Door Closer Types & Choosing The Right One

Far from being a mere convenience, door closers play an important role in entry and exit management and in fire prevention and control. From concealed and surface-mounted closers, and from closers for interior doors to floor springs, there are door closer types for every situation. Discover the UK’s best door hardware at BM Steel.

Let’s take a closer look at these important pieces of door hardware before exploring the different types of door closers available.

A door closer is a mechanical device designed to control a door’s closing process. Comprised of a hydraulic mechanism installed on the door leaf or door frame, the device’s spring stores essential energy when the door is opened.

When the door is released, the energy in the spring is released to close the door automatically. This eliminates the need to push or pull the door closed. You can combine all door closer types with an automatic locking system or types of sliding glass door locks for added security and increased entry/exit control.

Most types of door closers are relatively small and easy to install. However, these diminutive mechanical devices pack a punch of advantages and benefits. The advantages of many door closer types include:

• Easy-open technology for controlled, smooth door opening and closing.
• Improved security.
• Enhanced fire prevention and control by providing an additional barrier to impede fires and contain smoke.
• Tamper-resistant designs featuring track-arm assemblies and built-in backcheck features to stop the uncontrolled opening of a door to stop it slamming against furniture or walls.
• Superb energy efficiency by minimising the diffusion of warm and cold air.

Types of door closers

The many different types of door closers can be placed in one of two categories, namely closers with a hold-open function and closers without a hold-open function.

Closers with a hold-open function will hold a door open once it has been opened beyond a certain angle, which is not the best choice if you’re looking to improve security and fire prevention and control. Closers without a hold-open function will automatically close the door, regardless of the angle of the door.

With this in mind, let’s explore different door closer types:

• Overhead door closers: Often found in commercial buildings such as office buildings, schools, and hospitals, these closers offer controlled door opening and prevent doors from slamming shut.
• Heavy duty door closer types: Usually found in industrial buildings. Floor-spring door closers are a popular heavy duty door closer type.
• Concealed door closers: These closers are a good choice if you want to maintain the appearance of a building’s main entrance. Concealed closers are integrated into the door leaf or door frame, making the closer itself almost invisible.
• Slide channel overhead door closers: These closers have an adjustable speed mechanism for greater control when doors close automatically. Slide channel overhead closers work without an external power supply.

BM Steel stocks a range of different closers. Find premium door closers in the UK on our website.

Choosing the right door closer

There are a few important factors to consider when choosing the right door closer type for your project. These factors include:

• Backcheck requirements
• Code requirements
• Door location
• Door size and weight
• Frequency of opening and closing
• Mounting options
• Type of door closer

Whether commercial, industrial, or residential, your building can benefit from strong and reliable door closer types. Let one small device boost your building’s security and fire control measures, as well as provide better entrance and exit control. Look no further than BM Steel for the UK’s best door closers and door hardware.