In recent years, steel-look and Crittall® style doors have become a hallmark of trendy cafés, bars, and restaurants. With their sleek, industrial aesthetic, these doors add a modern touch to spaces, making them appear contemporary and stylish.
However, while these doors may shine in terms of design, they may not comply with Approved Document M and BS 8300. These are vital standards for accessibility in public buildings.
In this article, we explain why Approved Document M and BS 8300 matter when residential style steel look doors are used in public and commercial buildings. We also explain why a door that looks ideal in a café, restaurant, bar or showroom may still be the wrong product if the complete entrance has not been properly considered. This is not about criticising the appearance of steel look doors. They can look excellent.
The issue is whether products designed mainly for homes are always being correctly specified when used as entrance doors in buildings used by the public.
We would like to see system companies, fabricators and installers make the intended use of these products much clearer. If a residential style door is shown in a setting that appears to be commercial or public, the specification needs to be understood. A photograph can sell the look. It does not prove the entrance is suitable.
Understanding Approved Document M and BS 8300
Before looking at the potential issues, it is worth understanding what Approved Document M and BS 8300 are.
Approved Document M gives guidance on access to and use of buildings. For buildings other than dwellings, it deals with how people approach, enter and use a building, including disabled visitors and occupants.
BS 8300 is a best practice standard for inclusive design. It gives recommendations on how buildings should be designed so they can be used by as many people as possible. This includes disabled people, older people, wheelchair users, people with limited strength, people with visual impairments and people using mobility aids.
For cafés, restaurants, bars, shops and showrooms, this matters. These are public facing buildings. They are used by customers, staff, visitors, delivery drivers and contractors. Not all of them are young, mobile, strong, sighted or able to wrestle with a heavy door and an awkward threshold. That is the bit often missing from the brochure photograph.
These regulations ensure that people of all abilities can approach, enter, and use buildings independently. Accessibility is crucial in public buildings like cafés, bars, and restaurants, where foot traffic includes a diverse range of users. That is customers, employees, and visitors. For business owners, adhering to these standards is not just about compliance; it is about creating an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Where Residential Doors Can Become Problematic
Steel look and Crittall® style doors can make a commercial space look superb. The slim bars, darker colours and industrial styling suit the type of interiors many business owners now want.
But a rear bifold door on a house and the main entrance to a restaurant are not the same application. They may look similar in a photograph. They are not doing the same job.
A public entrance needs to work for far more people, far more often and in a more demanding setting. It also needs to satisfy the access, design and Building Control requirements of that building.
This is where some residential style steel look hinged and bifold doors may fall short.
Why Commercial Doors Have Been the Standard for Over 40 Years
For more than four decades, commercial doors have been the go-to product for non-residential buildings. Unlike steel-look doors, commercial doors are purpose-built for public spaces and meet all required standards for accessibility and safety.
- Anti-Finger Trap Hinge:
- Commercial doors often feature an anti-finger trap hinge, a valuable safety feature not commonly found on steel-look doors. This prevents fingers from getting caught between the door and frame, making the doors safer in busy environments,
- Correct Thresholds:
- Commercial doors are equipped with the correct threshold heights and types, typically designed for easy wheelchair access without the issues seen in residential-grade steel-look doors
- Tension Strength Door Closers:
- Commercial doors come with properly tensioned door closers, ensuring that the force required to open them is within the allowable limits set by BS 8300. In contrast, many residential-style doors lack these considerations
- Colour Contrast and Warm-to-the-Touch Materials:
- Hardware on commercial doors is not only compliant with the warm-to-the-touch standard for exterior surfaces but also colour contrasting, making it more visible to people with visual impairments
- Automatic Operation:
- Commercial doors are often designed to be automatic or power-assisted, allowing for hands-free entry. This is especially useful for users with disabilities, ensuring their experience is smooth and dignified
Who Is Responsible for Compliance?
Building owners are ultimately responsible for ensuring that building work complies with Building Regulations.
But in the real world, business owners rely heavily on installers, builders, architects, designers, fabricators and system companies to guide them.
That is why the industry has a responsibility to be clear. If a product is mainly residential, say so. If it may not be suitable for a public entrance, say so. If the complete entrance needs to be checked against Approved Document M, BS 8300, Building Control and the specific use of the building, say so.
Many excellent domestic installers know their products extremely well. But commercial entrances, public access requirements and inclusive design are a different discipline.
A company used mainly to replacing windows and patio doors in houses may not be the right company to specify entrance doors for a restaurant, bar, café, showroom or public building.
That is not an insult, it is a different part of the industry. A photograph can sell the look. It does not prove the specification.
Think Before You Install
While steel-look doors might be visually appealing, building owners and installers must think carefully about compliance withApproved Document M and BS 8300. The trend may be tempting, but these doors are often not the best choice for public buildings that require full accessibility. Commercial doors remain the safer, more compliant option for ensuring inclusivity and safety in cafés, bars, and restaurants.
A photograph can sell the look. It doesn’t get you past Building Control.
