How to Install Commercial Doors

Organization and proper setup are key when it comes to install commercial doors correctly.

By José Luis Soto

If you are planning to install commercial doors, keep in mind that commercial door installations are different from residential projects. Commercial door projects often take longer, and the work is done in several phases. The same principles of plumb/level/square installation and smooth operation apply to both, but commercial projects tend to require more doors and individual components. They also tend to require change orders, which is why organization and preparation are so important.

The single most important aspect of commercial door installations is having the most up-to-date blueprint, including the door and hardware schedule. You can lose thousands of dollars from your profit margin trying to locate the proper hardware or moving doors, and hardware pieces that have been installed according to outdated drawings and schedules. Maintaining an open communication channel with the project manager, field superintendent and the supplier will help minimize these types of headaches.

With most commercial door installations, the general contractor or a specialized door frame company installs the door frames. The frames are often steel or some other type of metal, and working with them requires special skills. Check all the frames before you begin installation to ensure they are correctly squared. If any of them need repair, coordinate that through the general contractor as soon as possible.

Staging the work area to install commercial doors

Begin by assuring the area where your team will be working is clean and safe. Since you’ll likely be using door jacks, tool carts and door dollies to move heavy doors, it’s important that the floor is safe: clean, dry and free of any materials that can cause an accident, such as extension cords, wood or steel scraps, and debris.

Assure your workers have the appropriate personal protection equipment, and take this time to remind them of any dangers and to answer any questions.

Using an up-to-date door and hardware schedule, organize the doors along with the appropriate corresponding hardware, and determine where they will be installed in preparation for moving them. Carefully load the doors onto the door dolly, place the appropriate hardware and tools in the tool cart, and transport them to the proper installation location.

Hanging commercial doors

Once everything is organized, checked and moved to the installation location, you can begin to install commercial doors. Begin by installing the hinges on the doors while they are on the dollies, and then have your guys lift the doors into place. Usually, two or three workers can handle lifting, using proper equipment (gloves, lifting belts) and technique (lift with the legs, not the back). With the heaviest doors, a forklift may be necessary. It’s critical that you determine early if a forklift will be necessary, so you can include the expense in the initial contract.

Insert only enough screws into the doorframe to hold it in place and check fit. Lightly mark with a pencil and trim those areas that need it. Check to make sure the latches and strikes line up. With wood frames, strikes will most often need to be mortised on site. Steel frames typically have the strikes already installed and if changes are needed, specialized tools and skill sets are required.

With the door in place, line up the hinges with their correct locations on the frame and start inserting the screws. Don’t place all the screws at this time – only insert and tighten two per hinge (with particularly heavy doors that have hinges requiring six or more screws, you may want to place half of them at this time). Now, you can assure the door will open and close properly, or determine if it needs to be trimmed.

Door dollies make it easy for one person to move heavy commercial doors. Make sure you use a cloth or other soft material in the cradle of the dolly to protect the door’s finish. Install the hinges while the door is on the dolly.

If trimming is necessary, mark the door lightly with a pencil while it’s in place. Then remove it, and move it to a work area where cutting/trimming is allowed (many commercial sites have designated areas for such tasks). Consider using a cordless circular saw with the appropriate blade for the door material. The most important thing is not to trim too much off the door, rendering it unusable. Trim a little at a time, and keep checking the fit until it’s right.

When trimming is needed, clamp a straightedge to guide your saw for a straight, clean cut and protect the door’s finish with painter’s tape along the cut line.

Use masking tape along the cutline to keep wood doors from chipping along the kerf. Protect the doors with foam or other soft materials when placing them on a work station to prevent marring the surface. You can often reuse foam strips or other packaging materials for this purpose.

With the door trimmed and re-hung with all screws in the hinges and frame, you can begin installing hardware. Begin with the latch and handle assembly if you did not already install them during the test fit.

Hung, but not done

Once the door is properly trimmed, you can hang it in place using all the screws in each hinge. Now assure the strike, lockset and latch line up correctly. If the door doesn’t line up properly, document it, and notify the jobsite superintendent. Often, other contractors are responsible for creating new or realigned strikes, but sometimes that falls under the door installer’s scope of work. Creating new or realigned strikes requires a certain amount of experience and a specialized skill set.

As each door is installed, open and close it a few times to check that everything lines up, seals properly and operates smoothly. Make any necessary adjustments before moving on to the next door.

Once the door has been trimmed and lined up, all screws have been inserted into the hinges, and proper operation has been confirmed, install the corresponding hardware.

Commercial door installation is fairly straightforward. The potential pitfalls arise from miscommunication with other contractors and poor jobsite management. That’s why it is extremely important to have a complete and thorough contract before you begin work. Include costs for heavy equipment or extra manpower, as you will most likely be responsible for unloading and distributing the doors around the jobsite. And, stay up to date with change orders or blueprint revisions, as doors and hardware that are delivered to you become your responsibility. Mistakes here can seriously reduce – or even eliminate – your profit.

Include in the proposal and contract that you will need a lockable container or storage area to keep all door-related items safe and secure.