Determining the handing of the doors in your building is an important part of any commercial construction project. But what is door handing? Simply put, door handing refers to the way a door opens and closes. You should know the handing of your doors early in the construction process, preferably during the design phase, so that your building has doors that are functional, safe, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing.
In this article, we will discuss why door handing is important and how to choose the right door handing for your space. We will also cover the entire process of how to hand a door, so you can make informed decisions when selecting doors for your new building, or in case you need to order any replacement doors or hardware for your space.
Why Does Door Handing Matter?
There are several reasons why proper door handing is a crucial step in the construction process, such as:
Functionality
Knowing how a door is handed is crucial to ordering the correct hardware for your project. Door handing is essentially how a door opens and closes, so knowing the direction of your door’s swing is crucial to ordering the correct hardware. Door handing isn't the only thing that affects a doors functionality, but it is a great place to start!
Safety & Accessibility
Commercial buildings must comply with building codes and guidelines such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which dictates rules for door clearance among other technical requirements. Another example are fire code requirements for doors swinging into hallways to ensure clearance. Proper dooring handing helps ensure your doors meet the necessary ADA guidelines and fire codes, but also open and close as intended for everyday use and emergencies.
Aesthetics
Doors play an important role in the layout and movement of a space. There are a lot of factors that must be correct for a functional opening, and accurate door handing is one of them. Properly designed and installed doors help guarantee your building has rooms that are functional and visually appealing from all points of view.
Before the Door
There are a few things to consider when designing your building and selecting the doors. Understanding the space and its intended purpose are essential to choosing the right doors and door handing. Some factors to consider include:
Building Codes: As mentioned above, there are regulations and local building codes that dictate the function of doors in commercial spaces. Make sure you are aware of any specific standards that affect the design of your building, and therefore, the types of doors and door handing you need.
Example: The ADA requires maneuvering clearances provide space for opening and proceeding through doors, doorways, and gates using wheelchairs and other mobility aids. A correctly handed door is essential to ensure proper clearance on both sides of an opening.
Traffic Flow: The direction of foot traffic in and around a space is an important consideration in the design of a building. The door handing will impact the flow of foot traffic and affect the functionality of a space
Example: The classroom doors of an elementary school hallway swing into the classrooms, so that the students aren’t blocked or in danger of a door opening in their path during class change.
Space & Occupancy: Determining the size of a room and its maximum occupancy is an important factor when choosing the handing of a door. You should consider not only the size of the room, but also the size of the door itself and the necessary clearance.
Example: A small cleaning closet might not have space for a door that swings into the room. An out swinging door could be a better fit, which changes the handing of your door.
How Do You Hand a Door?
Start by standing on the key side/main traffic side of the door. Look at the side where the hinges are located, this determines if the door is a left hand door or a right hand door. The next factor to consider is the swing of the door. An “inswing” door swings inward toward the interior of the room or building, and an “outswing” door swings outward, away from the interior of the room or building.
After you have determined these factors, you can identify the handing of the door. Check out this video on how to hand a door and see the process in action:
Door Handing in Action
As we have learned, proper door handing is crucial for the functionality, safety, accessibility and aesthetics of a building. Knowing the necessary handing of your doors before specifying, ordering, and installing commercial doors in your facility help ensure an uninterrupted construction workflow and a functional space.
Want to keep the knowledge of door handing in your back pocket? Download The Cook & Boardman Group’s How to Hand a Door Pocket Card for easy reference during any project, whether you are in the design phase of a new construction project or working on a retrofit.