Accessibility for Doors: The Sliding Door Company Has You Covered

In order to be able to use homes, facilities, and businesses, people with special needs in this country need custom indoor doors, handles, and locks that are accessible. Ensuring ADA-compliance means getting the right doors and door hardware. The Sliding Door Company has what you need to make your interior doors accessible to all.

Door Width and Obstruction

One of the biggest issues among people with disabilities is that the doors aren’t wide enough to accommodate entry. ADA standards require 32 inches of clear width, which is the space between the door face and the opposite stop. However, for those with wheelchairs or walkers, this minimum may not always be enough.
In addition to enough clearance, these people also need doors which don’t interfere as they are going through them to enter a room. Again, the ADA states that doors must open a minimum of 90 degrees. However, it’s a good idea to ensure that doors can open beyond this amount.
Both door width and obstruction can be easily solved with larger interior doors. In existing buildings, a simple alteration to widen doorways is all that’s needed. New buildings need only increase doorway widths prior to construction.

What Makes The Sliding Door Company Sliding Doors Unique

Sliding doors are a unique solution to ensuring that doors are ADA-compliant. Unlike a traditional door that swings outward, sliding doors move along the wall, revealing the total width of the doorway without any worry that it will prevent access. As well, sliding doors won’t swing closed as you are moving through them as traditional doors can sometimes do.
The patio door you might have in your home is a traditional sliding door. Although great for able-bodied people, using this kind of traditional door for interiors just doesn’t work for those with physical disabilities. The high bottom track makes it impossible for wheelchairs or walkers to clear, and these doors require a lot more muscle to open and close.
The regulations stipulate that doors must have a maximum push pressure of five pounds. The Sliding Door Company sliding doors require approximately three pounds of push pressure.

Options Galore

Just how many ways can your building alteration or design accommodate people with special needs with sliding doors as it adds beauty and style? You might be surprised. Let’s look at the kinds of sliding doors you can install.

Suspended Doors

Our suspended doors also save space and don’t require a bottom track. Like the barn door style, our suspended doors move along a track installed above the doorway. Two doors can slide inward to close or outward to open and are incredibly quiet while in operation.

Pocket Doors

Custom pocket doors can be a great addition to your floor plan. These incredibly practical products also save loads of space, sliding safely inside walls when opened. One of the best things about pocket doors is that they are seamless. Because they sit flush with the doorway, a closed pocket door maintains clean lines when closed. Tracks that are flush with the flooring also make for easy navigation through doorways.

The Smart Track System

The Sliding Door Company’s sliding doors can be installed in several ways that meet ADA-compliance requirements. This is thanks to the options available for our Smart Track System. If you’ve chosen a door style with a bottom track, a ramp can be installed on top for easy wheelchair access. As mentioned above, tracks can also be installed flush with the floor or even recessed in the floor.
In addition to the easy accessibility our Smart Track System offers, it also offers an unparalleled level of safety. Interior sliding doors of tempered or laminated glass are held securely in a sliding clamp device that keeps them inside their track. For top-mounted sliding doors, our barn door wheel assembly offers safe and silent operation.

ADA-Compliant Door Handles and Locks

In addition to ensuring doorways are sufficiently wide and tracks are navigable, the handles on doors also need to be ADA-compliant.  Those with arthritis won’t always be able to get enough of a grasp on handles to turn, open, and lock them. Individuals in wheelchairs also benefit from handles that require little effort to operate and are easy to access.
The Sliding Door Company’s door handles are available in several styles, including ADA compliant locks and handles. These ADA compliant locks and handles include U-lever locking sets and U-lever latch mechanism with one inch mortise key cylinder and sliding hook latches. These locks on our ADA-compliant doors offer the ultimate in security and privacy, giving residents peace of mind.

Where Can Interior Sliding Doors Be Installed?

The incredible variety of sliding doors, as well as the customization options available from The Sliding Door Company, means that they can be used in several areas for many purposes. An interior sliding door can provide a way to quickly divide a space into individual and equally usable areas, such as when a separation between dining room and kitchen is needed.
Privacy is another benefit that interior design sliding doors provide. Because doors are available in so many levels of opacity, they can be a great way to add privacy to bedrooms and bathrooms. Where else can interior sliding doors be installed? Thinking outside the box, a laundry or pantry area can benefit from sliding glass doors, which can provide a sleek and clean appearance when closed.
Another unique area for glass doors is the closet. Our sliding doors can be installed with or without a bottom tracking system for the same silent and effortless operation they provide in other areas of the home. Here, too, tracking can be recessed or have a ramp installed over it if the closet can be entered.
Don’t want tracks? No problem; the barn door style can be ideal for closets. Their quick and easy open-and-close and opacity options make them a great choice.

Completely Customizable Doors for Your ADA-Compliance Needs

The Sliding Door Company has been manufacturing its innovative interior doors since 2005. We own the entire process from manufacture and design to sale. Because of this, each of our customers is a partner in the process, with every opportunity to participate in creating and designing their product.
With this high level of participation, every detail can be hand-picked, ensuring that the right look, safety features, and privacy level are always achieved. The timeless look of glass also adds lasting elegance where ever our interior sliding doors are installed, adding property value and attracting new tenants.
Because all of our products are of the highest quality, you can rest assured that they are built for a lifetime of safety, beauty, and functionality.

Where to Find Us

If you’re ready to see our interior room doors in action, all you must do is head to any one of our 26 showrooms located across the U.S, Canada, and in the Philippines. Learn why contractors and building designers look to The Sliding Door Company when they want ADA-compliant interior doors with unparalleled safety. Walk in or call us today to make an appointment: 1-888-988-5033.