant door seal, which is standard on the Weatherguard range. See our bushfire resistant frames.

What voids BAL compliance?

• Not installing the door and frame in accordance with AS3959.
• Pairing a BAL door with a frame that is not rated to the same level.
• Trimming a BAL40 door at all, or trimming a BAL19 or BAL29 door more than 3mm from the top, bottom or each stile.
• Rebating a pair of BAL19 or BAL29 doors. Use a Merbau mushroom mould or an aluminium T-bar instead. The manufacturer's BAL catalogue lists no pairs for BAL40.
• Leaving openable glass, or glass within 400mm of the ground, unscreened at BAL19 and BAL29. At BAL40, glass cannot sit within 400mm of the ground.
• Substituting glass. BAL19, BAL29 and BAL40 doors require 6mm toughened glass, and the manufacturer offers them only in Clear, Grey Tint or Frost. Our guide to choosing glass for your entry door covers the options.

Two more points: a BAL door is not a fire door (fire doors are tested to a different standard, AS1905.1), and you can use a system rated above your BAL but never below it. A BAL40 door can go in a BAL19 zone; a BAL19 door cannot go in a BAL29 zone.

How do I find out my BAL?

Check with your local council whether your property is in a bushfire prone area and what BAL applies, or engage an accredited bushfire consultant. A BAL assessment report sets the level for the site. One property can have more than one rating, for example a western side rated higher than the eastern side, so check the rating for the wall where your door will go.