All our products go through a rigorous testing process to ensure you receive the quality and reliability you expect from JELD-WEN.
Security
Manual attack testing
We give our standard burglar three minutes to break into our doors with a variety of tools.
The tests are developed with the police to keep up to date with the latest techniques employed by burglars.
Impact testing
We simulate a burglar attempting to shoulder charge our doors by swinging the 30kg soft heavy impacter at them nine times.
A hard body impacter is used to simulate a burglar breaking into the door with a sledgehammer three times at each hinge and locking point.
Load testing
Our bidirectional loading rig subjects doors and windows to forces of up to 450kg to ensure they don't fracture out of their frame.
Environmental
Wind testing
We hit our windows and doors with high wind pressures and make sure that they remain closed and undamaged, and measure any leaks of air. This classifies the window/door to British Standards.
Water testing
We fully expose our windows and doors to driving rain and wind pressure, and check for any water leakage onto the internal face.
Single climate testing
We perform environmental testing by exposing internal door leaves to controlled climates of extreme hot/cold and dry/wet on both faces.
Dual climate testing
We subject exterior doors to cold temperatures with higher humidity on the external side, at the same time as warm temperatures with dry humidity on the internal side, and monitor any changes to the door. This simulates your front door at home.
Durability
Abuse testing
We check that windows are not damaged by the stresses and strains of everyday life by jamming one corner of the window and attempting to open it.
Operational testing
We comply with mobility requirements by checking the force required to lock and unlock our windows.
Cycle testing
We estimate a residential front door will be opened and closed 50,000 times during its life.
Our front doors are opened and closed 50,000 times at a rate of six times per minute in our laboratory.
Heavy usage
We test both our staircases and handrails to make sure they can stand up to the severest foot traffic.
Safety
Fire testing
Our range of fire resisting doors have been third party tested to ensure compliance with the BWF-Certifire scheme.
All our specifications and manufacturing methods are rigorously assessed with period inspections and full fire tests for audit purposes to give the assurance of reliability in the event of a real fire situation.
See our stringent testing methods and Fire Door test via our YouTube channel.
Stair testing
We have worked hard to drive up standards in stair production and JELD-WEN is the first volume manufacturer to be independently assessed by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) for domestic and common flights, and by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) for our fire protected stairs. Our stairs are put through a rigorous testing process to ensure they meet the relevant performance requirements for loading and fire protection.
Load and deflection testing:
We independently load test our stairs in partnership with the BWF stair testing regulations and in accordance with BSEN 585 and BS 6399-1, to ensure that they will withstand the rigours of everyday life.
During the testing process the ability for the stairs to support imposed loads of 1.5kN/m2 at points of contact are assessed and any deflection or visible signs of defamation are recorded. JELD-WEN stairs have been certified as being capable of supporting loads suitable for domestic and communal properties.
Fire Testing
In medium rise buildings, the common flight stair may act as one of the routes of escape in the event of a fire. So it is vital that it is able to resist the effects of the fire and remain its integrity after the fire has gone out.
Manufacturers offering fire protected stairs have to demonstrate that their stairs comply with the requirements for fire protection under the test method set out by BD2569 Fire Performance of Escape Stairs – Guidance Document (Department of Communities and Local Government, 2009).
The LPCB tests and verifies designs, performance, manufacturing process and quality assurance throughout manufacture to establish whether the timber stairs are serviceable and an effective means of escape, even after an extremely hazardous fire.
JELD-WEN is the only UK manufacturer to be certified for fire protected stairs. Our stairs proved to be capable of carrying a static load of 270kg in weight after the fire test, which confirmed they are suitable for use as escape stairs, providing a safe route out of a multi-storey building.
Component testing
In addition, we also constantly monitor our door skins to ensure our components are up to our high standards. Each delivery of skins is subject to an oven moisture test and a tensile bond test.
Oven moisture test
Samples are taken from materials and put into an oven for 24 hours, working out moisture percentages from weights before and after the test.
Tensile bond test
Samples are glued and pressed together then pulled apart, checking for glue bond strength and material fibre pull strength.