For commercial entrance doors, aluminum and glass are the materials of choice. The glass provides transparency, natural light and creates a visually pleasant and welcoming entry. While the finished metal also enhances the appearance, it delivers the functionality to the doors. The aluminum and associated components hold the glass in place and give the rigid support needed for the doors to open, close and perform as required.
Tubelite Standard and Monumental Entrances are engineered with dependable, durable tie-rod frame construction to withstand everyday use, to support easy installation and future servicing, and are backed with a lifetime warranty.
Stiles and Rails
The most visible metal components on aluminum entrance doors are the stiles and rails. Stiles are the vertical members of the door, and rails are the horizontal members. Tubelite door products have been engineered for compatibility with corresponding framing systems and to align with industry-accepted stile widths and rail heights.
The glass thickness influences the door framing; thicker glass requires thicker alternate gasket configurations. Tubelite Standard Entrance Series have 1.75-inch-thick extruded aluminum stiles. For even more robust needs, Tubelite Monumental Entrance Series have 2-inch-thick stiles and 0.1875-inch-thick extrusion walls. These feature an attractive beveled edge design adjacent to the glass.
Tubelite Standard and Monumental Entrances are available in narrow, medium, wide and custom stiles. Top rails usually are the same width as the stiles. To protect the glass panel of the entrance door, the bottom rail generally is higher than the top rail.
- Standard Narrow Entrances have 2-1/8-inch-wide stiles and top rails with 4-inch-wide bottom rails, and are preferred for light to moderate use, such as in offices.
- Monumental Narrow Entrances have 3-inch-wide stiles and 3-inch-wide top rails with 6-inch-wide bottom rails, and are ideal for heavy use, such as in hospitals and health care facilities.
- Monumental and Standard Medium Entrances have 3.5-inch-wide stiles and top rails with 6-inch wide bottom rails (Standard), 6.5-inch wide bottom rails (monumental), and are intended for moderate to heavy use, such as in retail stores, hotels and sports arenas.
- Standard Wide Entrances have 5-inch-wide stiles and top rails with 6.5-inch-wide bottom rails, and are best for heavy use, such as banks, libraries and apartments.
- Monumental Wide Entrances have 5-inch-wide stiles and top rails with 6-inch-wide bottom rails, and are specified for exceptionally heavy use, such as schools and courthouses.
The Brumby School
Photographer: JakSnap Photography
Bottom rails can be requested in up to 10 inch widths, which may be important for enhance accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our Standard Narrow Stile Entrances also are available with “stacked” bottom rails exceeding 10 inches. Mid-rails also can be added for interior exit devices or as decorative designs and historical styles.
Tubelite ForceFront Blast and Storm Series products are offered with the same stile and rail widths as our Standard and Monumental Entrances, with protective performance benefits. Custom orders also can be placed for entrances that require 4-inch-wide stiles or other specialty sizes.
Glass stops and jacks
On aluminum entrance doors, small components called “glass stops” hold the glass in place. Tubelite’s new “blade” style glass stops are identical on both sides of doors, making glazing much quicker. Our glass stops snap-fit with any dovetail extrusion in our entrance doors and storefront framing.
Optional screw-applied glass stops can be used on any smooth face extrusion. The glass stops are finished with the same anodized or painted colors as the specified on the entrance and storefronts, and can accommodate a wide selection of glass thicknesses.
Our new “glass jack” also makes glass installation more efficient compared to traditional wedge blocks and jacks. This door leveling adjustment screw is located in the top rail. The use of a “thumb” screw, or “jack,” allows greater dimensional flexibility and range when squaring a door panel to the frame.