Since we have been talking about residential entry doors up to this point, you may well be asking yourself, “Why are we talking about commercial entry doors in the same discussion?” There is actually a two part answer to that question: 1) Some of our customer need commercial doors for, well, commercial reasons and 2) some of our residential clients may need commercial doors in certain applications and not even realize it! Let me explain.
Obviously, anyone who owns a brick and mortar business (as opposed to an online only business) needs commercial entry doors. Those could be the aluminum and glass storefronts with which we are all familiar from visiting all our favorite shops, or the employee and delivery entrances you are more likely to find on the side or rear of a business. These are the steel doors with, sometimes, a window to check who is outside before allowing access. And, of course there are the steel fire doors in stores, theaters, etc. that you would exit in the event of an emergency. Often, these fire doors will have no exterior hardware, but they must have a “panic” bar that unlocks the door when you push the bar or handle. Yup, these are commercial doors, those required by fire and life safety codes to allow egress from a gathering place in the event of an emergency while at the same time providing controlled access to protect from intruders.
I took the time to explain all of that because, as you may have already realized, if you live in a condo or apartment building, any multi-residence building that requires access by all residents, you need a commercial door in certain portions of the building. Does your building have a main or secondary entrance for residences that requires key or keycard access? That’s a commercial door, and it must have a panic bar that releases the lock from the inside. Oh, and notice these doors always open out, unlike most typical residential entry doors. This is to allow groups of people to exit in an emergency without fear of not being able to open the door inward because of the crush. Does your building have internal stairwells and doors at each landing? Again, those are commercial doors. See, you use commercial doors more often than you might imagine!
Because the complexity of fire and life safety codes for multifamily dwellings, meeting places, etc., I’m not even going to attempt to explain or interpret any further. I’m simply going to recommend that the next time you attend a condo board or homeowners’ association meeting and the discussion turns to entry doors, ask yourself if these should be commercial entry doors. Then, check with your local code enforcement entity and contact us at (708) 423-1720 or visit our website at https://www.evergreenwindow.com to learn more about commercial entry doors in residential buildings. And, of course, if you are a business owner, contact us for all your commercial entry door needs!
Some people firmly believe that the only good entry door is a steel entry door. And, hey, there’s nothing wrong with that thinking. A steel entry door with steel frame is, when measuring the number of strikes required to break it, nearly ten times stronger than a wood door and frame. In addition, because of their fire resistance, steels doors are the only entry doors that can be used to meet certain fire and life safety codes, such as those for multifamily dwellings, or between an attached garage and a residence, among others.
If you want the look of wood door but don’t want the higher maintenance, and, yes, higher cost, consider a fiberglass entry door system. Our manufacturers, Albany Door, Provia, and Thermatru, can produce fiberglass entry doors in hundreds of paint and stain colors and glass options to match your vision. We also offer a variety of hardware styles and finishes to provide the perfect accent for your home.
When it comes to the ultimate in natural beauty, nothing beats a wood entry door. With its unique graining and dozens of available wood species and virtually unlimited finish options, our Rogue Valley wood entry doors and sidelights offer you the opportunity to truly make a statement. If you can envision a custom wood entry door and sidelight system, Rogue Valley Door can create that vision for you.
When it comes to selecting residential entry doors, where do you even begin? If you own a single family home, with a few exceptions, your choices are defined by your own personal style, your imagination, and, of course, your budget.