Commercial Doors That Pass Code, Withstand Traffic, and Close on Schedule.

Any door serving the public in a place of public accommodation must meet ADA accessibility requirements under 28 CFR Part 36. In Texas, TAS (Texas Accessibility Standards) mirrors ADA with minor additions. Required specs include: 32-inch minimum clear width measured from door face to stop when open at 90 degrees, maximum 5 lbf opening force on interior doors (exterior doors are exempt from opening force), door closer sweep period of at least 5 seconds from 90 degrees to 12 degrees, lever or push hardware (no round knobs), and thresholds no higher than half an inch. We provide a written ADA compliance report with every installation and can evaluate existing doors for retrofit opportunities before recommending replacement.

NFPA 80 (Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives), adopted by the Texas State Fire Marshal, requires annual inspections of all fire-rated door assemblies. The inspection must be performed by a qualified person and documented in writing. Items checked include: door label (UL or WHI listing must be present and legible), intumescent seal condition, hardware fire rating (hinges, closer, latch, strike must all carry matching ratings), clearances (maximum 3/4 inch at sides and top, 3/4 inch at bottom on non-rated floors), self-closing function, positive latching, and absence of field modifications that void the assembly rating. We provide the written inspection report required by NFPA 80 Section 5.2. Failing inspection results in the door being taken out of service or replaced before the building passes fire marshal review.

Fire-rated doors carry a UL or WHI listing that certifies they will hold back flames and heat for a defined period: 20 minutes (corridor and room separation), 45 minutes (stairwell and vertical shaft openings less than 1-hour rated), 60 minutes (stairwells in 2-hour rated assemblies), or 90 minutes (stairwells in 3-hour rated assemblies). Smoke-rated doors carry a separate 'S' label indicating they limit smoke infiltration to a tested rate. IBC Section 710 requires both fire and smoke ratings at smoke barriers. Most modern commercial fire doors also carry the S label. We specify the correct combination based on your occupancy type and the wall assembly rating required by your building permit.

Yes. IBC Section 1010.1.10 and NFPA 101 Chapter 7 require panic hardware on exit doors serving assembly occupancies with 50 or more occupants. When that exit door is also fire-rated, every component of the hardware assembly must carry a fire rating matching the door label. A Von Duprin 98/99 or Sargent 8800 series exit device installed on a 90-minute fire door must itself be UL-listed for 90 minutes. Installing a non-rated exit device on a fire-rated door voids both the door assembly rating and the hardware listing, creating liability during any fire marshal inspection or insurance claim. We verify door labels before ordering hardware on every commercial job and supply the UL installation certificate your building file requires.

A standard aluminum-frame storefront door replacement (single door, standard opening, existing frame reused) typically takes 3 to 5 hours from arrival to operational door. New opening with frame fabrication and installation runs 6 to 10 hours, often split across two visits. Double-door sets or full glass aluminum entry systems with transoms take 8 to 14 hours. We schedule commercial work after business hours and on weekends to avoid disrupting your operations. Emergency repairs to broken storefront glass or failed closers are available 24/7. We carry temporary board-up materials on every truck so you are never left with an unsecured opening.

Steel commercial entry doors are rated by ANSI/BHMA Grade: Grade 1 (highest, 1 million cycle rating) for high-traffic retail and office main entries; Grade 2 (500,000 cycles) for secondary commercial entries; Grade 3 (250,000 cycles) for low-traffic service doors. For forced-entry resistance, look for ANSI/SDI A250.13 for steel door construction and ASTM F476 for lock resistance ratings. For facilities requiring high security, SDI 100 Heavy-Duty (18-gauge or heavier) with a reinforced frame and ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt provides the strongest standard combination. We specify the correct grade for your occupancy, traffic volume, and insurance requirements.

Yes. Commercial door projects involving electric strikes, magnetic locks, or electrified panic hardware require coordination between the door mechanic and the low-voltage electrician. We routinely work alongside access control installers from Lenel, Genetec, Honeywell, and Brivo systems. Our part of the scope includes: selecting hardware with correct power requirements (12V or 24V DC, fail-safe or fail-secure), pre-drilling and installing conduit pathways through the frame and door edge, providing the correct electrified hinges for power transfer, and testing hardware function before handoff. We do not pull electrical permits or run line voltage wiring. We do provide dimensional drawings and specifications to your electrician before job start to prevent delays.