3 Factors That Affect Hospital Door Durability

Designing for healthcare, especially when it comes time to specify doors, comes with its own set of challenges. Institutional doors for healthcare facilities must stand up to intense wear and tear while also contributing to a hygienic environment, safeguarding patient privacy, and keeping noise levels down.

Healthcare facility clients may be budget-minded, but they will not want to sacrifice durability. The action moves fast in most healthcare facilities, especially hospitals. People rush from place to place, moving equipment and patients, sometimes in emergency situations. Doors must facilitate their important work, not hamper it. To ensure the doors you specify are durable to handle the client’s future use, consider the following factors.

hospital hallway with wooden doors

1. Impact Edges for Healthcare Facility Doors

One of the keys to making a door highly durable is adding impact edges. With this simple feature, a wood door can withstand impact from stretchers or wheelchairs or gurneys, as well as frequent hard closings, without metal edges.

Masonite Architectural’s impact edge doors come in a wide range of solid colors and woodgrains, to maintain a uniform look. The vertical edges are completely smooth, so they don’t collect dirt and can be easily wiped down. They adhere to superior industry standards.

2. Impact Laminates and Surfaces for Healthcare Facility Doors

A high-impact laminate provides another protective feature, further guarding against daily abuse. It also adds a layer of toughness to the entire door while maintaining visual consistency.

To create the laminate, sheets of resin are bonded at high heat and pressure. The sheets are bonded to the door core, whether particleboard, composite lumber, or speciality cores designed for fire rating or radiation. The .05”-thick laminate faces with five-ply bonded construction and positive pressure fire rating up to 90 minutes.

3. Door Placement in a Healthcare Facility

How you place doors in a healthcare facility can affect the level of wear and tear they endure.

Doors can be strategically placed to allow for a large enough door for the opening to swing into a relatively small space. You must allow for accessibility by wheelchairs and gurneys and enough clearance for showers and toilets. When you can minimize the risk of doors being impacted by objects, you can increase their lifespan and functionality.

Other Considerations for Healthcare Doors

In addition to durability, there are several important factors of door performance to consider for commercial doors in healthcare facilities. An STC-rated door can reduce noise, improving patient privacy and enhancing their recovery.

Frosted glass can be incorporated into doors or used in sidelites and transoms to permit light while enhancing privacy.

Another important factor is safety. Clean-edge doors minimize bacterial growth and allow easy cleaning for infection prevention and control. Lead-lined doors meet safety requirements for rooms where x-ray machines and other imaging equipment reside.

Extensive veneer options introduce the warmth of natural aesthetic elements, which can improve patient comfort, mood and recovery.

Masonite manufactures highly functional doors with healthcare facilities in mind. Choose wood doors for patient rooms, offices, storage areas, imaging rooms, surgical units, and more all from one source. For inspiration, take a look at how a major hospital in Montreal benefited from Masonite Architectural doors.