Door Hinges Guide
Some of the trickiest access control problems are caused by bad door hinges.
From doors not closing right, to locks not locking, worn or warped hinges are some of the most common root causes but typically ignored. Along with proper Door and Frame Alignment, hinges often ensure that access locks properly function to keep doors locked and safely unlock when needed.
In this guide, we examine:
- The 5 Access Problems Caused By Bad Hinges
- Common Commercial Hinge Types
- Butt Hinges Often Have A Big Security Weakness
- How To Mitigate Removing Hinge Pin Vulnerabilities
- Geared Hinges Are Strongest but Most Costly
- Why Power Pass-Thru Hinges Are Popular For Access
5 Access Problems Caused By Bad Hinges
Door hinges are devices that control how a door swings and moves and especially how closing happens. Hinges bear the weight of the door in the frame, and while routine maintenance is often applied to locks and keys, hinge maintenance is frequently ignored.
Over the span of multiple years, door hinges often wear, break down, and even bend out of shape causing a number of issues that make electronic access control tough. The image below shows five common ones:
- **** ***** *********: **** **** ******* *** *** perpendicular ** *** ******, **** ***** cannot ****** ***** *** *** **** get ***** ** ** ******* ** typical ***.
- ******* *******: **** * ***** ******* ******* the ****** ** **** ** ** electric ******, ** ***** ****** ******* freely ** * ********* ****** '**********', potentially **** ******** * ****/****** *******.
- **** ******* *****: **** ** ******* ** ****, maglock ******** *** ** ************* ******** through ************ ** *** ******** ** the **** *** ****** ** *** frame.
- ****** *****: *********, ** *** **** ** the **** '******' ** *** ***** during ******* *** *******, *** ****** is *** '*******' ** ******** *** interfering **** ** *** ****. ** is ***** ** ********* ** ******** the ***** ******** ** *** ********.
- ****** ********: ** ****, *** *** *** hinges *** ****, **** ******* ********** *** ***** **** **** **** of *** **** ****** *** ** sync **** *** **** ** **, potentially ******* ********* ** ****** ****** with ********* *****.
**** ****** *** ********* *** ********* properly, *** ****** ***** *** ********* remedied, *.*.:
* **** ***** ** **** ********* is * ******* *** ******* *** edge ** *** **** *** ***** on *** *****. **** ***, ******* between */*" - */*" (*.*** ** - *.**** **) ******* ** *** door ******** *** **** ****/******, *** the *** ****** ******* *** **** near *** ***** ** ** **** near *** *** ****.
**** **** *** ******, ** ***** indicates *** ****** ******* *** ****** at *** **** ***** **** ** be ********, *** *** **** ****** that ******** ******* **** ******** ** even ***** *********** *** ******.
** ******* **** ****** ** ******* *** ***** ********* ******.
Hinge ************** ********* ******* ***
** **** *****, ********** ***** **** have ***** ** **** ****** *** are ************ ********** **** ******* ***** performance ** ****. **** ***** *** three ******, *** ***** ** **** doors ***** *** **** ****.
*** **** ******** ***** ********* ***** type *** *** **** **** ** hinges *** **** **** *** ******** is ********* *****. *******, ** *********** demands ** *** ******** ****** **** time *** ** **** **** ** used ** * ********* ****, **** door ****** *** **** *** ** become *********** ******** ** ***** ********* sets.
*** **** ******, ********** *** ***** servicing ****** ******* ****** **** ** familiar **** ******** *** ********* ****** as **** ** ***** *****. ******* hinge ************** *** ********* ******* *****, replacing **** ** ******* **********. *******, understanding *** ***** ***** *** ******* is ******* **** ******** ************ ** optimizing **** *** ****** ***.
Common ***** *****
** ********** ***, ****** *** ******** to **** **** *** ****** *** swing ****** ** *** ****, ***** hundreds ** ******.
- **** ******: *** **** ****** **** ** hinge ** *** **** ********* *********** of *** ****, **** ***********, *** durable *** *** **** ********.
- **********/******: *******, *** ***** **** **** volume *** ******** ***, ****-****** *** highly ******* ****** ****** *** ****, but ** * **** ****** ******** cost **** ****-***** *****.
- ****-****: **** ****** *** ******** ** the **** *** ** *********** ******* to ****** ******* ***** ** ***** 'lift-off' ****** **** ******** ** ***** by ******* *** **** ******. ******* they ** '****-***', **** *** *** good *** ******** ******** *** ***** must ** ******** ** **** ** security ********* *****.
- ******: *** ***** ** ********** ********, conventional ****** *** ********* ******** ** specialty '******' ******** ************ *** *** openings *** *** *** *************** ** service ** ***********.
Butt ****** **** ******
*** **** ******* **** ** ****** are '**** ******', ******** ** *** into ****** ******* ** ***** *** frames *** **** * ******* ** travel ** *** ******* ** ****. Common ********** ***** *** ***** ****** with ****** **** ******** *** ******** using * ******* ** **** ** five ***** ** ****** *** ******:
*** ********** ***, * ****** *** of **** ****** **** ~$** - $20 *** ***, ** *** ***** to ****** * ****** **** **** multiple **** ********* ****** ~$** - $80 ** ****** *** ****, ******** specialty **** ****** *** *** ** to ******* ******* ******* *** ****.
** **** *****, *** ***** **** is ******* ******, ** ** *** protected **** ** ******** ********* ****. Depending ****** *****, ****** *** ***** ****** *** not ** ******** ** ***** ********** must ** ****, *********:
'******** ****' ****** *** ***** **** where *** ***** ** *** **** or ******** ** *** ***** **** be ******** *** ******** ****, ***** across *** ********* ** *** **** itself. ***, *** ***** ** ******** to **** *** ****** ****** ******* being ************ ** *** *****.
Security ********
******* ********* ******* *** ******, ********** those **** ******* ******, ** *** easily *** ***** **** *** ** removed. ******** *** **** **** ****** for *** ***** ** ** ********* into ******, *********** ******** *** **** to ** ******* *** *** ****** to ** ****** ** ************ ******.
******* ***** ** ****** *** ********** vulnerable ** **** **** ** ******, especially ********** ****** **** ****-***** *** decorative **** ** ***** ****, **** this *******:
***** ****** **** ***** **** ******* locks ** ****** ***** ******* ** take ***** *** **** *** *** allow *** **** ******* ** *** main ***** ***. ** **** ***** the *** *** ** ***** *** by ******* ** **** ** ***** common ********* **** ***** ** ******* to ***** **** ****:
**** ***** ** ********** ****** ******* sealed **** ************ ******** ** ******* the ***** ****** *** *** *** be *******, ** ** *** *** a **** ***** ***** *** ** all. *******, ****** ****** *** ******** the **** **** ********** '******** ****' that **** *** **** ****** ** the ****** ******** **** **** *** hinge **** *** *******:
Geared ****** ****, **** ******
*** ******** **** ********* ***** *** where *** ***** *** ****** ** closed ********** **** ***** *** ****, crashed **** ** *****, ** **** forcefully ******* ** *****, ****** **** or ****** ****** *** **** *** in **** * *** ******.
*** ***** ********, '********** ******' **** called '*****' ** '******' ****** *** a **** ********. **** **** ** hinge ** *** **** ******* *** most ********* ** ******, *** ********* runs *** ****** ****** ** *** door ** ***** ** ** ********.
******* ***** ****** *** *** **** materially ***********, *** ******* **** ******* the **** ***** ** *******, **** are ***** *** **** *********, ******* ~$500 - $*** *** ****. *** image ***** ***** *** **** ********* look **** *********, ******** *** ****** length ** *** ****** ****:
** *******, ****** ****** ********* ****** alignment ****** ** ****** *** ****** hinge **** ** *** **** **** of *** ***** *******, ** ******* or *******-******* ***** ***** **** *** most ********** *** ********** *********.
Special ********
****** *** *** **** **** **********. Some ******, **** '***** **** ****' hinges ******** ***** ***** *** ******** or **** ******* ******* *** ****** pivot ** *** ****, ******* *********** and ********** *** ***-******* ********** **** to ***** ****** *****.
***** ****** ***** **** '******' **** the ********* ** ***** ******* **** the ******** ******:
***** '****-**** ****** *** ***** ****** for ****** ***** ******** ******, **** often *********** *** ***** *** ****** break **** ****/ ****** ** *** and *** ******* *********** ** * more ******** **** **** ***-******* *****.
**, **** * **** ** ***** power ******** ****** **** *** *** at *** ****** ** *** *******. If ***'** ******** ** ***** *** "C" ******, ***** ******** *** "*****-*******" fittings ** *** ***** *****, *** will **** ** **** **** **** for **** ** *** ****** *** cored **** ***** **** **** * bit **** ***** ** **** **** the *****-*** **** ** *** **** on **** *** ***** **** *** the ****** **** ** *** **** (where *** *********** *********** **** ** installed).
*** ******* ******* **** *** ***** types ** ***** **** ******* ******* the **** ******* ******* ** *** door ******* *** ****** *** *** hinge, *** ** *** *** ****** be ***** ****** ** ******** ** accommodate ***** *****-******* ********. ** ** easy ** ******** *** **** *** the ***** *** ***** ** ** larger ** ***** ***** ******** *** fit **** *** **** **** ********* up ** *** **** *** *****
* ***'* **** ** **** **** the ****** **** ** **** **** means *** ****-***** *****, *** *** bottom **** ** **** *** ***'* want ** ** *****-********* * *******-******* fire-rated ****** **** ** ******** *** a ****** ******** **** ** *********** these *****-********.
***'* ****** ***** ******, ***** *** typically **** ** ******** ********** *****. These *** **** ********* ** ****-**** versions ** ***** *********** ** *********** exit ******* *** ***** ***** ****.
**** ***** *******. **'** **** * couple ** ***** * ****** ***** fit-outs *** ** *** ********** *** involved *** ******* ***** ********* ***** and ****** (**** ****** **** ***** hinges) **** **** ***** ** **** the ****** **** ***** ***** ****, we've *** **** ********** **** ****** and *** ** ***** **** *** owners ** ** **** *** *** the *&* ** ******* *** ********** pivots **** *** ****-******* ****** ** we *** *** *** ***** ** the *********** ****** ****'** **** ********* in ***** ** ***** ****** ** cut ** ******** ****** **** ***** steelcase **** ****** (** ***'* **** very **** *** *** ****** **** have ** *** *********** ***** ****).
** **** *****, **** **** "*** late ***** *** ***** *** ******* ordered *** *** ******* **** ***** a *****". ** .... ** **** ended ** **** ******** ******** ***** wiring ***** **** **** ** *** don't ******* ***** ** ** *****/****** to *** ***** ** *** ***** and ******, ********* **** * ***** charcoal ******.
********* ***** *** ********** ****** ******* are * ***** ***********.
**** ** * **** *******, ***** you. ** **** * *** ******* door ********* *** ***** ***** ******* above. ** ***** "****** *******" **** and *** **** **** ** *** specialty **** ****. ** **** ** typical ******** *** ******** *********** ** very ****** **** ******* *** ******* in *** **** ********* ** ******* with ** **** ** *** *********. This ***** ** **** *** ***** alot ** ****** **** *** ***. Our ********* ***** ******** ***** *** costs **** ** ***** ** ******* door ************.
******* ***** ** ******** ** **** flex ** ***** **** ***** ******** doors. **** *** ***** *** *** exposed ** ********, **** *** **** perfectly, *** ***** *** *** ** them *** * *** ***** *** things *** ****** ************ ** * matter ** ** **** ** ***. These ***** ** ****** ***** ******* hinge ****** **** ***** *** ** hinges ** *** ** **** ******** hinge ****** ***** *** **** ****** those ***** ** *** ***.
***** ** *** " **** ***** are ** ***** ****** ** ***" in ** ***** ******* *** **** my **** ******...
** ** ****** ******** ******** ** me ** **** *** *** **** access ******* **** ******** *** ***** by ********** * ***** *****.
********** **** ****** ***-*******, ** ******** with ***** *******, **** *******, *** locking, *** ** ** *** ***** be ****** **** ** ** ***** with *** ******.
*** ** ************** **** ****** :), but ** ****** *********** ********** **** more ***** ** ******** **** ** access **** *******, ** *** ****** save ******** ** ******* ** *************** time!