The Right Revolving Door for Your Facility
There are a wide variety of choices for convenient, energy-efficient revolving doors for almost any building. With customizable features that can create an attractive entrance that maintains the aesthetic integrity of your facility, revolving doors promote energy efficiency by helping to reduce the loss of HVAC-processed air while safely managing large volumes of pedestrian traffic with a hands-free solution.
Find the Right Revolving Door for Your Facility
Regardless of style and size, to select the right revolving door for your facility you will need to consider:
Typically, potential traffic flow through doors is based on the diameter, the number of persons that will fit in each of the segments, all segments being filled, and the speed as stipulated by code. However, cultural psychology and typical baggage are more of a determinant for flow. It is best to assess the type of traffic; for example, professional—persons with briefcases; social—caregivers with strollers; or institutional—gurneys and/or wheelchairs.
Overhead or floor-mounted, devices regulating the rotation speed of the wings as set by uniform North American codes for maximum revolving door RPM are as determined by the diameter (e.g., 10 RPM on an 8’ diameter door). Tapered roller bearings are used in conjunction with a speed control to ensure precise and smooth rotation.
Revolving doors featuring access control and sensors detecting ingress and egress are available for use in facilities requiring different levels of security. These doors can be equipped with card reading access systems and by sensor mats/door arm sensors to pick up weight discrepancies to prevent “tailgating" and “piggy-backing.”
*Note: When specifying any automatic or security revolving doors, it is important to specify all required functions. These requirements should be noted on all shop drawings and should meet specific expectations of the end-user.
Consisting of a roof or deck cover, fascia, and soffit, the canopy structure above the wings and enclosure can be designed in a variety of heights and configurations from glass, metal, or a combination of both.
Door wings/leaves are the panels that rotate within the enclosure rotating off the center shaft of the revolving door. The enclosure (drum wall) is the frame for the bent curved glass and reaches between the floor and canopy.
Three-Wing
Three-wing revolving door design offers larger segments of passage and is often considered for hotels and airports where usage requires passage of baggage, carts, or wheelchairs. Note: Three-wing models have a smaller entry and exit opening and therefore 2 units are recommended for in/outflows.
Four-Wing
Four-wing revolving door design allows for a more controlled flow of traffic. This design has the added benefit of a superior weather seal and less air infiltration in the closed position (quarter-point closing).
Bookfold
Bookfold refers to the collapsing action of the wings to release and pivot in the direction of egress. This mechanism is critical for safety and is required by fire/building codes on all entrance revolving doors installed in North America when the revolving door is part of the building egress.
Diameter
- Small-diameter (manual) revolving doors:
1828 mm (6’0”) – 2438 mm (8’0”) Diameter
Typically chosen for high-mid and low-rise office buildings, retail entrances, theaters, and similar applications. Available in three- and four-wing configurations (consider segment size restriction and code requirements before installing four-wing revolving doors). - Mid-diameter revolving doors:
2438 mm (8’0”) – 3048 mm (10’0”) Diameter
Typically chosen for smaller airports, hotels, and similar applications. Available in three- and four-wing configurations. Manual, power assisted, or automatic options. - Large-diameter revolving doors:
3048 mm (10’0”) – 3658 mm (12’0”) Diameter
Ideal for high traffic/high baggage volume airports, large hotels, and hospitals. Fully automated with extensive safety features and available in three or four-wing configurations.
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Revolving Doors FAQs
No, they are not; a high-security door has to be smaller in diameter, and an automatic door has to have a much larger diameter.
Revolving doors must be equipped with a speed regulator to prevent the door from rotating faster than the allotted speeds. Refer to ANSI Standard A156.27 for industry-accepted door speeds.
Typically, potential traffic flow through doors is based on the diameter, the number of persons that will fit in each of the segments, all segments being filled, and the speed stipulated by code. However, cultural psychology and typical baggage are more of a determinant for flow. It is best to assess the type of traffic; for example, professional (persons with briefcases), social (parents with strollers), or institutional (gurneys and/or wheelchairs).
Three-wing revolving door design offers larger segments of passage and is often considered for hotels and airports where usage requires passage of baggage, carts, or wheelchairs. Note: Three-wing models have a smaller entry and exit opening and therefore 2 units are recommended for in/out flows. Four-wing revolving door design allows for a more controlled flow of traffic. This design has the added benefit of a superior weather seal and less air infiltration in the closed position (quarter-point closing).
Every revolving door has basic components regardless of style and size. It is topped with a canopy, which is the structure above the wings and enclosure. This consists of a roof or deck cover, fascia, and soffit. The canopy can be designed in a variety of heights and configurations and is made of glass or metal (or a combination of both).
Door wings or leaves are the panels that rotate within the enclosure. The wings are attached to the center shaft, which is the rotating center of the revolving door. The enclosure (drum wall) is the frame for the bent curved glass and reaches between the floor and canopy.
The speed control can be located overhead or is floor mounted. This device regulates the rotation speed of the wings as set by standards. North American codes allow a maximum RPM for a revolving door depending on diameter (10 RPM on an 8’ diameter door, for example). Tapered roller bearings are used in conjunction with a speed control to ensure precise and smooth rotation.
Bookfold refers to the collapsing action of the wings to release and pivot in the direction of egress. This mechanism is critical for safety and is required by fire/building codes on all entrance revolving doors installed in North America, when the revolving door is part of the building egress.
