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 Milo,
No, the Hollow Metal doors we offer are designed for security and do not swing in both directions. However, you can choose the door's handing direction using the selection option on the product page.
Please let us know if you need more information or have any further questions.
Best regards,
Isaac
Hi Guadalupe,
For our 6'8" hollow metal (HM) doors, we use the Mesker Door hinge configuration. The standard hinge and lock strike locations, measured from the top of the door (or the inside head of the frame), are:
Door Hinge Locations (Top of Door to Top of Hinge):
- 1st Hinge (Top - A): 4-7/8"
- 2nd Hinge (Middle - B): 35-1/8"
- 3rd Hinge (Bottom - C): 65-3/8"
If you are looking to purchase the door slab only, your hinge configuration may not match our doors. However, we do offer a continuous hinge option that will work with any door frame.
Thank you,
Isaac
Hi Mykola,
The price of the door is listed on the product page where you submitted your question, right next to the "Add to Cart" button. The price will automatically adjust as you select different options, such as metal frames or additional hinges.
If you are unsure or need further assistance, please feel free to call us or reach out directly through our contact page at https://elementcommercialdoors.com/contact-us/.
Best regards,
Isaac
Hi Dan,
Thank you for your question. The width of the door frame is 2 1/8″.
If you are looking for the rough opening for a 4’0” x 7’0” door, it will be 52 1/4″ wide and 86 1/8″ high.
Best regards,
Isaac
Hi Stan,
For our door hinge configuration, we use the "Mesker" standard. For a door height of 6'8", the measurements are as follows:
- Top hinge: 4 7/8"
- Middle hinge: 37 1/8"
- Bottom hinge: 69 3/8"
Best regards,
Isaac