Founded in 1946, DAWSON remains the leading manufacturer of high-quality metal fabrications and architectural products. When it comes to balanced doors, DAWSON is the global manufacturer that vendors prefer above all others, incorporating the most innovative technology with exceptional attention to detail, to ensure superior quality.
DAWSON’s headquarters is located in Jamestown, NY.
BALANCED DOORS
The DAWSON balanced door serves as its signature, and most long-lasting, achievement.
CASE
STUDIES
Discover some of DAWSONS most notable collaborations documented in detail
NEW PRODUCTS
AUTO-OPERATED BALANCED DOOR SYSTEM
DAWSON’s engineers designed this system so that the closer is eliminated from the balanced hardware which creates a truly free swinging door with no resistance.
DAWSON’s newly designed system utilizes the Record 8100 series, auto operator. This operator fits nicely in a 6” high x 6” deep header and offers several enhanced features compared to the older, outdated system.
The Record 8100 series operator features include an internal clutch/brake system that maintains door position at the fully-open and/or fully-closed position. Additionally, a power assist mode is available which provides additional opening force thus greatly reducing the amount of force required to open the door in manual mode (as little as 2 pounds of opening force can be achieved).
Balanced doors are known for their ease of operation regardless of the size and weight of the door leaf.
In order to meet strict building codes and ANSI standards, these low-energy operators cannot exceed 15 pounds of opening force during either the opening or closing cycle.
BALANCED DOOR INSTALLATION VIDEOS
DESIGN & EDUCATION (FAQs)
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Sometimes referred to as “pivot doors,” balanced doors offer various benefits that should be considered when designing your next entrance. Their high functionality and beautiful aesthetics make it a suitable choice for public, commercial, and monumental facilities.
One of the features which distinguishes DAWSON balanced hardware as innovative is that the operating mechanism is located in the head instead of the floor.
Fun Fact: Balanced doors were originally designed to combat high-wind areas and stack pressure from high-rise buildings. Their design used the differential of interior and exterior air pressure to open the door instead of against it.
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Yes.
DAWSON’s balanced doors are capable of meeting all ADA requirements without the need for power operators.
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Yes.
Both NFPA 101 and the IBC state that when panic hardware is used on balanced doors, the panic hardware must be “push-pad” (touchpad) style, and the pad shall extend no more than one-half the width of the door.
This differs from the requirements for panic hardware on standard swinging doors, where the pad must be at least one-half the width of the door.
The reason push-pad/touchpad style panics are required, in lieu of crossbar style, is because pushing on the wrong end of a crossbar style panic device will not open a balanced door due to the pivot configuration.
With a push-pad/touchpad style panic, it is more obvious that pushing on the pad will allow egress, and it is less likely that someone will push on an area of the device that will not open the door.
A DAWSON signature product, our industry-leading balanced doors open with ease thanks to a unique dual pivot and rolling guide mechanism that works to equalize air pressure. Our balanced door products are offered in a variety of configurations, materials, and finishes to achieve your look.
DAWSON doors are manufactured to meet ADA requirements and guidelines.