Of all door closer options, entry door closers require the most attention in model selection, installation, and maintenance. The entrance to a house or apartment has always been the cause of a draft. Yes, and it is always more convenient to close heavy entrance doors with a closer.
The content of the article:
- What to look for when choosing a closer
- Power
- Type of installation
-
Rating of quality closers for entrance doors
- Nora-M 510 "URBORNIZATION" line
- DORMA TS Compact EN4
- DOORLOCK DL300S
- GEZE TS4000 EN1-6
- DORMA TS68 EN4
- ISPARUS 430
- DOORLOCK DL70
- GEZE TS3000EN3
- APECS DC-20.6/1400/160
- Maxbar TS 2000 VBC EN2/4/5
What to look for when choosing a closer
Most of the recommendations come down to the fact that the door finishing device should be selected according to the braking power or, more simply, according to the weight of the door leaf. This is correct, since the main problem of entering the house is related to the presence of a draft in the doorway. Many people get into the habit of holding the doors with their hands until they are completely closed, which is not very convenient. Especially when your hands are busy with things.
With the advent of the smooth finishing mechanism, many owners note how comfortable the process of entering and leaving the house has become. True, for this you will have to look through the lists of the best closers for front doors and choose a model that is not just popular, but also durable, with an increased level of security.
What is important for the design of the door closer at the entrance to the house:
- mechanism reliability. Spring and rack and pinion brake, oil tank seal must be bred for the prescribed number of open / close cycles.
- The bracket, axles and bushings of the hinges, levers (including those with a threaded rod) - everything must be made of high-quality metal. All parts must be made of steel, not aluminium, plastic or one of the light alloys.
- A simple system for adjusting the angle of opening the doors, adjusting the speed of the door leaf.
- Frost resistance. The device must be adapted to operate at low temperatures.
If the closer is selected for installation on the front door of a private house, then the last item on the list should be given special attention. Most entrance doors, especially steel (reinforced type), freeze through in winter. Accordingly, the oil and seals of the closer mechanism must withstand low temperatures.
Many manufacturing companies install an oil pressure relief valve in the closer drive. According to the developers, this makes it possible to protect the seal of the rod or piston from rupture during sudden closing / opening of the leaf. Usually the valve is called anti-vandal. In practice, it is of no use.
Moreover, the more complex the device, the more likely it is to break down and not work out the expected life. If you choose the right parameters for a simple closer for heavy doors, then it will work much longer than the exclusive model with a valve.
In many models, you can find a useful device - an open / closed front door latch. This is a really useful feature, while the durability of the closer does not affect in any way. Just do not need to use the stopper as an additional lock on the front door.
For comparison: a cylindrical secret and a backstage on an English castle are designed for 15-20 thousand rubles. cycles, the resource of opening / closing the stopper on the front door closer has a maximum of 1000 inclusions. This means that with daily use of the latch, after 3 years you will have to disassemble the mechanism in order to unlock the stopper and somehow get out of the house.
Power
The correct name for the parameter is the resistance force. But in everyday life, as well as in construction supermarkets, the term "power" has taken root. Indicates the weight of the door leaf on which a specific model of the braking mechanism can be installed. For entrance doors in apartments, this parameter must be at least 60 kg. If there is “armor” at the entrance, then the closer must be selected based on accurate data on the weight of the door leaf.
This is the most important parameter, since the discrepancy between the characteristic of the oil (rack) brake of the closer with the actual leaf weight should not exceed 10%. At the same time, it is better to install devices with a small margin for the entrance doors of a private house. Over time, as the rails or oil capsule wear out, the back pressure of the system and, accordingly, the efficiency of the closer decreases.
In the description of the model or in the instructions for the closer, the force class is given. Usually in the form of a numerical-alphabetic index EN2-EN7. For entrance wooden doors, class E5 is suitable, for "armor" - E6-E7.
Type of installation
Most models can be mounted on a left or right handed loot. But some manufacturing companies make good quality closers, but only for the front doors of their brand. Therefore, right-handedness or left-handedness must be clarified before buying.
There are several ways to install a closer. You can install the body on the hatch, and the support bracket on the door leaf, and vice versa. These are classic schemes, and both are used to mount the device on the front doors. Almost all door closers, with rare exceptions, are universal. That is, they can be placed either upright or upside down. It all depends on the design of the doorway and the box.
There are also options with a lower closer, but they are only suitable for low entrance doors. But this scheme can only be used for doors of isolated rooms or apartments. To enter the house, the lower location of the door closer is considered impractical due to the large amount of dust coming from the street.
Often apartments have double doors. In this case, you have to put the door closer on the door itself, and the fixing bracket on the inner surface of the loot. In this case, the height of the door frame must be at least 200 cm, otherwise the system of levers above the head will cause discomfort.
Reading: Do-it-yourself door closer installation.
Rating of quality closers for entrance doors
Most door appliances of acceptable quality are represented by several brands of European and Chinese manufacturing companies. In the market of door fittings and closers, you can find single successful Russian-made models. The price of such mechanisms is lower than Chinese counterparts, despite the fact that all components are made in China.
Nora-M 510 "URBORNIZATION" line
Closer with oil chamber. The design was developed in the Russian Federation, the production of components and parts is located in China. Class EN1-EN3. The device is designed for smooth braking of entrance doors made of wood and metal, with a maximum weight of up to 60 kg.
The device got into the rating because of the large resource - 700-750 thousand km. closing/opening cycles. This is almost twice as much as crazy closers for armored entrance doors.
Advantages of NORA-M:
- Easy installation. All that is needed for installation is 4 self-tapping screws on the body plus 2 on the support bracket. Tighten the nut on the pivot rod.
- There are no complex parts in the design of the closer, so the repair comes down to replacing the seal on the oil piston.
- Light weight - 1.1 kg.
- There is an adjustment of the speed of slamming and finishing the door leaf.
- The closer can work in frost up to -45OWITH.
NORA-M like to put on the front doors of small shops, offices with a large number of visitors. The manufacturer provides a 36 month warranty. Price 1600 rubles.
DORMA TS Compact EN4
Closer of the famous German brand "DORMA" - a manufacturer of door locks and finishing devices. The parameters of the device allow you to install it on door leaves up to 110 cm wide, weighing 80-120 kg. The design is based on a hydraulic braking system, so the device turned out to be compact and lightweight. Weight - 1.34 kg, body height and width - 50x100 mm.
The device can be adjusted for different closing speeds of the web, at the maximum opening angles and in “finishing” mode The only negative is that the door closer remains operational only until -25 OWITH. Therefore, the device is more suitable for installation in regions with a warm climate.
A big plus of the model is the neat appearance of the door closer. It cannot be praised for its outstanding design, but this is not necessary for a door appliance. More importantly, in general, the model gives the impression of an addition to the front door, an integral part of it. This is a good solution for those who do not like to put a huge complex shape over the front door.
DOORLOCK DL300S
Chinese device for entrance doors weighing up to 125 kg and door leaf width up to 125 cm. The design uses a mechanical brake and a sliding hinge on the rod.
The closer turned out to be quite reliable. According to reviews, there are practically no violations in the operation of the mechanism even after the warranty period has expired.
Many users choose DOORLOCK DL300S as an inexpensive, and most importantly, reliable alternative to hydraulic mechanisms.
The entrance door finishing system remains operational even at minus 40OC, although according to the passport the maximum temperature is -35 OWITH. The only drawback of the closer is sensitivity to dusting, so the mechanism must be periodically blown with compressed air and lubricated with grease once a season.
Price - 5000 rubles, manufacturer's warranty - 5 years.
GEZE TS4000 EN1-6
Smooth braking device for armored heavy doors. A hydraulic capsule with a double valve is used. The closer allows you to smoothly close the door leaf weighing up to 140 kg, even with strong gusts of wind or drafts. The maximum width of the entrance doors is 140 cm.
The weight of the mechanism is 3 kg, so the installation diagram is top, on the door frame. Easily repaired without changing the hydraulic fluid. It is allowed to install on the entrance doors in unheated rooms. Can be used in temperatures as low as -30OWITH.
According to reviews, GEZE TS4000 is one of the most reliable, which is not surprising. The closer is designed and manufactured in Germany, there is no production outside the country of development.
Price - 13900 rubles, warranty period - 24 months.
DORMA TS68 EN4
The simplest version of the door device, the development is Germany, the country of manufacture is China. The classic version of the door closer for an apartment in a multi-storey building. Present in all ratings and tops. For an ordinary cottage, country house or dacha (garage), it is better not to set it, since the lower temperature limit is only minus 25OWITH.
Design features:
- The brake mechanism is spring-hydraulic.
- The maximum weight of the door leaf is 120 kg, the recommended one is 80 kg.
- Weight 1.45 kg, dimensions - width 88 mm, height - 70 mm.
- The design allows you to adjust the opening speed.
There are no additional features. The developer of the door device tried to make it simple, reliable. So that the system can work with entrance doors even in conditions of an extremely large number of openings / closings. Recommended for installation in offices and small shops.
Painted in a pleasant white color, the design is ideal for metal-plastic entrance doors.
Price - 3800 rubles, a guarantee for 2 years of operation.
ISPARUS 430
Powerful door closer for insulated or reinforced type entrance doors, with a maximum weight of up to 110 kg, with a leaf width of 125 cm. Belongs to the type of all-weather, made according to the class EN3-EN5.
The braking mechanism is an oil capsule with a piston. Unlike most inexpensive hydraulic closers, it has protection against overheating, including when in contact with an open combustion front.
Works at low temperatures up to -45OC, in the heat up to +60OWITH. Resource for operation cycles - 500 thousand. full opening of doors. It is possible to adjust the speed of closing the door leaf and a smooth “slam” of the leaf to the frame.
The repair is complex, requiring a complete replacement of the seals and hydraulic fluid.
The price of the device is 1450 rubles, the warranty period is 3 years.
DOORLOCK DL70
A lightweight version of the Chinese door closer. The device operates on a hydraulic brake, designed for a door leaf up to 90 kg and a width of 110 cm. Today it is one of the best inexpensive and reliable universal type door closers. The device can be installed on reinforced metal, wooden or metal-plastic sashes.
Construction class - EN 4, limiting operating temperature -35OWITH. The closer is quite light, weight - 1.46 kg.
The DL70 is somewhat different from most DL branded appliances. The closer does not have the functions of regulating the speed of closing the entrance doors. The developer independently determined the optimal speed and fixed it in the parameters of the bypass jet of the hydraulic capsule.
The result is a design that is simpler and more reliable to operate than most competitors with multiple control points. Since the device is used on relatively light front doors, there is no particular discomfort. But reliability increases several times.
Price - 1400 rubles, warranty period - 5 years.
GEZE TS3000EN3
Relatively inexpensive door closer of good quality EN3 class. The price is almost twice lower than other models of the same brand. It is based on a rack and pinion brake with an oil damper. Produced in Germany.
Designed to fit doors weighing up to 90 kg and 110 cm wide. The main advantage is the refined design. It is possible that this particular model served as a prototype for the creation of a fairly large number of closers from Chinese brands.
The design provides for the possibility of adjusting the speed of closing the door leaf at different angles. Sliding rod is considered not the best solution for entrance doors. But given that the rail is installed at the top of the door frame, neither dust nor snow particularly affect the operation of the door closer. Only an additional layer of insulation is required to minimize the freezing of water vapor on the rod.
The price of the door closer is 6200 rubles, the guarantee is 2 years. The actual service life, according to reviews, is at least 10 years.
APECS DC-20.6/1400/160
Closer of a well-known Russian manufacturer of door fittings, locks, hinges. The device operates on a hydraulic drive and is used for finishing entrance doors weighing 100-120 kg, with a leaf width of up to 140 cm.
The design provides for a separate setting of the closing speed, the closing speed when the doors are slammed, and the braking when the door leaf is opened.
One of the few models in the APECS range equipped with a rotary stem lock. Due to the reinforced levers, the mechanism turned out to be quite heavy - 3.25 kg.
APECS DC-20.6/1400 is often purchased not only for home, many motorists install the device on the garage door or on the entrance gate of the shed (garage).
Price - 4200 rubles, a guarantee from APECS for 3 years of operation.
Maxbar TS 2000 VBC EN2/4/5
Door leaf finishing device with rack and pinion drive and spring. Can be used for left and right hinged doors. It is installed only according to the upper scheme. Designed to work with a massive door leaf weighing up to 150 kg. The maximum sash width is up to 125 cm.
The opening speed can be adjusted from 15O up to 180O, after the door enters sector 0O-15O, there will be a soft additional closing with a smooth stop of the sash. Dohlop is regulated separately.
The closer is able to work in frost up to -30OWITH. Can be installed on the front doors of private houses located in the southern latitudes. In the conditions of middle and northern latitudes, the "dohlop" may work too slowly, not completely.
It is not easy to choose which door closers are best for entrance doors. Almost all of them are similar to each other, both in appearance and in design. And you need experience in order to understand how to choose the right one, navigate the characteristics. The difference is only in the quality of the manufacturing of parts and the ability to "keep" the set settings unchanged.
Which, in your opinion, models of door closers makes sense to put on the front doors, and which ones do not? Tell us about your installation experience, what nuances you should pay attention to in the first place.