Full mortise, replaces standard hinges
ANSI/BHMA A156.17 · NFPA 80 · ADA 404.2.8.2
Maryland, DC & Northern Virginia
A spring hinge looks like a standard butt hinge, but a coiled spring inside the barrel pulls the door shut after each use. It mounts in the same mortise, so no closer arm or extra frame prep is needed. Commercial models are tested to ANSI/BHMA A156.17, and Grade 1 hinges must pass one million open-and-close cycles. You can turn the tension up or down with a pin and hex key. That lets us tune closing speed for each door’s weight, size and daily foot traffic.
No closer arm on the door, so lobbies, suites and patient rooms keep a clean look.
One part does two jobs, hanging and closing the door, which cuts hardware and labor costs.
Listed Grade 1 spring hinges can satisfy the NFPA 80 self-closing rule on standard-size fire doors.
King Locksmith and Doors Inc. is a commercial locksmith and door company serving Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. We install, adjust and repair spring hinges for small businesses, government agencies, hospitals, hotels and enterprises. Our technicians check door weight, frame condition and fire labels before choosing hardware. We stock common sizes and finishes, so many repairs finish in one visit. Every door we touch is set to close safely, latch firmly and meet code.
The right spring hinge depends on the door, the traffic it sees and the codes it must meet. Use the five checks below to narrow your choice before you order hardware or call our team.
Most commercial spring hinges are 4½ x 4½ inches and suit standard 1¾-inch doors. Heavier or taller doors need stronger springs, a heavier gauge or an extra hinge. Hinge size must also match the existing frame mortise.
Most doors up to 7 feet tall hang on three hinges. Some or all can be spring hinges, depending on how much closing force the door needs. We weigh the door, then pick the spring strength and count.
NFPA 80 lets spring hinges close a fire door, but only if they are labeled and meet ANSI/BHMA A156.17 Grade 1. You need at least two spring hinges on each leaf.
The NFPA 80 table covers 1¾-inch doors up to 3 by 7 feet. Larger doors need the door and hinge makers’ listings to allow spring hinges. The door must latch every time it closes, so we test it from full open before we leave.
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, section 404.2.8.2, a door on spring hinges must take at least 1.5 seconds to close from 70 degrees open. A faster swing can strike someone using a walker or wheelchair.
Interior doors that are not fire-rated also have a 5-pound opening force limit. Spring hinges keep pushing harder the wider a door opens, so balance matters. We time each door with a stopwatch and fine-tune the tension until it passes.
BHMA grades spring hinges by cycle testing. Grade 1 must pass 1,000,000 cycles, Grade 2 500,000 and Grade 3 250,000. For busy entries, stairwells and hospital corridors, Grade 1 is the safe choice.
Lighter-duty grades can work on closets, staff rooms and low-use offices. Still, we suggest Grade 1 for any door that must close on its own, since lower grades are tested for fewer cycles. The small upfront savings rarely cover repeat service calls.
Spring hinges come in common BHMA finishes such as satin stainless steel (US32D), satin chrome (US26D) and oil-rubbed bronze (US10B). Stainless steel resists rust on exterior, restroom and kitchen doors.
Other options include square or 5/8-inch radius corners to match the frame, hold-open models for loading, and double-acting hinges for café or service doors. Hold-open types are not allowed on fire doors. Tell us how the door is used and we will match the hardware.
Both spring hinges and surface closers pull a door shut. Here is how spring hinges compare on the points facility managers ask about most, from cost to looks to upkeep.
Consideration
Spring Hinges
Surface Door Closer
Swaps into existing hinge mortises
Needs closer prep on door and frame
Hidden inside the hinge barrel
Visible arm and body on door
One part replaces hinge and closer
Separate closer adds parts and labor
No hydraulic fluid to leak
Seals can leak oil over time
No space needed above the door
Needs room above door for arm
Spring hinges see heavy use, and small issues grow into safety and code problems. Watch for these warning signs on the doors in your building, especially fire and accessible doors.
We fit Grade 1 spring hinges into existing mortises or new frames and set each door's tension.
We re-tension springs so doors close and latch every time while meeting the ADA 1.5-second closing rule.
We swap unlisted hinges for labeled Grade 1 spring hinges that meet NFPA 80 on fire-rated openings.
We fix broken springs, missing pins and stripped screws that cause sagging, slamming or doors left open.
We check spring hinges during annual NFPA 80 fire door inspections and fix closing or latching issues.
Property managers get scheduled hinge checks across buildings, with one point of contact and clear service records.
Tell us about your doors and we will recommend, install and adjust the right spring hinges with clear, upfront pricing.
