I Dig Hardware

Jun 18 2018

WWYD? Key-Operated Surface Bolt

Category: Egress,Flush Bolts and Coordinators,WWYD? — Lori @ 12:53 am Comments (13)

Dan Allen of Sakahara Allen Architects sent me these photos, looking for a key-operated surface bolt at least 24 inches long. I couldn’t think of one, so I’m asking for your help.

These doors are serving a church, and there are currently key-operated deadbolts at the bottom of each leaf. The deadbolts are too low for the reverends to reach comfortably. The International Building Code (IBC) and the California Building Code (CBC) allow key-operated locks on certain doors, one acceptable location being the main door or doors serving a place of religious worship. (You can read more about these requirements in this Decoded article.)

So – the locks or surface bolts need to be key-operated, readily distinguishable as locked, mounted at a height that can be operated by the reverends, and fairly easy to install on the existing doors.

WWYD?

Jun 15 2018

FF: Don’t let the door hit ya…

Category: Accessibility,Automatic Operators,Fixed-it Friday — Lori @ 12:54 am Comments (2)

While this may seem like a great idea at first glance – a wireless actuator mounted on the door to open the door automatically – this does not meet the recommended guidelines for actuator location.

When someone pushes the button, they then have to make sure they are out of the way so the door doesn’t hit them. The actuator mounting guidelines are included in this Decoded article, but here’s the abbreviated version from the A156.19 standard:

Actuators should be…

• mounted within one to five feet from the door but not more than twelve feet
• accessible from the swing side when the door is open
• not in a location where the user would be in the path of the moving door
• mounted so the user can see the door when activating the switch
• an installation height of 34 inches minimum and 48 inches maximum above the floor

State and local codes may include additional requirements for actuators (some are covered in the Decoded article).

Thank you to Bruce Tinsley of Lanmor Services for the photo!

Jun 14 2018

WWYD? Impact-Resistant Glazing/Film

Category: Glass,School Security,WWYD? — Lori @ 12:33 pm Comments (13)

I want to look into some of the available products for delaying access through glazing for schools and other types of buildings. The glazing goes hand-in-hand with the door hardware – even the most secure hardware can be overcome by breaking the glass. The challenge is that I’m not sure where to start. I’ve seen a few products over the years, but I don’t have direct experience with what works best, the cost differences, installation pros and cons, etc.

Please share your insight in the reply box at the bottom of this post. What products have you seen used in new schools or retrofit applications? Do you know someone who is an expert in this field who would be willing to weigh in with some suggestions?