Protection—Keeping the Aesthetic

The flip side of doors being the place that gets touched by people is that they can also get exposed to heavy use and extreme and wear and tear. To keep the doors looking good over time, many different door accessories are readily available to add a layer of protection. These include push plates and pull plates in metal colors and finishes to match other door hardware. They can also be customized to blend with a predominant design style. Other items such as kick plates, and mop plates become necessary in heavy use or high traffic door openings, but may blend well with those settings if handled properly.

Trim—Meeting Code

Thresholds, door bottoms, and gaskets round out and finalize the details of a fully integrated door opening. Use and selection of these items is typically based on code requirements for energy efficiency, fire rating, or ADA-ANSI A117.1 compliance. Typically these items are surface mounted on door or on the door frame.

The usual reason to add these items is to provide effective air sealing around doors to control unwanted air infiltration. Gaskets are commonly used to fill seams around the jambs and door head while a bottom seal and threshold is used to eliminate the gap under the door. As mentioned under the door frame discussion, a kerf frame features a groove along the frame where it comes in contact with the door edge. As such, they simplify installation of weather-stripping by serving as a convenient channel for installation without using additional fasteners.

Openings with a pair of doors also require gasketing to seal the meeting stile. Gasketing is available in several materials that are flexible and do not impede the operation of the door. They can be specified in varying grades to meet the conditions of different climate zones. Common products include silicone, Santoprene (100 percent recyclable), vinyl, and polypropylene. When specifying gasketing, look for products that meet or exceed ANSI 156.22 Door Gasketing and Edge Seal Systems.

Conclusion—Integrate for Total Design

A common design process involves detailing and specifying doors, frames and hardware all as individual field assembled components. However, as we have seen throughout this article it is also entirely possible and desirable to create coordinated systems that are integrated together. There are even some pre-planned products available that have addressed the integration possibilities and teamed different components together. These are particularly well suited for cross-corridor and elevator lobby locations but may have other applications as well. They feature an integrated door, metal frame and hardware that is generally recessed or minimized. The whole approach is intended to provide fire separation doors that remain in a generally open position until triggered by an event which releases an automatic hold open device. These integrated assemblies are further intended to blend in with the surrounding wall surface and finishes. They are available in up to a 3-hour fire-rated assembly and vision lites are possible. The hardware usually includes an integrated, low-projection exit device and a top latching mechanism such that no central astragal is required.

Whether one of these coordinated systems is opted for or custom solutions are designed, the overall project is served best when the aesthetics of door openings is considered in the earliest phases of the design process. While integrating the frame, door, and hardware to meet a desired appearance and finish, door openings can also readily be specified to meet requirements of life safety, security, energy efficiency, and handicapped accessibility. Overall, then, the goal is to strive for continuity and harmony in door opening design. If all of the various parts aren't designed and coordinated to work together, the result is haphazard and detracts from the overall design intent of the spaces they are located in.

Additional References

Evidence Based Design for Healthcare: www.healthdesign.org

Codes:
National Fire Protection Association: www.nfpa.org
International Code Council (ICC): www.iccsafe.org

Institutes:
Construction Specifications Institute: www.csinet.org
Window & Door Manufacturers Assoc: zwww.wdma.com
Architectural Woodwork Institute: www.awinet.org
Door and Hardware Institute: www.dhi.org
United States Green Building Council: www.usgbc.org

Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP practices, consults, and writes about sustainable design and practice solutions nationwide. www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch

ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user needs for security, safety, convenience, good design, and sustainability. Their decorative door opening solutions comprise great-looking wood, aluminum, stainless steel, and hollow metal doors and frames with suited collections of door levers, pulls, stops, hooks, and hinges that bring harmonious detail to building interiors. Hundreds of beautiful solutions will inspire you. Call 845-742-4827 for specifications assistance or visit them at www.thegooddesignstudio.com