David Bolton Exit Device Trim for Outside Operation: Matching the Function to the Opening Before the Schedule Ships What Is Exit Device Outside Trim -- and Why Does It Matter? Exit device outside trim is the hardware component mounted on the pull side of a door equipped with panic or fire exit hardware. The exit de... access control hardware exit devices hardware schedules outside trim panic hardware Aug 31, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton What ANSI A156.3 Actually Tests on an Exit Device -- and Why Grade 1 Matters on Your Next Project What This Article Covers -- and Who It Helps If you are specifying panic hardware for a school gymnasium, a retail main exit, a hospital corridor, or an industrial egress door, the compliance label on... ANSI A156.3 code compliance exit devices fire exit hardware panic hardware Aug 29, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Through-Bolt vs. Sex Bolt for Exit Devices: Which Fastening Method Belongs on Your Door Two Ways to Anchor an Exit Device -- and Why the Choice Is Not Interchangeable This article explains the practical difference between through-bolt and sex bolt (also called barrel bolt or Chicago scre... door hardware fasteners exit devices fire door hardware installation panic hardware Aug 3, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton The Concealed Offset Panic Threshold: What Specifiers Get Wrong Before the Floor Goes Down What This Article Covers and Who It Helps This guide explains how panic thresholds with a concealed offset work, why they are misspecified more often than almost any other threshold type, and what spe... commercial door hardware egress compliance exit devices panic hardware thresholds Aug 1, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Exit Device Prep on Hollow Metal Doors: What Gets Cut Wrong Before the Device Ever Ships Why Door Prep Is the Decision That Happens First -- and Hurts Last This article is for commercial subcontractors, door and hardware suppliers, and facility project managers who specify or install exit... door prep exit devices fire door compliance hollow metal doors panic hardware Jul 26, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Electrified Exit Device Trim: How the Outside Lever Controls Ingress Without Blocking Egress What This Article Covers and Who It Helps Electrified exit device trim is the outside lever, handle, or pull mounted on the secure side of a panic bar that is controlled by an access system rather tha... access control electrified hardware exit devices fire-rated door hardware panic hardware Jul 24, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Panic Hardware in Assembly Occupancies: What the Occupant Load Threshold Actually Triggers What This Article Covers and Who It Helps If you are specifying, bidding, or inspecting door hardware in a theater, arena, conference center, house of worship, banquet hall, or any other assembly-use ... assembly occupancy code compliance exit devices life safety panic hardware Jul 13, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Mortise Exit Devices vs Rim Exit Devices: Choosing the Right Panic Hardware for the Opening What This Article Covers -- and Who It Helps When a hardware schedule calls for panic hardware, one of the first decisions is whether to use a rim exit device or a mortise exit device . The choice aff... commercial door hardware exit devices fire exit hardware mortise hardware panic hardware Jul 12, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton The SVR Top Strike Alignment Problem: Why the Top Latch Misses After the Frame Is Already Set Why the Top Strike Is the Most Mislocated Component on a Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device This article is for commercial contractors, facility maintenance crews, and hardware coordinators dealing with... door hardware exit devices installation panic hardware surface vertical rod Jul 7, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Wide-Stile vs Narrow-Stile Exit Devices: Choosing the Right Panic Hardware for Your Door Why Door Stile Width Determines Your Exit Device Before Almost Anything Else This article explains the practical difference between wide-stile and narrow-stile exit devices, who needs to care about th... aluminum storefront doors exit devices hardware specification life safety panic hardware Jul 3, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Dummy Trim vs Night Latch Trim on Exit Devices: Picking the Right Outside Function Before the Door Gets Prepped Why the Outside Trim Function Gets Chosen Last and Causes Problems First This article explains the practical difference between dummy trim and night latch trim on exit devices, who each function is ri... egress exit devices hardware schedules outside trim panic hardware Jun 27, 2026 Our Blog
David Bolton Cylinder Dogging on Exit Devices: Why the Upgrade Gets Ordered Wrong Before Anyone Checks the Fire Rating What Cylinder Dogging Actually Does on a Panic Bar Cylinder dogging is a feature that lets a building operator use a standard key cylinder to hold an exit device's latch bolt in the retracted position... cylinder dogging exit devices fire-rated openings panic hardware retrofit hardware Jun 27, 2026 Our Blog
