High-traffic entrances on company flagship stores, historical buildings, hotels, and universities require high design—functional, beautiful, and long-lasting doors that stand up to the rigors of frequently accessed spaces. These entrances are often the most elegant and stylish because architects don’t consider them “just another pair of doors.”
Commercial doors take a lot of abuse and handling with care is not always top-of-mind for pedestrians rushing in and out. Industry-leading door manufacturers are blending the beautiful with the indestructible—creating unforgettable entrances that last a lifetime.
Performance
Traditional hinge doors are frequently specified but have an average life span of only 5 to 10 years. This can be attributed to the fact that the vertical hinges are completely right- or left-aligned. After years of use, conventional doors may fail due to the lateral stress placed on the hinges. Not only that, but users have a more difficult time operating them because they must pull against the entire weight of the door leaf.
More innovative products, like balanced doors, feature top and bottom arms that lie horizontally and pivot at two-thirds the width of the door. This creates a more balanced fulcrum point for distributing the doors weight—resulting in effortless operation.
Architects and building owners love balanced doors because they do not have to sacrifice ambitious design visions for their entrances. Pedestrians notice a difference too with an experience that is truly not demanding.
Reduced Opening Force
Areas of heavy foot traffic require doors that open with ease.
Conventional hinge doors present an issue; the entire surface of the door must be pulled against external winds and closed against internal building stack pressure. Conversely, when the pivot point is moved inward like on a balanced door, they open far more easily against positive or negative wind pressures.
For busy areas and cities with stringent sidewalk projection codes, reduced leaf projection is especially advantageous for the safety of pedestrians navigating crowded walkways.
Customizable Design Options
Doors are the first component of the building that users interact with. Therefore, creating a visual that leaves a lasting impression is just as important as optimum performance.
Industry leaders are providing a range of design options that allow for customizable entrances built according to an architect’s specification. Manufacturing with the highest quality materials—stainless steel, bronze, and aluminum—extends the life of the balanced door even further. Not only that, but offering high-end finishes and premium paint options allow architects to achieve the finest textures and colors.
The beauty of custom balanced doors is that grille work and other decorative components easily integrate into the design. Architects can take an existing artistic theme featured throughout the project and have decorative components created for the doors to match.
Ellison Bronze Inc. invented the balanced door in 1927. Today, Ellison leads the industry by providing custom marquee doors to the world’s most famous addresses. Made with the highest quality materials and unparalleled craftsmanship, Ellison doors are the standard to which all other commercial entry doors are compared worldwide.
