Frequently Asked Questions: Commercial Hollow Metal Doors
Despite the name, a hollow metal door isn't completely empty inside.
It consists of a heavy-duty steel frame wrapped with outer steel face sheets (18-gauge steel).
The interior core is filled with insulating core material (polystyrene foam) —to provide stiffness, temperature regulation, and sound reduction.
Yes! Hollow metal doors are the industry gold standard for fire protection.
We offer fire ratings from 20 minutes up to 3 hours.
Fire-rated doors help contain fire and smoke to protect occupants and keep building codes fully compliant.
When combined with our reinforced 16 gauge steel frames and heavy-duty commercial locking hardware (such as type 1 mortise locks or type 1 panic bars), hollow metal doors provide exceptional security.
They resist kick-ins, crowbars, and blunt impacts far better than wood, glass, or aluminum doors. Special forced-entry, bullet-resistant, and blast-resistant options are also available for maximum security facilities.
Yes, We custom-prep hollow metal doors with vision lites (glass kits) for visibility and light transfer, or louvers for ventilation in mechanical rooms and restrooms.
Standard commercial hollow metal doors come factory-treated with a rust-inhibiting primer ready for custom field painting.
Hollow metal doors accommodate virtually any commercial door hardware, including:
Surface and rim panic bar exit devices
Heavy-duty cylindrical and mortise locks
Automatic door closers and push plates
Keypad, card-swipe, and magnetic access control systems
We recommend using Grade 1 hardware for best results in the long run and for code compliance
- Durability: Tested to withstand at least 800,000 to 1,000,000 operational cycles, which translates to years of reliable, heavy daily use in busy environments like schools, hospitals, and offices.
- Security & Abuse Resistance: Built to handle high physical abuse and forced-entry attempts (e.g., capable of withstanding heavy strikes and kick tests).
- Code Compliance: Meets non-negotiable building, fire, and accessibility codes, including ADA mandates.
- Grade 1 (Heavy Commercial): Tested to withstand at least 800,000 to 1,000,000 operational cycles, Maximum security, longest lifespan. Ideal for exterior doors and high-traffic public spaces.
- Grade 2 (Standard Commercial): Mid-range durability tested to 400,000 cycles. Best used for interior office doors or standard retail environments.
- Grade 3 (Light Commercial/Residential): Basic security tested to 200,000 cycles. Best reserved for low-traffic closets or private residential bedrooms.
For standard commercial openings, our professional technicians can typically replace or install a complete hollow metal door, frame, and hardware in under a day with minimal disruption to your operations.
Knocked-Down (KD) Frame: Shipped in three pieces and assembled on-site around finished drywall and masonry. Fast, economical, and ideal for any retrofits.
Welded Frame: The frame corners are fully welded, ground smooth, and set during masonry or rough construction.
Questions asked by customers
Q & A
Hi Raymond,
Thank you for your question.
For fire-rated options, we offer the 90-Minute Fire-Rated HM Double Uneven Hollow Metal Doors – 5’0” x 6’8” on our website. You can view them here: https://elementcommercialdoors.com/product/90-minute-fire-rated-hm-double-uneven-hollow-metal-doors-50-x-68/
If you need both doors in a 2'6" width, please let us know and we will be happy to send you a custom quote.
Best regards,
Isaac
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for your question. Yes, a KD butt-up frame can be used on a 2x6 wood stud frame.
To do this, we add a prep-and-drill (P&D) to the metal frame along with special wood stud anchors to bolt it to the wall.
Please keep the following in mind when ordering:
- Rough Opening: For a butt-up frame, calculate the rough opening by adding 4 1/4" to the total door width and 2 1/8" to the door height.
- Jamb Size: Any jamb size will work as long as it is equal to or smaller than the overall thickness of the wall.
I hope this helps! If you need more information or have any further questions, please feel free to reply here or contact us directly through our contact page.
Best regards,
Isaac
Thank you for the question Seth,
To give you the most accurate rough opening for a 6'0″ x 7'0″ (72″ x 84″) double door, we first need to know which type of frame you are using, as the measurements change depending on the installation method.
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Option 1: Wrap Around Type (Most Common)
Choose this if you are installing the frame over existing sheetrock.
Rough Opening Width: 74″
Rough Opening Height: 85 1/8″
Quick Tip: We calculate this by adding 2″ to the total door width (72″) and 1 1/8″ to the door height (84″).
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Option 2: Butt Up Type
Choose this for new masonry construction where the frame is installed between blocks.
Rough Opening Width: 76 1/4″
Rough Opening Height: 86 1/8″
Quick Tip: We calculate this by adding 4 1/4″ to the total door width (72″) and 2 1/8″ to the door height (84″).
Hope this helps!
Hi Steve the thickness of the door is 1-3/4 inch
Hi Jayson the door is not HVHZ rated