When it comes to fast-paced business environments like restaurants, warehouses, retail stores, and beyond, optimizing your traffic flow for your employees and machinery is crucial for efficiency. To improve the flow of high-traffic areas, businesses often favor the versatility of a traffic door, also known as impact doors or saloon doors. In this guide, we’ll go over the intricacies of traffic doors, how they work, their diverse applications, customizable features, and their pros and cons!
Understanding Traffic Doors
Traffic doors, also referred to as impact doors, swing doors, or saloon doors, are designed to accommodate and improve a constant flow of people, equipment, and goods in high-traffic areas. These doors are built to withstand continuous use and provide easy access between different spaces. They are usually constructed using various materials, such as PVC, stainless steel, fiberglass, or aluminum. The materials chosen also affect how durable the traffic door is.
How a Traffic Door Works
The functionality of traffic doors comes from their unique design and features. Here are a few key components you can find on most traffic doors.
Core Material:
Traffic doors employ various core materials, which are the materials inside the door itself. This can be materials like foam or polymer honeycomb, which enhance the structure of the door and can add insulation properties. These materials also add strength and improve the efficiency of the door.
Door Panels:
Traffic door panels are the material that the door itself is made from. These materials can be things like stainless steel, PVC, aluminum, or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The type of panel chosen will affect how much force and use the door can hold up to. Panels are required to have windows in most applications, as the windows prevent collisions from users pushing on either side of the door at the same time and they comply with building code requirements.
Hinges:
Traffic doors usually include heavy-duty hinges designed to swing in both directions. This feature is what allows traffic doors to accommodate impact from both sides of the door. Hinges for traffic doors are also able to accommodate heavy use and force.
Gaskets and Seals:
Some traffic doors are equipped with gaskets and seals to optimize temperature control and prevent the transfer of dust or noise between different areas. This feature is ideal for areas that have climate control or strict hygiene requirements. Additionally, for high-traffic areas that do not feature these requirements, gaskets and seals may not be necessary.
Bumpers:
Bumpers on traffic doors are key for helping your doors accommodate heavy force. For frequent use or for use by machinery or equipment, bumpers are essential for keeping your traffic doors in good shape. They are also able to absorb the impact of frequent use and protect the door itself.
Traffic Door Applications and Industries
Traffic doors have quite a few applications in various industries that need seamless movement between spaces. Here are some common industries and businesses that can benefit from traffic doors:
- Retail and Supermarkets: When installed between sales floors, stockrooms, or refrigerated areas, traffic doors are often used to manage traffic and/or insulate certain areas of your building.
- Restaurants and Commercial Kitchens: Impact doors are common in these types of businesses for separating cooking and prep spaces from dining areas. They allow staff to move quickly between areas. They can also prevent the transfer of heat, smells, and noise from the kitchen into the dining area.
- Warehouses and Distribution Centers: Vital in logistics and operations, traffic doors allow quick and efficient movement of goods between different areas. They can also accommodate people and equipment depending on the type of traffic door installed.
- Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities: Traffic doors in healthcare settings can help separate patient areas from sterile zones. They can also create division between different departments. They ensure hygiene control and easy access for medical personnel.
Traffic Door Customization Options
Because traffic doors can be used in a variety of businesses, they have a range of customization options available. Here are a few.
Size and Configuration
Traffic doors are customizable to fit specific door openings and are available in single or double panels. They can be customized to different heights and widths to accommodate a variety of doorway dimensions.
Color and Finish
Traffic doors come in a wide variety of colors and finishes, depending on the materials you choose. You can customize your traffic doors to match your building, mask dents and dings from impact, or blend in with the space around them.
Window Options
Most traffic doors come equipped with windows that can be customized to fit business needs and safety requirements. They allow for better visibility between spaces and help ensure the smooth operation of the doors. This can also improve the safety of the doors for high-traffic areas.
The Pros and Cons of Traffic Doors
With any door choice, there are key features that may make a door work well for you and some drawbacks that may indicate that the door type isn’t right for you. Here are some key things to consider when looking into traffic doors for your business.
Pros of Traffic Doors:
- Better Traffic Flow: Traffic doors allow for smoother traffic between areas and enhance your efficiency.
- Energy efficiency: When insulated and with seals and gaskets, traffic doors are great at insulating areas without sacrificing ease of use.
- Durability: Traffic doors are designed to withstand frequent use and impact. Because of this, they promise high performance over the long term.
- Hygiene: Traffic doors eliminate the need for someone to place their hands on a door. This also helps keep sterile areas separate from non-sterile spaces.
- Safety: With windows installed, traffic doors enable better traffic flow. They also keep those using the doors safe from collisions and accidents when windows are included.
Cons of Traffic Doors:
- Limited Soundproofing: Because traffic doors are designed to accommodate heavy traffic and be easy to use, they do not provide the same noise reduction as a solid door or wall.
- Visual Obstruction: Depending on the configuration and location of windows, some traffic doors can limit visibility between spaces.
- Cost: Some traffic doors can be a higher initial investment than others depending on the materials and customizations needed.
Conclusion
Traffic doors, or impact doors, can provide amazing enhancements for traffic flow within a building. They are durable and withstand frequent use and force. Certain configurations and customizations can also allow for better durability, more hygienic use, and improved insulation between spaces. Because of this, they are adaptable doors with a variety of perks for various types of businesses and buildings.
If you’re looking to get impact doors installed at your business in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, or Tulsa, reach out to us at Commercial Door for a free estimate and more information. We can get to know your needs and help you choose the best doors for your business and your needs. See some of our services, read our blog to learn more about what we do, and see our reviews to see why hundreds of Oklahoma business owners trust Commercial Door. Thank you for reading!
