Commercial Door Hardware Guide

When it comes to taking care of your business, having the right door hardware can make an impact on workplace security and peace of mind. It’s worth a little research to familiarize yourself with the basics before you update the locks and handles.

Commercial Hardware Standards

Residential and commercial door hardware types face different demands in daily use, requiring different functions and standards. Third-party, independent evaluations consider a product’s durability and reliability to maintain performance consistency across the hardware and construction industry. 

Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) test commercial door hardware types for standards such as how many times a door latch can be used under normal conditions before it breaks, and even strength tests that set the standard for impact resistance.

Commercial door hardware types should be UL or ANSI/BHMA certified and proven quality grade. 

These grades are presented in easy to understand formats to help you when making your purchase. 

• Grade 3 - The commercial door lock type meets the basic standards of security and safety performance specifications. A good, quality product. 
• Grade 2 - The commercial door lock type meets the intermediate, more advanced, level set by the BHMA standards.
• Grade 1 - Top of the line security and durability. These commercial door lock types offer the best quality product, based on the BHMA standards

Graded products will be signified by a 6-digit product number. The first letter indicates the BHMA product section for referencing. The 5th number, or the last digit in the string of the sequence, identifies the product grade.

Grades are not always clearly marked on product information. As long as there is an ANSI/BHMA number on the product information or packaging, you can easily confirm you are getting the right product for your business needs.

Commercial Door Operation

Commercial door hardware is primarily concerned with the door levers, knobs, deadbolts, and other metal parts of the door, such as kick plates or pull handles. And of course, some are mechanical and some are electronic, which adds more options. There are a few standard hardware basics to be aware of when choosing door levers, locks and the other door extras.

Locking Mechanisms

Another consideration is the lock mechanism itself. Locks operate using a latch or bolt that fits into a strike plate to hold the door closed when the bolt is engaged. There are differences between electronic and mechanical bolt triggering systems, but the basics are similar. Some bolts are standard deadbolts that turn the latch, and the door will not open when the lock is in place. 

Spring bolts, or panic-proof locks, will allow the door to be opened and closed again from the inside, but will require being unlocked to open from the outside. Panic-proof spring bolts are secure and effective locks, however it is easy for the unaware employee to lock themselves on the wrong side of a door. A deadbolt is more straightforward and less prone to accidental lock outs, though it lacks the convenience of the spring bolt.

Security & Safety Standards

Different commercial hardware is subject to codes and regulations beyond the product manufacturing itself. The ADA has recommended heights, the International Building Code (IBC) has exact standards, and other local rules may also apply. Always check with a licensed contractor or code inspector in your municipality to be sure your building is in compliance. In general, however, here are a few key standards to look for to get your door hardware search on the right track.

Traditional lock and key sets for commercial door locks, also called key-in lever or key-in knob sets, operate on cylinders. The most common are either 5 or 6 pin cylinders.

A pin is a small metal rod inside the columns within the lock plug. There are two sets of pins, with the top set being of equal length, and flat edged. The lower set is serrated at different heights when properly keyed. 

The pins are held at different heights by springs, and when the lock is engaged, the cylinder will not turn because the pins are out of alignment with each other. The key turns the pins to allow them to line up to create a flat edge, called a shear line, and allows the cylinder to turn to move the lock bolt.

The cylinder for some commercial locks fit into an interchangeable core. The core makes it easy to swap out cylinders rather than rekey a lock set. A master key locks the core in place, and when the lock security has been compromised (by an event like a lost key, or an employee turnover) a new cylinder with new keys can be replaced inside the core without having to replace the entire lock.

Electronic Commercial Locks

With modern electronic locks, the bolt is moved in place by an actuator controlled by a motor, which is triggered by the electrical input from the key to release or engage the door latch. 

An electronic commercial door lock can be set up to be triggered remotely, on a timer, or can automatically respond to cards or keyfobs within a certain range. These are much safer for high traffic zones, such as hotels, because the lock responds to computerized commands that are easily reprogrammed between guests. 

Another electronic commercial door lock type is the electronic strike plate. The strike is what receives the door bolt, usually a hole in the jamb, or a raised edge mounted into the door frame. With electronic strike plates, a ramped bolt-block can be extended or retracted into the frame in the same way as an electronic lock from the door. 

There are different configurations of electronic strike plates:

• Fail-secure strike plates are always engaged, keeping the door locked. When electricity feeds the actuator, it will hold the bolt open and prevent it from locking.
• Fail-safe strikes are always unlocked, unless the motor is actively charging the actuator to hold the latch in place.
• The hold-open strike configuration is triggered in the open/unlocked position until the door is opened. Once the door is resettled, the strike plate goes back to the locked configuration.

Some manufacturers have configured the strike plates to be easily reversible between fail-secure and fail-safe after they have been installed in the door jamb. 

Exit Devices

Also called panic bars, or crash bars, exit devices are designed to offer a quick escape in emergency situations. They are crossbar-styled, panel locks, with a built in actuator triggered by applying pressure rather than turning a knob or multiple bolt latches. Many brands offer panic bars that can be sized to fit the door on site at installation. They lock securely and can be used on commercial fire doors, or used to restrict security access to areas, such as to help security control traffic through a door marked for exit only.

Variations of the devices are available that will sound an alarm when triggered, or can stay locked for up to 30 seconds to allow for a security response before opening. 

Quick facts about exit devices:

• As of 2006, the IBC requires that any room or building with an occupancy of 50 people or more, and some high hazard buildings, must have panic hardware on exit doors.
• The actuator bar or touchpad must be at least half the width of the door.
• Look for an actuator that responds to less than 15 pounds of force. (Check local requirements, as some codes call for no more than 5 lbs, depending on the type of building and the door’s location.)
• Panic hardware should be installed only on outward facing doors, at a height of between 34” and 38” above the floor.
• Crash bars cannot be installed on balanced doors, as the pressure required may block the door’s operation. The only acceptable panic hardware for balanced doors are touchpads, and they must not be installed where they could interfere with the door swing.
• Fire exit doors require fail-secure strikers, and fire exit hardware tested to withstand fire-related pressure changes. They also require labels to mark them as both a panic exit and a fire exit.

Door Closers

The function of a is to shut the door after customers or employees leave it ajar. It is ideal for saving energy on air conditioning and to keep pests and debris outdoors. The operation of door closers is very simple — the door opening pulls tension into a spring in the closer body, and the spring then returns the door to the closed position when the tension is released — but it offers other benefits worth knowing:

A door closer:

• … can hold the door open for deliveries.
• … can be set to keep the door from opening too wide, especially useful for glass doors.
• … prevent the door from slamming closed, which can keep a shop considerably quieter.

Commercial door closers can be concealed in the wall, concealed in the door, or concealed in the floor, but the more common types mount to the door front and the frame. There are two different types of door closer arms: the parallel arm and the regular, or standard arm. 

• The parallel arm folds up to hide between the upper door frame and the closer body. It pushes the door out and brings it back in to close. Their sturdy installation allows for additional functions, like holding the door open and restricting the swing.
• The standard arm sticks out at a 90-degree angle from the door. It is mounted on the side of the door that pulls open, and the upper arm attaches to the front of the door frame. Many regular door closers include the equipment to convert it to a parallel arm.

Commercial door hinges are harder to break and harder to break into. Using heavier materials and different installation techniques can offer an extra layer of security. To better understand how this simple piece of hardware can get a security boost, look at the parts that make up the hinges and at their uses.

• Bearing - A hinge ball bearing is a band around the pin that looks like one of the knuckles, but it is made of multiple inner layers that help reduce the friction of movement between the knuckles.
• Leaf - The metal panel “wings” of the hinge. Look for thick, solid metal that can be screwed into the door and frame without warping.
• Knuckle - The anchor point between the two leaves. It is usually a central tube created by interlocking the threads of each leaf.
• Mortise - The carved-out, shallow space the leaf fits into along the door’s edge or on the door frame. The leaf should rest inside the mortise completely flush, so the hinge doesn’t interrupt the natural hang of the door.
• Pin - A solid metal rod that is inserted down the knuckle to keep the pieces in place. It allows the knuckles to rotate and move the door, while also holding the leaves together to form one hinge.

When looking for hinges, you’ll notice they are presented as two numbers, written for instance as 4” x 5” or similar. The first number is the height of the hinge and the second number will be the width of the hinge. The width includes both leaves, from edge to edge, and the depth of the knuckles and pin.

There are multiple types of hinges to choose from, even though the basic design may seem similar. Specific types of hinges will meet the demands of different project requirements better than others. 

Standard hinges, or plain bearing hinges, are the basic hinge. The two leaf plates fit together at the interlocking knuckles and are secured with a pin down the center. They are sturdy and effective, but the friction at the knuckles can wear them down in high-traffic doorways.

A ball bearing hinge has two or more ball bearing bands between weight-bearing knuckles. The internal movement of the ball bearings help reduce the friction on the pin and help prevent drag on the hinge over time. Fire doors are required to use ball bearing hinges to ensure the door will be fully operational in emergencies. A standard hinge will have two ball bearings, while a heavy duty hinge will have ball bearings between each knuckle. 

For external doors with the doors opening out, the knuckle and pin of the hinge will be exposed. For the best security, look for hinges for these doors that have a non-removable pin, or NRP hinges. The NRP hinges screw into the knuckle, and the screw is only accessible when the doors are opened fully. It can only be removed from inside the building, even though the hinges are on the exterior side.

Pivot hinges are anchored into the top of the door frame and the floor, rather than connecting to the side of the frame. The weight of the door is supported by the bottom pin, rather than the door frame, which reduces wear and tear on the door. It is ideal for business front entrances, such as swinging glass doors, and other high-traffic areas.

A will allow you to set a door to close automatically. Adjusting the tension on the pin changes how quickly the door will close after being opened.

Wall & Door Protectors

Some commercial door hardware types are designed to keep your business looking professional and clean, as well as protect the doors and other surfaces from the potential damage from frequent or rough use. While a more porous door surface may become a breeding ground for dirt and germs, smooth metal finishes can be easily wiped clean and disinfected. Push and pull plates also add structural stability to your doors, dispersing the impact from normal use over a wider area.

Commercial Push and Pull Plates

• Pull Plates are handles mounted on the door to allow door to be pulled open.
• Push Plates are metal panels installed onto the door to protect the contact point where the doors are pushed open.
• Kick Plates are metal panels designed to protect the bottom panels of the door from being scuffed or scratched. 

Commercial Door Stops

With door stops, the door handles and edges are protected, which protects the door and protects nearby surfaces such as walls or furniture. There are multiple types of door stops to choose from, depending on the needs of your location.

A baseboard stop is attached to the wall to block the door or the handle from contacting the wall, useful for every kind of door, from the front door to the bathroom stalls.

A floor stop is attached directly to the floor to stop the door before it hits a designated swing point.

The kick stop is a propped handle attached to the bottom of the door to allow the door to be propped open at any necessary point along the swing arch. Whether you want the door opened fully or only just a few inches, the kick stop will help you out.

Wall stops are padded disks mounted on the wall at the level of the door handle to absorb the impact of the door handle against the wall behind it.

Door holders hold open the door by latching the door plate to a wall or floor mounted stopper.

All of these things, no matter how small they may seem while shopping for them, help your business operate safely and smoothly. Commercial door hardware is an efficient upgrade in security and durability, and just one small step toward helping your doors stay open for years to come.