10 min read
Why door hardware is the foundation
An access control reader is useless if the door behind it doesn't latch, the strike doesn't align, or the lock fails in a way that violates egress code. Door hardware is where the entire access system either works or doesn't — which is why it has to be decided in coordination with the access platform, not after.
Electric strikes
An electric strike replaces the stationary strike plate in the door frame. When the access control system grants entry, the strike releases and the door can be pushed open. The latch stays mechanically engaged when the door is closed — so the door is always locked from the outside unless someone has a credential or a key. Electric strikes come in fail-safe (unlocks on power loss) and fail-secure (stays locked on power loss) configurations.
Magnetic locks
A magnetic lock (mag lock) holds the door closed with an electromagnet bonded to a steel armature plate on the door. When power is interrupted — by the access system, a fire alarm, or a power failure — the magnet releases and the door is free to open. Mag locks always fail safe by design, which has significant egress and code implications: a mag lock without proper egress hardware can leave a door unable to release in an emergency.
Electrified locksets and panic hardware
Electrified locksets and electrified panic (exit) hardware integrate the access control release into the lock body or exit device itself. They're generally more expensive than strikes but produce cleaner installs and better egress behavior — particularly important on classroom doors, exterior exits, and corridor doors with code-required exit hardware.
Request-to-exit (REX) devices
Request-to-exit devices tell the access system that someone is leaving — so the door opening doesn't get logged as a forced entry. REX can be a wall-mounted button, a motion sensor mounted above the door, or built into the panic bar. The right choice depends on the door, the traffic, and how the system should behave during the moment between request and actual exit.
Door position switches (DPS)
A door position switch tells the system whether the door is open or closed. Without DPS, the system has no way to detect a forced door, a door propped open, or a door that didn't actually latch after a grant. DPS is cheap, simple, and almost always worth installing.
Power transfer
Electrified hardware in the door (electrified locks, electrified panic) needs power crossing from the frame into the moving door leaf. Power transfer hinges or electric power transfers (EPT) handle that. These components live their lives in motion and benefit from being installed right the first time — they're not the place to cut corners.
Fail-safe vs. fail-secure
Every electrified opening has to be designed as either fail-safe (unlocks on power loss) or fail-secure (stays locked on power loss). The right answer depends on egress requirements, area sensitivity, and life-safety code. A classroom door, a server-room door, and a stairwell door rarely have the same answer.
Why all of this has to be coordinated
Door hardware, life-safety code, fire alarm interface, access control behavior, and the actual door and frame all influence each other. A decision made in one without checking the others is how facilities end up with mag locks on classroom doors that can't release in an emergency, or strikes that bind after the frame settles. Coordination isn't optional — it's the difference between a door that works and one that doesn't.