Push side, parallel to door
ANSI/BHMA A156.4 · ADA · NFPA 80
Maryland, DC & Northern Virginia
A parallel arm door closer mounts on the push side of the door. When the door is shut, its arm folds flat and runs parallel to the door face. This makes it the go-to closer for exterior doors, schools, hospitals, and public buildings. The low profile is hard to grab, hang on, or bend. It also keeps the closer indoors on outswing doors, away from rain and cold. Our technicians size, mount, and tune each closer so your door closes smoothly and latches every time.
The folded arm resists hanging, kicking, and prying, so it holds up in high-traffic public spaces.
On outswing exterior doors, the closer sits inside, safe from DMV rain, snow, and summer heat.
Tuned correctly, it meets ADA opening force and closing speed rules and fire door self-closing requirements.
King Locksmith and Doors Inc. is a Locksmith and Door Security Company serving Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia. We install and repair door closers for offices, government buildings, hospitals, hotels, schools, and retail stores. Our trained technicians know local codes and work around your schedule to limit downtime. We work with leading closer brands and all common arm styles. From one broken closer to a building-wide upgrade, we handle the job from assessment to adjustment.
The right closer depends on your door, your frame, and how the space is used. Use this guide to compare door types, closer power, arm styles, mounting needs, and local code rules before you buy.
Parallel arm closers are the standard choice for exterior outswing doors. The closer mounts on the inside, where it stays dry and out of reach. They also suit busy interior doors in schools, clinics, and government offices.
Think about who uses the door and how often. A staff side door needs less than a busy school entrance with hundreds of daily trips. Heavy traffic calls for a heavy-duty closer and forged arm built to last.
Closer power is rated in sizes from 1 to 6. Wider, heavier doors need more power, and so do doors facing strong wind. Parallel arm mounting loses some leverage, so it often needs a higher spring setting.
Most commercial buildings use adjustable closers so one model fits many doors. Too little power and the door won’t latch. Too much and it slams, strains hinges, and can exceed ADA limits. We measure, then set it right.
A standard parallel arm simply closes the door. A hold-open arm keeps the door open at a set angle for deliveries or airflow. A stop arm limits how far the door swings and protects nearby walls.
Spring cush arms add a cushioned stop that absorbs force from wind or rough use. Heavy-duty forged arms suit schools, hospitals, and busy public entrances that see daily abuse. Remember, fire doors cannot use mechanical hold-open arms of any kind.
A parallel arm closer bolts to the door, and its arm shoe mounts to the underside of the frame head. That shoe needs solid metal to grip. Hollow or worn frames may need reinforcement or thru-bolts.
Aluminum storefront doors often have narrow top rails with little room for the closer body. A drop plate or special bracket usually solves this problem. We check frame depth, rail height, and door clearances before we order any parts.
The ADA limits opening force on most interior doors to 5 pounds. It also requires a closing time of at least 5 seconds from 90 degrees to 12 degrees. A properly tuned closer meets both.
Fire-rated doors must close and latch on their own every time. Their closers need a UL listing, and the door assembly needs a yearly NFPA 80 inspection. We tune and document each closer so you’re ready for the fire marshal.
Both closer types control the door, but they mount differently. Regular arms give more leverage. Parallel arms win on the points that matter most for busy commercial and public doors.
Consideration
Parallel Arm Door Closer
Regular Arm Door Closer
Arm folds flat, hard to grab or hang
Arm sticks out, easy to hang on
Mounts inside on outswing doors, out of weather
Sits outside on outswing doors, fully exposed
Forged heavy-duty arms built for constant use
Exposed arm bends and wears out faster
Low profile keeps the door looking clean
Arm projects straight out from the door
Nothing on the outside to tamper with
Outside arm can be pried or disconnected
Parallel arm closers take a beating in busy buildings. Watch for these common warning signs. Catching them early saves you money and keeps your doors safe, secure, and code compliant.
We size, mount, and adjust new parallel arm closers on hollow metal, wood, and aluminum storefront doors.
We swap leaking or worn-out closers for new units, reusing good mounting holes when the pattern matches.
We set sweep speed, latch speed, and backcheck so doors close gently and latch every single time.
We replace bent arms and reinforce stripped frames so the arm shoe holds tight under daily use.
We measure opening force and closing time, then adjust each closer to meet current ADA accessibility requirements.
We install UL-listed closers and correct closer issues found during your annual NFPA 80 fire door inspections.
We’ll assess each parallel arm closer on site and give you a clear quote. Serving Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.
