A great question—and not one with a straightforward answer.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to your design intent and the specific requirements of your project. To help guide your decision, we’ve broken the considerations into three key areas: Aesthetics, Compliance, and Products.
Aesthetics
You want your project to look great and be user-friendly. One key decision is how you intend to finish your door jambs—paint, clear finish, or stain?
- Paint – The most commonly used and cost-effective option. Paint is easy to apply, durable, and simple to repair if damaged. If you’re after a practical, low-maintenance solution, painted jambs are a solid choice.
- Clear Finish – Typically used with natural timber jambs. While visually appealing, clear finishes are more challenging to apply and harder to repair when damaged. This option suits higher-end projects where a premium finish is desired.
- Stain – Offers a sophisticated look, especially on natural timber, but sits at the more expensive end of the scale. Stained finishes are also more prone to visible damage. If you’re working on a mid- to high-end project, stained jambs can elevate your overall design.
Compliance
Fire-rated door jambs must comply with the manufacturer’s tested and approved product range. This means you can only use jambs that have been tested and certified for use with fire doors.
Accepted materials usually include timber, steel, or stainless steel, though specific availability may vary by manufacturer.
Products
There are various jamb materials and profiles available, each with pros and cons:
Timber
Found in 80–90% of retirement village projects, timber jambs are versatile—they can be painted, clear finished, or stained. They’re durable, cost-effective, and generally meet most budget requirements. While natural timbers tend to be more expensive, pine is more readily available and affordable.
Common timber profiles in retirement villages include:
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Flat Jamb – Installers can easily fit flat jambs after completing wall linings (e.g., gib), which helps streamline the build process. Although architraves add cost and require extra installation, most projects still favour this option due to its flexibility and simplicity.
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Grooved Jamb – This profile creates a clean, modern finish without the need for architraves. However, it must be installed before gibbing, which can complicate scheduling and sequencing. Its exposed reveal also makes it more vulnerable to damage from beds, trolleys, or other equipment—an important consideration in aged care settings.
Steel
Steel jambs are highly durable and are commonly used in heavy-duty environments such as hospitals. While not typical in retirement villages, they can be an option where durability is a high priority.
Steel jambs require either a painted or powder-coated finish and tend to be at the premium end of the cost spectrum. One challenge with steel jambs is the backfilling requirement, which is usually done manually on-site and can be a time-consuming process.
We’re not here to make the decision for you, but rather to provide the information you need to make a well-informed choice for the fire-rated door jambs on your next project.
Read more relevant articles:
What are the best fire doors for use in aged care facilities?
What’s the difference between a Flat Jamb and a Grooved Jamb?
What are the best wall systems to install my fire doors into?