Glass Doors and Access Control Tutorial

By Brian Rhodes, Published Nov 21, 2019, 10:58am EST

One of the biggest access challenges are locking and securing glass doors.

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Unlike wood or steel doors that can be modified to work with electrified locking hardware, glass doors present great challenges.

In this tutorial, we examine:

  • Why Glass Doors Are Tough For Access
  • Planning Ahead Is Best, If Possible
  • The Two Common Types Of Glass Doors
  • Glass Door Access Control Options For Readers, Strikes, Maglocks, and Standalone Locks
  • Why Using Glues and Adhesives Can Be Trouble

Glass Doors: Difficult To Modify For Access

Retrofitting electrified locks to 'regular' doors requires drilling or cutting doors, frames, and sometimes both.

For maglocks, the two major pieces of a maglock must be mounted to both door frame and door in order to secure the opening. In most cases, mounting instructions call for drilling a few holes, slipping in a few sex bolts, and nothing more difficult.

However, doors made of glass are a completely different situation. Glass, even thick tempered glass, cannot be drilled or cut once manufactured. Despite being very durable to blunt forces, a sharp hard drill bit, or even a slight warping of the pane can cause a dramatic, expensive shatter.

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The solution is not any easier using strikes, because in many cases glass doors are 'architecturally significant' features that are not cluttered up with standard locking hardware. In many situations, standard hardware like hinges, exit devices, and lever sets are replaced with low-profile, custom pieces designed to maximize beauty. The latch bolt a strike depends on to keep a door locked might not even be included!

So, how do you control a door that cannot be modified, may not have rails/frames for mounting locks, and likely uses non-standard hardware anyway?

Best ******: **** ***** ** *** *******

*** ***** ********* *** 'best *******' *********** ********* for ********* ***** ***** require *** **** ** be *********** **** *******, holes, ** ********** ** mind. **** ****-****** '**********' glass ****** *** **** factory ******* *** ****** hardware ** ******** **** against ******* ******.

***** ***** ******* ** not ******** *** **** and ********** *** **** design ** *** **** with ******* ******** ** mind, ******** *** ********** access ******** **** **** manufacturers ** *** ********* option.

*******, ********** ****** ******* specifications *** *********** *** not ***** ******** ***** enough ** *** ****** process ** ****** **** design.

** * ******, *** 'problem' ** ************ ******** is * ****** *****. In *** ******** **** follow, ** ******* *** do ********* ***** ******** option ** ****.

Two ***** ** ***** ********

****** ********* ********* *** two ********* ***** ** glass ********. *** ****** control ******* *** **** widely ***** ** ***** type ** ****:

Thin ******

** **** ****** *********** and ********** *********, '***** doors' *** ** ***** partially ****** *** ******* by ***** ********.

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***** ******** *** ***** use ******* ****** ******** like *******, ********, ** latch ********** ** **** as '*** *******' ** 'glass **** ***' ******** are ****.

Frameless *****

*** ***** ****, **** difficult ** **** ****, are '*********' ** '****-*******' glass ********, **** ********** called '*********' *** ** a ****** *****.

***** ***** **** ** framing *****, *** ***** no ***** ** *********** hardware *******************:

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**** ***** ** ***** used ** *************** *********** or ********** ******** *** can ***** **** ********* to **** ***** **** can ** ********* ******* factory *************.

********, **** ** ******* prepared ** ***** *****, networking ** ******* *** components ******** *** ** equally *********, ***** ***** is ** ******* ** channels ** '****' ********** inside.

Retrofit **** *******

******* ********* ** ****** control ******* *** *********, or *** ** ******, to ***** ** ***** doors.

*** ***** ****** ***** we ******* ******* *** thin ** ********* ***** doors:

  • *******
  • *******
  • ********
  • ********** *****

*******

** **** *****, * thin ******* ** ****-******* reader *** ** **** to ******* * ***** door.

*******, **** ** ***** exists, ** ** * frameless ******* ** ****, readers *** ** * problem *** **** *** to ******** **** *** also ******* ** **** wiring **** ******* *****/**** back ** * **** controller.

*** ***** ************, * wireless (*******-*******) ****** ** an ******. ******** **** adhesive **** *** ***** batteries ** **** *** unit ** ***** ******* any ******:

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*** ********** *-***, ******** in******** ****** ******* **** Reader, ** *** ******. However, ******* ***********, ******* credential ****** *******, *** adhesive ******** *******/***** **** time *** ** * big *********** *******.

*******, ** ***** ** true ******** *******, ****** options *** ********, *** the ********** **** **** a *******-***** ********* ****** that ** ********** **** many ****** ******* ** the ******.

*******

** *********** *****, ******** strikes *** *** ********* adaptable ** **** **** glass ********* *****. ** design, *** ****** ****** is ** ******** **** of * ***** *** so *** **** ** present *** ** ************** releasing ******* ** ** fitted.

*** **** ******, **** strikes *** **** ** control ***** *****, **** are ****** ******* *** specification **** * **** adjacent **** ***** *** door **** ***** ** not ** ***.

********

************ ******** ** ********* glass ***** *** ** an ******, *** **** when *** **** **** a *** ****. ******* manufacturers [**** ** ****** available] ***** * '******' or****** *********** ****** **** **** the *** **** ** the **** *** ** armature ** *****:

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*** ******* ** **** approach ** **** ** drilling ** ***** ****** to *** **** ** required, *** *** ****** assembly ** ****** ****** and ****** **** *** door ** **** *** maglock ** *********. ** most *****, *** ******* is **** ** ***** with * *********** **** adjusted ** *** ****** and ** *** **** to ** ***** ** pried *****.

Door ****** ********

*******, ***** *** ****/******** installation *** ** ****** on **** ***** *****, the ******** ***** ******** the **** ** ** mounted ** ** ******* featuring * *** ***** to ****** *** ******:

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***** **** *********** *** be ********* ** **** glass ********, ** ********* is *** ** **** volume ******** ** **** with * *********** ************* appearance *****, ***** ** main ******** ******* ** lobbies.

Dangerous ******** *** ********

**** ******** *** *** double *********** ******** *** doors ******* *******. *******, these ******** *** ********* not ******** *** *** because ** *** ******* they *******:

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** *** *** ******* is ******* ***** ***** units ***** ******* **** or ****** ******** ********* if **** **** **** place. ******** **** *** installed ******** *** ***** the ******* ** **** a **** ******, ** otherwise ******* ****** *** AHJs ****** ** ********* before ***.

Unnetworked, ********** *****

******* ********* **** ********* * ******** ******, card ******, *** ********** deadbolt **** ****** ** a **** ******* ********.

*******, *** **** **** and ********-****** ******** **** that ******* **** *** lock *** ****** ***** to *** ***** ****.

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*** *******-******* ********** **** uses ****** **** ** MIFARE *********** *****, *** is *** *********** ** existing ****** ******* *** is ******** ******* *** standalone.

******* ******* ** *** RT1050D ** **** ** can ** ******* ** either ****** ** ****** frameless ***** ******** **** a ******* ********* ** 1/2" ** **.* **.

*** ***** **** ********** lock ** ********* **** online ******* *** ~$***, but ** ******* ********** when ********* **** ******* or ** ******.

Warning: **** *** ******** *** ** *******

******* ***** *******, ** is ******** ** ***** 'traditional' ******** ** ***** doors ***** ****-******** ********* and ******* ******** ******. While ***** ******** **** factor ******** *** ***** may **** *** **** of **** ******, ***** mounting ********* ***** **** risks:

  • **** *****: ****** ******** * maglock ** ** * door *** **** ****, but ********** ** ******** with **** ***** '****-***'. Maglock ********* **** ** be ********* ** **** can **** *** ***** when *******, *** ****** metal ** ****, ***** doors **** ** *********** at ***. ****** *** installer *********** ***** *** armature ***** ** ****, the ******* *** ***** the ****.
  • ******* *********: *** **** ** glues ** ********* **** can **** **** ** glass, ******* *** ****** of *** ********, *** withstand ******* ****** ***** to *** ****** ** the ******* *** **** exotic *** *********. ********** may ** **** ** initially ***** ******** *********** **********-**** ***** ********, *** **** **** will **** **** **** because ** ** *** rated *** ******* ***. Hardware ******** ****, **************'* ***** **** ******** Kit(~$*********) **** ** **** instead.
  • ****** ****:**** * **** *****, it ******* ** ** immediate ******** **** *** is **** ********* ** repair **** **** *** hardware. *** ********* **** cannot ****** ** ******* or ****** ***. **** a ***** **** *****, it ***** ******* ** replacement ** *** **** and ******* ********.
  • *********: ******* ** *** glass ****** *** ********* hammered *****, *** ******* bond ** ***** ******** can ********* ** ******** by ******** ** *****. While *** ********* *** generally **** ********* ** jolting ***** **** ***, cold, *********** ******* ******** adhesives, ***** ******** ** vulnerable ** ********* *** comparable ** ********** ******** devices.IPVM Image

Comments (5)

Avatar

Lynn Harold

11/21/19 04:21pm

***** ******* - ******. I *** *** ***** of *** ******* ****, but ******* *** **** is * ****** ****** since ** *** ******** Aperio **********? ****** **** first-hand ********** **** ****** of *****?

**** | ******* ***** Door **** | ***** Rite

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
Funny

Shannon Davis

11/22/19 01:37pm

* ****** **** * see * ***** ***** set ** *****. ********** double ***** **** **** need ** ** ********. If **** *** ***** door *** ****** * pinned **** ****** **** stationary ***** **** ***** then *** ***** **** new ******** **** ***** great. ** **** ********* a ****** ** ***** and **** ***** *** that *********.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 3
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Richard Lavin

Idibri Consulting
IPVMU Certified | 11/22/19 05:16pm

*** ** ******** ***** glass ********** ****, * always *** ** *** the **** ** ** specified **** * ********* vertical *** **** ****** with ******** ***** ********** and ********** *******-**-**** ******.

** ********* ****** ** providing ****** ******* ** a ********* ***** **** is ** *** * panic ******, **** ******* ***** *******,*** ********* ***************** ******, ***** **** ** electric ****** ** *** header ** *** *** of *** ****. **** does ******* * ****** mullion *** ******** ******* in *****, ****** *** door **** *******, ** make **** ** **** specified **** *** ******* hardware. **'* *** ****** on ****** *** ************ an ******** ***** ****.

*** ***** **** ******* and **** **** **** like **** ******* *** certain **********.

* ***** ******* *** locks ****** ***** *** absolutely ** ***** *******.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 4
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Integrator #1

12/05/19 03:15pm

*'* **** ** ******* all **** **** ** the ********* **** *** vision ** ***** **** Glass *****.

*** **** ****** *** how ** ****** ***** ridiculous ****** **********-

*** ****** *** **** the **** **** ***** sliding **** ****** *** shared **** ****** ***? Here ** *** ******* architectural ****** ****-

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 12/05/19 04:29pm

* **** ***** **** doors. **** ** *** solution:*** ***** *** **** It? ****** **** *******

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
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