When you ring us about a faulty door, describing the right part helps us bring the right spare. This page explains the terms that come up most often.
Doorset. The complete assembly of leaf, frame, seals, hinges, closer and hardware. Fire performance depends on the whole doorset, not the leaf on its own.
Leaf. The moving panel of the door itself.
Frame. The fixed surround the leaf closes into. Frames take the load every time a door shuts, and take the damage in a forced entry.
Threshold. The strip across the bottom of the opening. A door that catches here has usually dropped.
Door closer. The device that pulls a door shut on its own. Overhead closers sit visibly on the leaf or frame.
Transom closer. A closer concealed inside the head of an aluminium frame rather than mounted on the face of the door.
Floor spring. A closing mechanism set into the floor beneath the door. Common on glass and aluminium entrances, and a frequent cause of a dropped leaf.
Backcheck. The cushioning near the end of the opening arc that stops a door swinging hard into an adjacent wall.
Latching action. The final push that pulls the door fully into the frame so it engages. A door resting against its frame without latching has usually lost this.
Delayed action. An option that holds the door open briefly before closing, giving extra time for a wheelchair, trolley or bulky load.
Top centre. The pivot at the head of the door. A loose top centre lets the leaf move out of alignment.
Bottom pivot assembly. The pivot the door turns on at floor level. Worn bottom pivots are the most common cause of a dropped aluminium door.
Drive arm assembly. The linkage that transfers movement from an automatic swing operator to the leaf.
Euro profile cylinder. The standard replaceable lock barrel used across most commercial aluminium and composite doors in the UK.
Hook lock. A lock with a hooked bolt that pulls into the keep. Common on sliding and aluminium doors.
Mortice lock. A lock housed in a pocket cut into the edge of the leaf.
Flush bolt. A bolt set into the edge of one leaf of a pair, holding the passive leaf shut.
Electric strike lock. A keep that releases electrically, used with access control or a door entry system.
Intumescent seal. A strip fitted into the leaf or frame. Under heat it expands, sealing the gap so smoke and flame are held back.
Smoke seal. A brush or fin seal that restricts cold smoke passing around the door.
Fire rating. The period a doorset is designed to resist fire, commonly thirty or sixty minutes.
Panic hardware. Push bars and pads that release an escape door under pressure from inside.
BS EN 16005. The British Standard for power-operated pedestrian doorsets. The current edition is BS EN 16005:2023, as amended in 2024. It covers safety requirements for automatic doors used by the public, and recommends regular servicing by a competent engineer.
BS 7036-0:2014. The British Standard code of practice for risk assessment and risk reduction on powered pedestrian doorsets. It is read alongside BS EN 16005 rather than replacing it. The older 1996 parts are withdrawn.
ADIA. The Automatic Door Installation Association. Its BS EN 16005 course is accredited by City and Guilds.
ADSA. The Automatic Door Suppliers Association, formed in 1985. ADSA wrote the original industry code of practice that became BS 7036.
Not sure which part has failed? Call us on 0113 258 8666 and describe what the door is doing. That is usually enough for us to bring the right spare.
