Information

Floor Spring Units

What is a Floor Spring Unit?

Floor Spring units are hydraulic units fitted to aid door closing on heavier more industrial and commercial use doors. They are used in place of the more standard face fixed door closer and are most suitable for conditions with heavier duty requirements. They are set into the floor underneath the door and are covered by a metal cover plate, made in either satin stainless steel or brass finish. Floor spring units are easy to access for repairs, but also give a very clean and concealed look. They can also be fitted to glass doors with sepcific door parts.

Which Floor Spring Unit should I buy?

Listed below are the main factors that have to be taken into consideration when purchasing a floor spring unit:

Door weight and width
Traffic flow
Door location
Fire doors
Special requirements
Cost
Additional door parts

Door Weight and Width

There are various floor spring units available. All manufacturers will have a maximum door width and weight for each of their products. This is usually determined by the different strengths of the models.

Traffic Flow

A door which gets a lot of use i.e. the main entrance doors to a large corporate building, will have different needs to a fire exit door on a shop.

Door Location

Internal Doors - Some internal doors have specific needs i.e. are required to swing both ways (double action) as in kitchen doors.
External Doors - These may need to be closed for security, with the option of being held open i.e. when deliveries are being bought into the building.
Fire Doors - These doors need to be in a closed position in the event of a fire, therefore specific non-hold open floor spring units only can be fitted.

Fire Doors

Fire doors must not be fitted with a hold open floor spring unit. Some floor spring units can be fitted to fire doors to keep them open and are triggered to close on a fire alarm, this ensures the doors also meet fire regulations. We supply the Dorma BTS 80 EMB for this requirement.

Special Requirements

Some locations have specific needs. You may require a floor spring unit with back check facility to buffer the door hitting the wall behind it. A location may require the door to latch onto a security lock or magnet, therefore a floor spring unit with adjustable latching action would be required to set the door correctly. Some locations require a floor spring unit with delayed action to be fitted i.e. in an operating theatre. If you have a door which is narrower than the manufacturers standard sizes, a lighter strength floor spring unit should be fitted.

Cost

The cost can vary enormously between strength of units and manufacturers. Adjustable floor spring units are a good purchase, as they give you the ability to alter the door strength when required, for example: during wintry weather conditions. As a general rule as long as the above considerations are taken into account you should get a suitable product for your location.

Additional Door Parts

To fit a floor spring unit to a door, you will require additional parts fitted to the door and at the top of the frame. These parts include specific sized spindles, to allow for the height of the door over the floor level. A floor strap or heel shoe fitting needs to be fitted to the bottom of the door and a top centre fitted to the top of the door and frame. Please note there are many different types of these parts dependant on the make of unit, existing door parts and type of door. Glass doors have specific parts which are fitted to the door to allow operation on a floor spring unit.

DDA Regulations

The Disability Discrimination Act regulations came into force in October 2004. You must ensure your doors cover the necessary requirements for your location when you fit any form of door closing equipment to your door.