Adding Security Features to Wood Doors in Office Construction

Wood doors lend themselves to all kinds of design scenarios, sometimes simply adding beauty and style to a space, and other times performing as part of a complex safety protocol. Office buildings tend to fall into the latter category, as security is usually a high priority. Office construction clients need to think not only about the safety and security of their personnel but about expensive equipment and sensitive information.

The state of physical security has ramped up with new technology like biometrics and AI, but wood commercial doors—themselves a timeless design feature—can adapt to most client needs. Below are some ideas to consider when specifying wood doors for offices. Modern office doors have to do it all.

Security for Modern Office Doors

A commercial wood entry door presents many options in terms of construction. Add hardware and electronic access control, and you have a whole array of moving parts that must work together.

Some offices rely on electronic locks which are activated by RFID devices like keycards. However, many companies are moving beyond this once popular technology since they worry cards being lost, damaged or hacked. Some newer offices use “smart doors” that interact with employees’ smartphones and with a centralized security hub, which may or may not be on the premises. These allow a user to lock or unlock a door from anywhere.

Also growing in popularity are biometric scanners, which scan fingerprints or faces.

Alarms remain an important element for office doors, of course. An alarm might be used to signal when someone tampers with a locking apparatus or if a door is left open too long.

While it’s possible to retrofit existing doors, new construction or remodelling presents an ideal opportunity for a company to install all new doors with up-to-date security features

Security of the Office Doors Themselves

 

The difference that these high-tech solutions signal is that most facility owners worry less about brute force entry than about insider or “professional” crime. That means, while some commercial design clients once insisted on steel, they are willing to give commercial wood doors a fresh look.

That is not to say that wood doors are weak! A 20- or 90-minute fire resistant core adds a tough extra level of durability. Impact-resistant surfaces and edges can further reduce the risk of damage from an attempted forced entry. These performance features also help wood doors stand up to frequent use and last a long time.

Security Features for Commercial Office Doors

Brooklyn Craft e-Commerce Headquarters Office

An advantage of wood is that it is relatively easy to custom cut to accommodate any security additions. Whether you need them designed for traditional locks and deadbolts or for cutting-edge security scanners, they will serve each need.

 Experts expect the adoption of biometric tools to increase in the 2020s. These can be installed to work in conjunction with electric strikes to permit entry for authorized users. Electric strikes, used in place of traditional strike plates, work well for wood doors but wouldn’t work as well with, for example, glass.

Another trend affecting work space design and construction is the rise of coworking spaces. These locations cater to gig workers or remote employees by providing a place they can use at their leisure. As you can imagine, security is a big concern when many people have access to a building. Wood doors can provide the hip, modern look that these facility owners often want while also accommodating keypads and smartphone scanners.

 The bottom line is, wood architectural doors are versatile enough for any office or mixed-use application, balancing appearance and performance. Talk with your customers about their security needs, and contact Masonite Architectural for help specifying the ideal solution.