Surrounding Door Design

Multifamily / Industrial / Commercial

Surrounding Door Solutions Made Easy

A commercial door is an investment, and if you've installed or replaced one, you know the surrounding features and hardware matter as much as the door panels themselves. Our team sources and installs solutions that support your overall design goals while ensuring code compliance throughout your property. From exit doors to internal office doors, our door technicians are Edmonton, AB's premier door designers, with a special focus on surrounding door design and the door's overall design life. 

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Why factoring in what’s around the door matters 


When looking at a commercial door, focusing only on the door itself can lead to a major headache. The surrounding environment that your door is in is going to dictate a lot of the specific features and additions that you might need to make the door work in your space. 

 

Let’s say you want to install a new interior commercial door and expand it to a 48-inch door to make your entrance a little grander. Now, you might think this would be simple, but there are many factors to take into account. As you expa will need to consider whether you have the proper headers in place, whether you are dealing with a load-bearing wall, or whether you need to extend the wall with a custom jamb extension to fit the thicker door. You also need to consider the current location of switches and thermostats, since you don’t want to cover them. You will also want to consider changes to baseboards, flooring, and transition pieces, since you don't want a drag-effect or overhang. This is just for a single interior door; now imagine having to consider the exterior elements as well, and you start to understand why factoring in what is around the door matters. 

Vestibule Design


Vestibules are one of the best features that you can add to exterior commercial doors, as they act as a natural airlock to keep that cold Alberta winter air at bay. In the commercial space, you will want to keep the two doors at least eight feet apart to provide enough room to break the draft, but ideally 12 feet to allow enough room for a wheelchair user to navigate the space and for the infrared or motion sensors to work properly. 

 

The design of the surrounding area matters, as you will need to consider if you are looking to build out the space for security, in which you will want to consider an interlocking system, or for a thermal break, in which you will want to consider a self-closing door to keep the indoor temperature stable. Another consideration is door swing direction, as specific fire and egress rules will dictate how your vestibule operates. As you can see, your vestibule setup might matter even more than the door you are installing!

Swing Direction


When planning your commercial door, swing direction will dictate much of the work involved in planning and designing it. The reason for this is that as you are planning a door replacement, the way the door swings is going to change the thinking, as you may need to reorient the door or completely change the design based on the current floorplan. 

 

Here are a few reasons swing direction matters. First and foremost, if your door is part of your egress route, it must swing outward in the direction of travel to allow a safe exit from your building. Your hardware will also depend on the swing direction, as many top-end finishes are available in left-hand, right-hand, left-hand reverse, or right-hand reverse orientations and will not work if the wrong-handled hardware is on the door. Finally, code limits may restrict how far the door can swing, which can affect the door's overall design and size.

Install Conditions


Many factors affect door installations, and one major factor is the door's installation conditions. By installation conditions, we don't mean the weather; we mean the critical site conditions, regulatory factors, and structural parameters we must consider before installing the door in the frame. 

 

First and foremost, we need to consider the dimensions and plumb of the wall we are installing into, the frame type we are hanging the door on, and the structural support around the door. For most commercial openings, we don't need major upgrades or changes, but sometimes we will need considerable structural work before we even unwrap the door to ensure it meets its design-life standards. Next, we need to consider the clearances around the door and the proposed door's swing arc, and how they will affect code compliance and traffic flow in the space. For instance, a large swing arc with tight corridors or adjacent walls can affect the door’s function. We also need to consider traffic volume, operational function, and any applicable regulatory or code compliance concerns. In short, when it comes to door installations, the design around the door matters as much as the door itself. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting you reliable solutions & honest answers.

  • What should I consider around a commercial door before replacing it?

    There are a few things that you should consider when it comes time to poentially replace a commercial door. You should consider the current environment in which your door is situated and figure out if you are planning a like-for-like change for the door, or if you want something else.  Also consider the door's size, orientation, and swing direction, and whether you're making a single change or updating multiple doors along the same route. You should also chat with a professional installer who can give you advice on plans and work through your vision for the new door or entranceway. 

  • Will widening a commercial doorway require structural changes?

    Widening a commercial doorway can require structural changes, especially if you need to cut into a load-bearing wall. If you do need to make these structural changes, work with a professional installer who can remove portions of the wall and provide the headers and structural changes you need to ensure the door hangs properly.

  • How can a vestibule help reduce cold drafts at my commercial entrance?

    A vestibule can reduce cold drafts at your commercial entrance by acting as a thermal shield from the outside environment. They do this by creating an airlock effect, which keeps the exterior door completely closed to trap the blast of cold air and wind before the interior door is opened. Vestibules not only make your building entrance more comfortable, but they also will lower the strain on your HVAC system as it tries to balance the continual rush of cold air into the building.  

  • How much space should I allow between vestibule doors?

    Ideally, you will leave 12 feet between vestibule doors, as this size of a vestibule will allow all of your assisted technology to work, such as infrared scanners and motion sensors, while also giving wheelchair users and those with other mobility aids or strollers enough space for a door to swing and close behind them without feeling pressured or rushed to get to the next door.

  • How do you determine the right swing direction for a commercial door?

    Choosing the right swing direction for your commercial door depends on the surrounding features, the applicable codes, and whether it's on an egress route. Ideally, your door will not cover a light switch, a control mechanism or your thermostat and will meet local codes, such as opening outwards if on a fire egress route.

  • Does commercial door hardware need to match the door’s swing direction?

    Yes, your commercial door hardware is going to need to match your doors swing direction as the incorrect orientation can lead to hardware failing to fit the door itself. Door hardware comes in left-hand, right-hand, reverse left-hand, and reverse right-hand, and matching your door swing to the hardware ensures it installs correctly and functions as designed.

  • What site conditions do you assess before installing a commercial door?

    We assess multiple site conditions before installing a commercial door. These include the rough opening and structural conditions (frame type and wall thickness), door clearance, floor and threshold levels, expected usage, durability, and traffic, and the regulatory requirements for a commercial door in Edmonton, AB.

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