Running a successful business in Colorado means ensuring your space is welcoming and accessible to everyone. One of the most critical aspects of accessibility is ensuring your commercial doors comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Failing to meet ADA standards not only alienates a significant portion of your potential customer base but also opens your business up to severe fines and costly lawsuits. At Denver Commercial Doors, ADA compliance upgrades are one of our most requested services.

Here is everything Denver business owners need to know about making their commercial doors ADA-compliant.

1. Door Width and Clearance Requirements

The most fundamental requirement of an ADA-compliant door is that it must be wide enough for a wheelchair to easily pass through.

According to ADA guidelines, a commercial door must have a minimum clear width of 32 inches when the door is opened at a 90-degree angle. It’s important to note that this 32-inch measurement is not the size of the door itself, but the clear space between the face of the door and the opposite stop.

Compliance Tip:

If you have double doors (often called storefront pairs), at least one of the active leaves must provide this 32-inch clear width on its own. If your current door is too narrow, you may need a complete frame and door replacement to achieve compliance.

2. Threshold Heights

A common ADA violation we see in older Denver buildings involves the door threshold. Even if your door is wide enough, a threshold that is too high acts as a barrier to wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.

ADA regulations state that thresholds cannot exceed 1/2 inch in height for standard doors, and no more than 3/4 inch for exterior sliding doors. Additionally, any threshold height between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch must have a beveled slope to allow smooth transition.

Compliance Tip:

During harsh Colorado winters, building shifting and concrete heaving can alter your threshold height. It’s essential to have your thresholds inspected annually to ensure they haven’t shifted out of compliance.

3. Opening Force and Closing Speed

An accessible door must be easy to open. If a door is incredibly heavy or heavily pressurized, individuals with limited upper body strength will not be able to enter your business.

The ADA mandates that the continuous force required to open an interior commercial door must not exceed 5.0 pounds. While the ADA does not specify a maximum opening force for exterior doors (due to wind and building pressurization factors), local Colorado building codes typically require exterior doors to be adjusted to the minimum force possible while still ensuring the door latches securely in high winds.

Furthermore, door closers must be adjusted so that from an open position of 90 degrees, the time required to move the door to 12 degrees from the latch is at least 5 seconds.

Compliance Tip:

Hydraulic door closers are incredibly sensitive to temperature changes. A door that opens easily in the heat of July might become incredibly stiff and difficult to open during a January freeze. We highly recommend seasonal closer adjustments to maintain compliance year-round.

4. Hardware and Handles

Round doorknobs are strictly prohibited under ADA guidelines because they require tight grasping, pinching, and twisting of the wrist.

All door hardware must be operable with one hand and cannot require tight grasping or twisting. This means lever handles, push-type mechanisms, and U-shaped pulls are the standard. Additionally, the operable parts of the hardware must be installed between 34 inches and 48 inches above the finished floor.

When to Consider Automatic Door Operators

If your exterior doors are too heavy to meet opening force requirements (which is common for large glass storefronts facing heavy Denver winds), the most effective solution is installing an automatic door operator.

Push-button operators ensure instant ADA compliance, removing the physical barrier for your customers and modernizing the look and feel of your entrance.

Secure Your Business and Your Customers

Upgrading your commercial doors to meet ADA standards is not just about avoiding fines - it’s an investment in your customers and the longevity of your business.

At Denver Commercial Doors, we are experts in ADA compliance upgrades, hardware replacement, and automatic operator installations. Contact us today for a free compliance assessment and ensure your business is accessible to everyone.