Photo courtesy Ellison Bronze
The door, frame, and balanced hardware create the complete assembly. The anatomy of a balanced door has been crafted to produce a ‘marquee’ entrance system.
Doors and framing are available in several materials (and finishes), including bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, wood, and glass. They are made in one of two ways depending on the material chosen. The types of glass stops used will depend on the construction method. For instance, bronze and stainless steel are formed-up giving more flexibility in the design and allowing pocket stops to be used if it is desired. Whereas, aluminum is extruded and has more limitations on design, resulting in the use of applied stops.
Balanced door leaves are available as stile and rail (when the door structure is metal) or tempered glass (when the structure is glass)—either with or without a stile. In any of the door types, full top and bottom rails are required to accommodate the balanced hardware.
Formed-up stile and rail door construction includes minimum-sized 70-mm (3-in.) stiles and top rails, bottom rails that are at least 152-mm (6-in.) tall (though 254 mm [10 in.] is required for ADA compliance), and a corner-welded internal subframe for rigidity. Door material is minimum 2.3-mm (3/32-in.) thick with internal and external parts made of the same material. For bronze and stainless steel assemblies, spot-welding directly through the door face creates a unitized superstructure.
Quality balanced doors are built and pre-hung at the manufacturing location, allowing any adjustments to be made so operation is honed to perfection. This process allows for easy installation and is useful for renovation applications where the building must remain accessible.
Custom balanced door manufacturers can produce doors with multiple combinations of materials, sizes, and designs. These manufacturers can also incorporate sidelites and transoms around the doors, but it is recommended architects and designers work with a curtain wall or storefront manufacturer to achieve a unified aesthetic between the door system and surrounding building area.
Extruded aluminum balanced doors are a budget option similar in structural appearance to formed stainless steel or bronze versions. Aluminum extrusions are used in place of the formed metal. Aluminum material is available in an almost limitless number of architectural paint finishes, as well as traditional anodized finishes. While dissimilar metal corrosion between frame and internal machinery metals is not a concern for stainless steel, there is some electrolysis between bronze and aluminum over a long period of time if the doors are not periodically cleaned or there is a lot of salt buildup.
If balanced doors are used and panic hardware is required, the latter shall be a type of push pad not extending more than one-half the width of the door measured from the latch side. Balanced doors are configured this way to meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101, Life Safety Code.
Conclusion
A superior entryway in every way with precision, performance, and beauty, balanced door systems are an investment lasting a lifetime, or more. They can be a suitable fit for any application in new construction, renovation, or retrofit, and they always leave a lasting impression.
