Door Industry Journal - Winter 2012

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 44 THE door industry journal winter 2012 doorsets WHY THE ARCHITECT WILL BENEFIT FROM SPECIFYING DOORSETS When it comes to specifying doors, the architect has to make a choice. Should he choose a ready made doorset, or ought he instead decide a door assembly should be made up on site from individual components? In this article, the Door & Hardware Federation outlines the benefits of choosing the complete doorset. To start with, let us define what is meant by a doorset. It is a complete unit, designed and engineered to meet specific performance requirements, and is manufactured to exacting and consistent standards. It is usually delivered to site as a completely pre-assembled unit for installation into the building, A door assembly, however, comprises constituent parts from various sources that are assembled on site to make up the finished door. So what are the benefits of the completed doorset compared to on-site fabrication? A doorset comes complete with straightforward and unambiguous documentation. This enables the specifier to determine the performance requirements for an intended application, so ensuring he chooses the right doorset for the purpose. It gives the specifier vital assurance on quality control. The doorset supplier has complete control over the quality and compatibility of all individual components and materials comprising the completed doorset. This ensures the product delivers dependable and consistent performance standards. It also gives the guarantee that the doorset supplier alone is responsible and accountable for the performance of the entire doorset. Choosing a completed doorset offers the specifier many other benefits, too: • Factory preparation of the doorset ensure more accurate, speedy and precise installation on-site • Doorsets reduce the potential for on-site health and safety issues concerning assembly and door ironmongery preparation • The specifier, client and contractor benefit from economies in the supply chain thanks to fewer purchasing transactions • Pre-assembled doorsets mean there is less chance of loss or pilferage on site • Specifying a doorset is the “green” option for specifiers - much less waste is generated on-site when compared to on-site fabrication of individual door assemblies. The Door and Hardware Federation has long championed the benefits of doorsets. Specifying doorsets from DHF members gives the architect the added benefit that members adhere to the compulsory minimum standards of capability, customer service and quality which are a compulsory condition of DHF membership. Architects face another consideration when choosing doorsets. From July 2013, when the new Construction Products Regulation comes into being, CE marking will start to become compulsory. A doorset cannot be placed on the market without a CE mark if it is covered by a harmonised standard. (Where the harmonised standard has not yet been published, CE marking will become compulsory at a later date, possibly a year or more after 2013). Only a pre-assembled doorset comprising all the necessary constituent parts from a single supplier can be CE marked (It can still be CE marked if it is delivered in the form of a factory-prepared kit ready for assembly with simple tools on site). It cannot be CE marked, however, if the parts come from more than one source or if not all parts are included, or if assembly involves more complex construction methods on site. Sources of further help for the architect and specifier: • The DHF publication: Specifying CE marked doorsets, a guide for building professionals, is available for free download from http://www.dhfonline.org.uk/downloads/pub185.pdf • The DHF presentation on CE marking and its specific application to doorsets is currently being presented to RIBA member architects around the country under the RIBA Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme. PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS WITH OUR HELP Low Cost and Free Publicity - You can benefit from some help in promoting your business, its products and services on the Door Industry Journal Blog in return for a voluntary contribution towards our layout costs (typically £25). But if you advertise with us, you will receive the publicity absolutely free of charge (see below). To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / word count and then advise you when it will be published. Extra benefits for our advertisers - If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will also qualify for regular free postings on the Door Industry Journal Blog while you continue to advertise with us. Visit our Blog to see the kind of publicity we provide: www.doorindustryjournal.blogspot.com Email your articles to: mail@doorindustryjournal.co.uk BLOGGING