Lori Greene

About Lori Greene

Lori is the Manager, Codes and Resources for Allegion, and the creator of iDigHardware. With more than 35 years of experience in the door and hardware industry, in her current role she focuses exclusively on the code requirements that apply to door openings.

Classroom Function

It's funny how some things stick in your mind, and even funnier that I have "hardware memories" from way back. I remember a rumor going around my 7th grade Home Ec class that another class had locked our teacher, Mrs. Cross, out of the classroom, and that she had cried. So sad!

By |2012-01-27T22:08:06-05:00November 9th, 2009|Locks & Keys|2 Comments

Lite Location

When I started working in the hardware industry, we regularly supplied doors with a 10" x 10" vision lite (type V in the Steelcraft graphic below), which was typically installed approximately 63" from the center of the lite to the floor.  This configuration would no longer be acceptable according to some current accessibility standards.  The 2003 edition of ICC/ANSI A117.1 states that if a door has a vision lite or an adjacent sidelite which permits viewing, at least one lite in the door or the sidelite has to be located with its bottom edge not more than 43" above the floor.  There is an exception for lites with their bottom edge more than 66" above the floor, which would apply to transom lites or residential entry doors with lites at the top.

By |2017-05-15T09:22:42-04:00November 9th, 2009|Accessibility, Glass|1 Comment

Doors of Providence, Rhode Island

Last week I took a trip down to Providence to visit one of my recent projects, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island Headquarters. I had a heckuva time finding it since it was a new address that my GPS didn't recognize, but I found a shuttle bus driver who not only pondered the best route, explained it to me in detail, and then followed me there and jumped out at a red light to run up and tell me to make sure I stayed to the left. I don't know how I could have missed it...it's a gorgeous building in downtown Providence, right on the canal and a stone's throw from the State House.  The architect is Symmes Maini & McKee Associates and you can read a little more about the project here.

By |2013-02-09T00:52:17-05:00November 1st, 2009|Gates, Road Trips|3 Comments

Cover Up!!

Back in the day, before my restaurant choices were based on whether the establishment offered crayons, chicken nuggets, and a giant mouse or talking tree, I used to frequent a local cantina.  The "naked" door closer on their ladies room door drove me nuts, so one night I showed up with a closer cover, screws, and a set of hex wrenches.  As you can probably imagine, they looked at me like I had two heads and made me hand everything over to the bartender.

By |2013-12-04T23:51:00-05:00October 29th, 2009|Door Closers, Videos|1 Comment

A Pair and a Half = 3

A couple of weeks ago, someone asked me why hinges traditionally come in pairs. I asked two of my favorite hinge experts - Matt Bouchard and Bob Jutzi, and they both gave me a variation of the same answer. In the 17th and 18th centuries there were 2 hinges on a door, so they were sold in pairs because you'd never use just one. In the early 1950's it was determined that a 3rd hinge would supply additional support and that became the standard. Our industry called that "a pair and a half" of hinges. There's some great hinge history at www.hardwaresource.com in case there's other hinge trivia you've been wondering about.

By |2023-03-22T12:59:07-04:00October 28th, 2009|Hinges & Pivots|5 Comments

Schlage LiNK

The other day, one of my friends asked me about the new Schlage LiNK, which is a remote access system that connects you to your home from anywhere via cell phone or computer.  With the monthly subscription and Z-Wave enabled products, you can remotely control and monitor your door locks, check on your pets with live video, turn lights on and off, and control and monitor your home's heating and cooling system.

By |2014-01-29T13:37:10-05:00October 19th, 2009|Locks & Keys, Videos|2 Comments

In Case of Smoke…

I've seen plenty of inventive hold-open devices on fire-rated doors, but I've never seen instructional signage to go along with them!  Coincidentally, I received photos of a chain hold-open and the signage for a chain hold-open on the same day from two different people.  The photos are not from the same facility or even the same country for that matter.

By |2012-01-27T22:09:56-05:00October 15th, 2009|Funky Applications, Reader Photos, Smoke|4 Comments

“Look Out Beloooow!!!”

Just when I think I've seen it all, someone always surprises me.  I received this photo today, and at first I couldn't really tell what was going on.  Then I realized that the pipe has been cut to length to act as a hold-open.  That's a first!  When I asked what was holding the pipe in place, I was told that it's the pressure from the door closers!  I pity the fool who leans against the door (especially if his friend leans against the other one)!  BONK!

By |2012-01-27T22:09:56-05:00October 13th, 2009|Door Closers, Funky Applications, Reader Photos|0 Comments

Panic Hardware on Balanced Doors

Last week, someone asked me about code requirements related to panic hardware on balanced doors.  The project in question is in Israel, and apparently the code requirements there do not include any specific requirements for panic hardware on balanced doors.  However, the codes used most often in the U.S. do contain applicable requirements.

By |2019-08-06T08:48:42-04:00October 11th, 2009|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Reader Photos|9 Comments

Restaurant Egress

I'd be rich if I had a dime for every time I explained that panic hardware is required for Assembly and Educational occupancies with an occupant load of more than 100 people (per IBC 2000 or 2003, NFPA 101) or more than 50 people (per IBC 2006 or 2009).  Well, maybe I'd just have a bunch of dimes, but I've said it lots of times and sometimes people still have a hard time remembering it.  Here's a true story that will help.

By |2014-04-26T19:26:59-04:00October 8th, 2009|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|2 Comments

Elevator Lobby Egress

Fair warning...this is going to be one of those posts that makes your eyes glaze over, especially if you haven't had your coffee yet.  But since I've seen several people come to my site looking for this information and leaving without it, I need to post about it before the next person comes looking.  I'll try to make it as concise as possible, and remember, the red italicized paragraphs are the code excerpts so you probably don't need to read those unless you're really digging into this issue.

By |2013-03-14T18:06:07-04:00October 5th, 2009|Electrified Hardware, Means of Egress|1 Comment

Lever Designs – Unlimited Possibilities

Some projects require lever designs for locksets and panic hardware that are beyond the selection of standard "vanilla" levers offered by all of the commercial manufacturers.  In some cases, even the "European" designs don't fill the bill, especially when special finishes are desired.  I've often run into this with museum projects I've specified.

By |2017-05-15T09:23:35-04:00September 27th, 2009|Locks & Keys|4 Comments

What’s wrong with this picture?

If you regularly check this site to find out what's new and exciting in the world of doors and hardware, you may have occasionally experienced a server error.  Yesterday I asked the web hosting company to move the site to a more stable server to avoid these errors, which they agreed to do at midnight.  I was very surprised to go to the site this morning and see the website for the Philanthropy Advisors of New York at our URL!  Everything seems to be working now, so thank you for your patience.

By |2018-10-18T11:25:19-04:00September 24th, 2009|Funky Applications, Panic Hardware|12 Comments

Hospital & Nursing Home (I-2) Cross-Corridor Pairs

The 2009 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) contains an important change that's easy to miss if you're not looking for it.  I stumbled across it a few months ago when someone asked me about the exception for cross-corridor doors without positive latching in I-2 occupancies.

By |2014-04-26T19:26:59-04:00September 23rd, 2009|Door Closers, Fire Doors, Gasketing & Thresholds|16 Comments

NEW! Aged Bronze Finish

One of the Top 10 *issues* I've consistently had to deal with over the years is US10B - oil-rubbed bronze finish.  This has been the finish of choice when the "antique" or "historic" look is desired, and whenever I'm asked to specify it I make sure that the architect knows what's going to happen after the hardware is installed.

By |2022-11-28T05:25:50-05:00September 20th, 2009|General Info|3 Comments

Mass Code Update

At next month's meeting of the Boston Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), I'll be doing an update on the 7th edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code.  The presentation should be about 45 minutes + time for questions, so relatively painless, and the food is GREAT!  If you'd like to attend and you're not a CSI member, email Shelley Hudson.  Here are the particulars:

By |2014-11-25T23:23:45-05:00September 16th, 2009|General Info, New England Codes|0 Comments

World Trade Center Construction Progress

Earlier this week with the 8th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, I wondered what was happening at Ground Zero.  I checked in with the Metro-NY office of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, and learned that their specification department had written the hardware specs for the four new World Trade Center towers, and the retail space that connects the entire project.  Ingersoll Rand Integration is involved with the security and access control as well. 

By |2017-10-12T20:29:45-04:00September 11th, 2009|General Info|1 Comment

Colonial Williamsburg Revisited

During Chip Falcon's Road Trip we visited Colonial Williamsburg, and you may have seen my slideshow of the doors and hardware there.  I received quite a few questions from readers about the hardware at CW, so I sent an email to the Architectural Research Department there and I got a return email from Mr. Kenneth Schwarz, whose title is Blacksmith, Master of the Shop.  Ken has been a wonderful source of information about the hardware at CW, and I'm looking forward to meeting him and hopefully getting a behind-the-scenes tour the next time I'm there.

By |2015-05-20T09:22:43-04:00September 7th, 2009|Funky Applications, Locks & Keys|19 Comments

Footpull

When this photo arrived in my inbox, I immediately thought the panic was mounted in that position to be operated by someone's foot.  I couldn't quite wrap my brain around the latching/unlatching situation...I really think it's just being used as a pull bar and that there's no strike installed.  On my next road trip maybe I'll swing through Alabama so I can check it out.

By |2015-07-02T10:54:30-04:00September 1st, 2009|Funky Applications, Panic Hardware|5 Comments

Every Door Needs a Stop

Last weekend I opened the door to a sports facility where my son was attending a birthday party, and I saw an interesting (to me) application.  My three friends scattered when they saw me whip out the camera...I still don't know why it's so embarrassing to be seen with someone taking a picture of a door, but it seems to be a universal reaction unless you hang out with other hardware people.

By |2017-05-30T15:59:08-04:00August 24th, 2009|Door Closers, Funky Applications, General Info|3 Comments
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