Manual Doors and the Americans with Disabilities Act - Technical
Representative Door Photo
Doors are covered in Chapter 4 of the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standard 404, Doors, Doorways, and Gates. The types of doors covered in the Standards include:
Manual doors
Swinging doors and gates
Sliding doors, Folding doors, Doorways
Automatic doors
Fire doors
Emergency exits
Security doors
Revolving doors
Material: Glass doors
This article will discuss the technical requirements within the ADA for manual swinging door and gate installations in State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities. The photo above is representative of a manual door.
2010 ADA Standard 404.1, [Doors and Gates] General, states, “Doors, doorways, and gates that are part of an accessible route shall comply with [Standard] 404. EXCEPTION: Doors, doorways, and gates designed to be operated only by security personnel shall not be required to comply with [Standards] 404.2.7, 404.2.8, 404.2.9, 404.3.2 and 404.3.4 through 404.3.7.” In other words, all doors and gates on any accessible route, except those operated by security personnel, must comply with the ADA Standards for doors. Note that revolving doors, revolving gates, and turnstiles are not part of an accessible route. The graphic below is a summary of the main requirements for manual door compliance with the ADA Standards.
Manual Door Criteria for ADA Compliance
Note in the graphic above that double-leaf doors require only one leaf to meet criteria for clear width and maneuvering clearance. The other door requirements apply to both leaves.
Allowable Door Projections 34 Inches to 80 Inches AFF
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.3, [Manual Doors, Doorways, and Manual Gates] Clear Width, states, “Door openings shall provide a clear width of 32 inches (815 mm) minimum. Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees. Openings more than 24 inches (610 mm) deep shall provide a clear opening of 36 inches (915 mm) minimum. There shall be no projections into the required clear opening width lower than 34 inches (865 mm) above the finish floor or ground. Projections into the clear opening width between 34 inches (865 mm) and 80 inches (2030 mm) above the finish floor or ground shall not exceed 4 inches (100 mm). EXCEPTIONS: 1. In alterations, a projection of 5/8 inch (16 mm) maximum into the required clear width shall be permitted for the latch side stop. 2. Door closers and door stops shall be permitted to be 78 inches (1980 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.” The graphic on the left is representative of the areas below 34 inches and from 34 inches up to 80 inches with respect to projections.
Door Width Measurement
The diagram on the right is representative of door width measurement. Note that no projections into the 32 inch clearance are allowed below 34 inches above the finished floor and projections at and above 34 inches above the finished floor are limited to 4 inches. The different doorway widths are shown below.
Doorway Widths
All manual doors have a requirement for maneuvering clearance. Door maneuvering clearance depends on the direction the door is opened (pushed or pulled), the approach to the door, which includes forward, parallel on the latch side, or parallel on the hinge side, and whether or not the door is recessed.
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.4, Maneuvering Clearances, states, “Minimum maneuvering clearances at doors and gates shall comply with [Standard] 404.2.4. Maneuvering clearances shall extend the full width of the doorway and the required latch side or hinge side clearance.” Swinging doors and gates shall have maneuvering clearances complying with Table 404.2.4.1.
There are many different options for Table 404.2.4.1. A common door installation requires a forward approach to a swing (hinged) door that pulls open from one side and pushes open from the other. See the graphic below.
Door Maneuvering Clearances for Forward Approach to Swing Door
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.4.4, [Maneuvering Space] Floor or Ground Surface, states, “Floor or ground surface within required maneuvering clearances shall comply with [Standard] 302. Changes in level are not permitted. EXCEPTIONS: 1. Slopes not steeper than 1:48 shall be permitted.” So the maneuvering space has to be mostly level, similar to a clear space.
Doors with a forward approach that are recessed 8 inches or less do not require any special maneuvering space. Doors with a forward approach recessed more than 8 inches do require additional maneuvering space. The graphic below is for a door recessed more than 8 inches and with a forward approach to pull the door open.
Door Maneuvering Space for Greater Than 8 Inch Recess
Door openings more than 24 inches (610 mm) deep shall provide a clear opening of 36 inches (915 mm) minimum. This rule relates to route width requirements.
Door Threshold
Door thresholds, which are a change in elevation from the level of the floor, can be as high as 1/2 inch above the finished floor for new construction and, in existing doors or altered doors, as high as 3/4 inch above the finished floor. The photo on the right is representative of a door threshold.
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.5, [Manual Doors, Doorways, and Manual Gates] Thresholds, states, “Thresholds, if provided at doorways, shall be ½ inch (13 mm) high maximum. Raised thresholds and changes in level at doorways shall comply with [Standards] 302 and 303. EXCEPTION: Existing or altered thresholds ¾ inch (19 mm) high maximum that have a beveled edge on each side with a slope not steeper than 1:2 shall not be required to comply with [Standard] 404.2.5.” Standard 303 regulates changes in level and requires a beveled surface for changes in level greater than 1/4 inch. See the graphic below for a representation of a door threshold for new construction.
Change in Level Beveled Above 1/4 Inch Vertical to 1/2 Inch Max for New Construction
Door Installation ADA Requirements
Door hardware must satisfy the ADA requirements for location and operable parts. 2010 ADA Standard 404.2.7, Door and Gate Hardware, states, “Handles, pulls, latches, locks, and other operable parts on doors and gates shall comply with [Standard] 309.4. Operable parts of such hardware shall be 34 inches (865 mm) minimum and 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum above the finish floor or ground. Where sliding doors are in the fully open position, operating hardware shall be exposed and usable from both sides.” This Standard, and others, is shown in the graphic on the right. Foot operated door opening hardware can be installed in addition to accessible door hardware but not in lieu of accessible door hardware.
One exception to the 34-38 inch placement of door hardware is access gates in barrier walls and fences protecting pools, spas, and hot tubs. These installations shall be permitted to have operable parts of the release of latch on self-latching devices at 54 inches (1370 mm) maximum above the finish floor or ground provided the self-latching devices are not also self-locking devices and operated by means of a key, electronic opener, or integral combination lock.
Standard 309.4, requires operable parts, such as door handles, to operate with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. Also, in most installations, the force required to activate operable parts should be 5 pounds maximum. Exceptions for the force limit are exterior and fire doors. An example of a door handle that does not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist is shown below.
Lever Style Door Handle
Door hardware that can be operated with a closed fist or a loose grip accommodates the greatest range of users. Hardware that requires simultaneous hand and finger movements require greater dexterity and coordination, and is not recommended.
Manual doors with automatic closers have time limits on how fast the door can close and how much force is required to open some doors.
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.8.1, Door Closers and Gate Closers, states, “Door closers and gate closers shall be adjusted so that from an open position of 90 degrees, the time required to move the door to a position of 12 degrees from the latch is 5 seconds minimum.” The graphic below is representative of this Standard.
Door Speed Limit for Automated Closer
Doors with spring hinges are not common in commercial installations. But if they are installed they must still comply with the ADA Standards for closing speed. 2010 ADA Standard 404.2.8.2, Spring Hinges, states, “Door and gate spring hinges shall be adjusted so that from the open position of 70 degrees, the door or gate shall move to the closed position in 1.5 seconds minimum.” The graphic below is representative of this Standard.
Door Closing Speed Limit for Spring Hinges
The force limit [5 pounds] to open doors applies to all doors except exterior doors and fire doors. The maximum force to open a door pertains to the continuous application of force necessary to fully open a door, not the initial force needed to overcome the inertia of the door. See the Standard below.
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.9, Door and Gate Opening Force, states, “Fire doors shall have a minimum opening force allowable by the appropriate administrative authority. The force for pushing or pulling open a door or gate other than fire doors shall be as follows:
1. Interior hinged doors and gates: 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum.
2. Sliding or folding doors: 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum.
These forces do not apply to the force required to retract latch bolts or disengage other devices that hold the door or gate in a closed position.” The graphic below is representative of door opening force.
Door Opening Force Not Limited at Exterior Doors
This door force limitation is a very common source of discrepancies for interior doors. Noticeably, exterior doors get a pass on the 5 pound limit. And that is because of issues such as wind forces that can affect exterior doors. For that reason exterior doors can be very challenging for anyone, disabled or not, trying to enter or exit the exterior doors. Limiting the exterior door opening force to 10 pounds, or installing automated doors, are two ways to address this issue.
Most swinging doors and gates are required to have a 10 inch tall kick plate on the push side of the door. 2010 ADA Standard 404.2.10, Door and Gate Surfaces, states, “Swinging door and gate surfaces within 10 inches (255 mm) of the finish floor or ground measured vertically shall have a smooth surface on the push side extending the full width of the door or gate. Parts creating horizontal or vertical joints in these surfaces shall be within 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of the same plane as the other. Cavities created by added kick plates shall be capped.” So this kick plate must be as wide as the door and extend from the floor or ground up 10 inches with a mostly smooth surface. The graphic below is representative of this Standard.
Hinged Door Kick Plate on Push Side of Door
The Standard above for kick plates only applies to doors and gates that extend down to the area that is 10 inches above the finished floor. Saloon style doors is an example of a door that would not require a kick plate. See the graphic below.
Windows [glazing panels] either built into the door or installed next to the door must be within 43 inches of the floor. This requirement is in part to allow individuals in a wheelchair to see through the windows to make sure it is safe to operate the door.
2010 ADA Standard 404.2.11, Vision Lights, states, “Doors, gates, and side lights adjacent to doors or gates, containing one or more glazing panels that permit viewing through the panels shall have the bottom of at least one glazed panel located 43 inches (1090 mm) maximum above the finish floor. EXCEPTION: Vision lights with the lowest part more than 66 inches (1675 mm) from the finish floor or ground shall not be required to comply with [Standard] 404.2.11.” The photo below is an employee area access door with a window installed too high above the finished floor.
Employee Area Door with Window Installed Too High