Wide throw hinges are used when you need extra clearance behind a door – typically a door that opens 180 degrees. In the good old days this clearance was usually needed because of fancy wood trim around the frame.
The parliament hinges are traditionally used to allow a door to fully open 180 degrees, back onto a wall. The extra projection of these projection hinges, allows the door to clear any obstruction.
Yes! All of our exterior French doors are fitted with hinges that allow them to open to the point at which they become in contact with something else, and therefore they can fully open to 180 degrees, lying flat against your interior or exterior surface (depending on your opening choice – outwards or inwards).
Barrel hinges are commonly used in cabinets. They're concealed and open a full 180 degrees. Commercial-grade hinges are generally thicker gauge metal for heavy-use applications, particularly mortise hinges.
French doors normally comprise of just two doors, that open from side-hung hinges and can swing through a 180-degree range of motion with options for opening either inwards and outwards.
Our aluminium French Doors can be opened a full 180 degrees, offering complete control of space and ventilation. They are a perfect way to fill your home with light, while emphasizing the space of the room.
Ultimately it's all a matter of preference. If you want to maximise internal floor space, get French doors that open outward. If you want French doors with better weatherproofing that maximise patio or garden space, chose to fit it so your french doors open inwards.
Section 404 of the ADA 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.”
The design of offset hinges moves the hinge pin farther away from the doorjamb. When the door is opened to 90 degrees, it is set back at least two inches from the doorway, making the opening larger. In many cases, this simple remedy eliminates the need to enlarge a door opening and invest in a new door frame.
This is the distance the edge of the hinge is set back from the door face. Clearance – Clearance is best described as the gap between the door and the frame or jamb with the door in the fully open position.
Open out in order to maximise internal floor space. Open out are better weather proofed - if you think about it any high winds will push the doors against the weatherstrip where-as a pair of open in doors are pushed away from the weatherstrip, if you see what I mean.....
French doors have the distinction of offering doors that swing inward and outward. Although we recommend a uniform swing, we can customize the installation that allows each door to turn opposite the other.
Parliament and Projection hinges are typically used to allow doors to open fully up to 180 degrees, often a pair of doors dividing rooms or pairs of French Doors. These days they are generally made form brass or stainless steel, plain steel parliament hinges are a thing of the past.
They usually comprise of two doors which both open either inwards or outwards. As they're hinged they can open full 180 degrees (depending on your walls and brickwork).
By installing offset hinges (a.k.a. swing clear hinges), you can easily open the door farther out of the way. This will provide complete access to the entire width of the doorway or door opening, and eliminates the need to cut a larger opening and install a larger door.
A pivot door is a swinging door that rotates on a vertical axis, a spindle. This is different from regular hinged doors, where the hinges are attached to the side of the door and the adjacent wall. The difference between a pivot door and a regular hinged door.
According to the ICC representative, if the door won't open to 90 degrees, you need to open it to its fully-open position, and then measure the clear width at its smallest point.
Although building codes and ADA standards for accessible design allow for some exceptions, most doors must comply with the ADA defined accessibility standards. ADA requirements state that at least one door or gate intended for use within an accessible route must comply with the regulations for Accessible Routes.
Safety and Practicality
Doors that open inwards are much easier to break down by fire crews to get into your property. If there was a fire, an inward opening door could be broken down much quicker than an outward swinging one. The practicality side comes when you answer the door to a friend or family member.
Exterior doors tend to open inwards for security reasons. For the door to open outwards, the hinge mechanism would be located on the outside of the home. However, any hinges located outside pose a big risk to your home's security.
However, it is now possible to purchase and have installed outward-opening doors that come with protected hinges. There is an increasing amount of different hinge types being introduced that are both secure and allow for the door to be opened outward.