Door closers are an essential part of most buildings. These small pieces of hardware ensure that doors are swiftly shut close after being opened, an important security and safety measure that can help prevent the spread of smoke and fire when installed on fire doors. A door closer is also vital for access control and can be used to provide extra privacy, help with noise pollution and maintain room temperature.
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There are various types of door closers, each better suited for specific applications, door weight and door width. From concealed door closers which are ideal for a discreet look to electromagnetic door closers that can be connected to the fire and security system of a building.
Overhead door closers.
Overhead closers are the most popular type of door closers that you will see across commercial, industrial and even residential properties. Also called surface mounted door closers, these door closers, as the name says, are mounted on the surface of the door or door frame.
Overhead door closers come in various sizes, designs and finishes to better suit a variety of settings. These door closers can be categorised by strength or by mounting option.
By strength.
Heavy duty closers are designed for large doors of up to 1,400mm in width and 120kg in weight. Some of our best-selling heavy duty door closers include Rutland Black Overhead Door Closer, Rutland Antique Brass Overhead Door Closer and Rutland Silver Overhead Door Closer. These best-selling door closers are size 5 closers ideal for doors up to 110kg and 1250mm in width.
Medium duty closers are ideal for doors weighing up to 80kg and that have up to 1100mm in width. Some of our best-sellers include Rutland Silver Contract Overhead Door Closer, Rutland Electro Brass Contract Overhead Door Closer and Rutland Polished Nickel Contract Overhead Door Closer.
Light duty closers can be used for lighter and smaller doors with a width of up to 950mm and weighing up to 60kg. Both Rutland Polished Nickel Contract Overhead Door Closer and Black Size 3 Overhead Door Closer are suitable for light-duty doors.
By mounting option.
- Regular arm closers.
Regular arm door closers feature a pull-side application and two arms – one attached to the door frame and the other attached to the spring-loaded box. When closed, the arms project out from the door. Some examples of this type of door closer mount, include Rutland Satin Nickel Designer Overhead Door Closer and Rutland Satin Stainless Steel Designer Overhead Door Closer.
- Slide arm door closers.
Also known as parallel arm closers, slide arm door closers feature two arms that sit on top of the door when closed. These are visually more discreet than regular arm closers. The Rutland Silver Designer Slide Arm Overhead Door Closer is a great example of this type of door closer.
- Top jamb closers.
Top jamb mounted door closers feature the spring-loaded box mounted on the door frame and the arm on the door itself. Similar to regular arm closers, top jamb closers also have arms that project out perpendicularly from the door.
Electromagnetic door closers.
Electromagnetic closers are connected to the fire alarm of a building. This means that, if the fire alarm is activated, the door will shut close immediately. Arrow 613EM Silver Electro Magnetic Hold Open Door and Arrow 623EM Satin Stainless Electro Magnetic Door Closer are great electromagnetic door closer options.
Concealed door closers.
Concealed closers are not visible when doors are closed, making concealed closers more aesthetically pleasing and less vulnerable to vandalism than other closers. Concealed door closers are available with a spring-loaded mechanism or hydraulic mechanism.
Even though concealed closers are discreet, these come in various finishes, such as polished brass and satin chrome. The Polished Brass Genuine R85 Perkomatic Concealed Hydraulic Door Closer is suitable for internal doors weighing up to 75kg.
Floor springs.
Floor spring door closers are most often used on glass doors as these remain fully concealed on the floor. Floor springs are ideal for residential and commercial properties that require a door closer to be completely concealed. We stock a wide selection of floor springs for sale, including Satin Stainless Single Action Non Hold Open Right Handed Floor Spring and Dorma Double Action Satin Stainless Steel Floor Spring Size 5.
Related: How to choose door closers
To further increase security and safety, other door control hardware can be installed. This includes fire door retainers which hold fire doors open and automatically close them in the event of a fire. In case you want to control the closing sequence of a pair of doors, door coordinators are another great addition.
