Page 2 - Parts and Hardware

When selecting the right commercial doors for your building, the choice of door closer is just as important as the door itself. Door closers help regulate traffic flow, improve security, and reduce wear and tear. Two of the most common options are hold-open and non-hold-open door closers. Understanding the differences between them will help you decide which is the best fit for your space.

A hold-open door closer is designed to keep the door open once it has passed the 90–110-degree angle. The hold-open function can easily be overridden by pushing the door toward the closed position, at which point the closer automatically shuts the door.

Benefits of Hold-Open Closers:

• Ideal for high-traffic areas where doors frequently stay open

• Great for retail spaces, lobbies, and showrooms that should feel open and inviting

• Useful when moving large equipment, inventory, or furniture through the doorway

• Reduces wear from repeated opening and closing

If your business prioritizes

Commercial doors endure a significant amount of wear and tear in high-traffic areas. Protection plates can protect your entry points. CDF Distributors offers a comprehensive range of protection plates to safeguard your commercial doors.

There are four main types of protection plates, each are used for different purposes. Before deciding on which protection plate to use for your commercial doors, you’ll need to understand the purpose of each type of protection plate.

Kick plates are a standard commercial door protector that protects doors from scuffs and scratches caused by foot traffic. They are installed on the push side at the bottom of the door.  Our kick plates can vary in height from 8” to 16”. Kick plates are perfect for doors experiencing heavy foot traffic (restrooms, main entrances, etc.)

Kick plates, as the name suggests, are placed at the bottom of the door where damage is most likely to occur. They help keep doors pristine, even in busy areas where people

Imagine a fire alarm in a packed building.  People rush to the exits, but they open slowly.  It's terrifying. Yes, it is precisely why nightmare scenarios exist, why push bars exist, and why understanding these devices could be helpful. You can refer to them as exit devices, push bars, or touch bars. Most people are unaware that not all panic hardware operates the same way. If you pick the wrong type, it might cause dangerous bottlenecks when every second counts.

Exit devices are a building code requirement for certain types of structures and occupancies. They ensure that building residents can evacuate securely in an emergency.  Their longevity and convenience of use make them popular in commercial structures even when not required by code. The principles of escape mechanisms are crucial for contractors, site managers, and business owners responsible for building safety to save lives and comply with fire rules.

Panic hardware

Unlike other doors, commercial doors open and close smoothly daily, without squeaking, drooping, or binding. A common denominator is continuous hinges, which are the workhorses of door frames and extend the whole length of the door.

Piano hinges hold the door at three little points instead of two, distributing weight equally across its height.  It's like having a hefty box with two fingers vs. your whole hand.  Which will last longer? Hundreds of times a day, busy business establishments open their doors, and this engineering advantage guarantees years of reliable operation and much cheaper maintenance expenses.

Continuous hinges are also called "piano hinges" because they initially supported piano lids.  Continuous hinges are heavy-duty commercial door hinges that benefit from ongoing maintenance and assistance. According to the Door and Hardware Institute, this design can minimise stress on each mounting point by as much as 75%. 

In conventional

When it comes to protecting your business, even the smallest gaps around your commercial doors can create big problems. That’s where door sweeps and weather stripping come in. These simple yet effective strips, made from rubber, foam, vinyl, felt, or metal, seal the space between your door and its frame or threshold.

By filling those gaps, weather stripping helps regulate your building’s environment, reduces energy costs, and improves comfort for employees and visitors. Below are six of the biggest benefits of installing weather stripping and door sweeps on your business doors.

Small cracks around a door can serve as an entry point for insects, spiders, and other unwanted pests. These invaders not only cause discomfort but also detract from the professional appearance of your space.

Adding weather stripping along the sides of your doors and a door sweep at the bottom effectively blocks these gaps and keeps your facility pest-free.

Every day, individuals walk into busy office buildings and doors close neatly behind them.  That's not a mistake; it's commercial door closers doing what they do best.  For contractors, business owners, and facility managers, though, ease of use isn't the only consideration when choosing a door closer.   Prioritizing safety, conserving energy, and avoiding future hassles are of utmost importance.

 Using the wrong door closer can lead to frequent repairs, which can be frustrating for your tenants and potentially put you at risk of legal trouble. The right one?  Years of dependable service that you won't even think about.

Commercial door closers are more than just fancy springs.  They are putting in extra hours to:

•  Ensure your doors close securely to maintain the safety of your building.

•  Keep the proper seals in place to save energy.

•  To follow fire safety rules (no debate on it)

•  Handle thousands of open and closed cycles every

If you deal with a squeaky door in your office, you already know how quickly it turns from a small annoyance into a full-blown problem. It distracts employees, makes meetings awkward, and doesn’t give clients the professional impression you want. The good news? Most door maintenance fixes are simple. You can lubricate hinges, tighten screws, check door alignment, and, if needed, replace hinges to get rid of the noise for good

In busy buildings, squeaks don't just happen randomly. They often come from humidity swings, dry pins, or worn hinges that have seen too much traffic. Sometimes it's poor alignment after years of use. Other times, it's simply that nobody thought to tighten screws until the leaf started to shift.

While door squeaks aren't the loudest workplace sounds, reducing repetitive noise sources helps lower daily distractions and keeps focus where it belongs. According to OSHA, the permissible exposure limit for workplace noise is 90 decibels

When selecting commercial doors, the type of glass you choose plays an important role in both performance and appearance. Glass options vary in safety, security, energy efficiency, and style, making it essential to choose the right one for your building.

At CDF Distributors, we provide high-quality commercial glass doors and hardware designed to enhance security, aesthetics, and efficiency for any commercial space. Below, we review the most popular glass types used in commercial doors and their benefits.

Tempered glass is one of the most common choices for commercial entry doors because of its durability and safety. It is heat-treated to be several times stronger than standard glass, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.

Key Advantages

• Strength: Withstands impacts and thermal stress

• Safety: Breaks into small, blunt pieces instead of sharp shards

• Versatility: Available in many thicknesses, tints, and patterns

Best Applications: Storefronts, office

Are you relying on your door closers every day without thinking about them? They quietly control the swing and security of your entrances, but they won’t last forever. Without consistent maintenance, even the best hardware will fail early. Grade 1 closers are tested to handle up to one million open-and-close cycles, according to the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association, but only if you keep up with care. A failed closer can mean unsafe doors, code violations, or costly downtime.

Commercial Door Closers are built to last, but they still require routine maintenance. Here’s what you should be doing to keep your hardware reliable.

The first step in maintenance is the easiest: clean the surface and moving parts. Dust and grit collect in tracks, arms, and pivots. If you don’t clear it out, the buildup will throw off the alignment and shorten the unit's life.

Use a dry cloth or brush to remove debris. Avoid heavy cleaners; mild soap and water are fine. A clean, closer

When buying door hardware, it’s tempting to grab the cheaper option that looks similar. At first glance, residential hinges and commercial hinges may seem alike, but there are important differences that affect security, compliance, and cost. Choosing the wrong hinge can lead to failed inspections, shortened lifespan, or even safety risks if the opening is fire-rated. According to the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association, Grade 1 commercial hinges are tested to withstand 2.5 million use cycles, while lighter residential hinges often fail long before that benchmark.

One of the clearest differences is durability. Commercial hinges are made from thicker steel and often utilise ball bearings or heavy-duty pins to minimise wear. They’re designed for heavy doors in offices, schools, and public spaces. Residential hinges, on the other hand, use lighter metal and are designed for doors that are opened only a few times a day. If you use residential hinges on