Door and frame types
Common commercial doors include hollow metal doors and frames, solid-core wood doors, aluminum and glazed doors, and specialty doors for particular uses. Hollow metal is tough and common in corridors, back-of-house and exits. Wood doors suit offices and boardrooms. Glazed doors let light through and keep sightlines open.
Frames can be welded or knock-down, set in steel or wood studs, and sized for the wall thickness. Choosing the right combination affects strength, fire rating and appearance.
Installation that lasts
A door hangs well only if the frame is plumb, square and properly anchored. Frames are set during the wall framing, and our interior systems crew checks them before the drywall goes on. Grouting hollow metal frames and adding anchors gives them the strength to withstand slamming and impacts.
Door installation then follows drywall and painting. Doors are hung with the right clearances, fitted with hinges, and adjusted so they close and latch without rubbing. Gaps at the head, sides and bottom are set to meet code and manufacturer limits, particularly for rated doors.
Since our painters are on the same team, frames and doors are finished together, and any scrapes from installation are touched up before the client sees them.
- Hollow metal doors and frames
- Solid-core wood doors
- Aluminum and glazed doors
- Frame anchoring, grouting and shimming
- Hinging, adjusting and final fit
What to plan for
Build a door schedule early. It should list each opening's size, swing, material, hardware, fire rating and finish. Errors on the schedule lead to wrong deliveries.
Consider traffic and use. Doors in busy corridors need heavy-duty hinges, closers and kick plates. Doors in washrooms and kitchens may need moisture-resistant materials.
Accessibility matters. Door widths, thresholds, hardware heights and clearances are governed by barrier-free rules, and the swing of a door can affect a room's usable area.
Finally, protect doors during construction. A scratched, warped or damaged door is hard to fix, so we store and handle doors carefully until handover.