Door closers are available with 5 different surface mounting options. Each mounting option can be used only when certain conditions are met at the opening.

Not every door closer mounting option can be used on every opening. One of the main determining factors for mounting options is the type of closer arm that comes with the closer.

Other considerations include the location of the opening, the head face dimension on the frame, the top rail dimension of the door, the dimension of the reveal, the usage of the door, as well as aesthetics. Some of these mounting options are used more often than others.

In this blog post we will focus on surface mounted door closers since they are more common than concealed door closers.

Door Closer Mounting Options

  1. Regular Arm Mount
  2. Parallel Arm Mount
  3. Top Jamb Mount
  4. Track Arm Mount
  5. Corner Bracket Mount

These 5 door closer mounting options all require a certain type of closer arm to be installed correctly. For example, a parallel arm cannot be installed as a track arm mount. The manufacture will supply the correct door closer arm required for the type of door closer mounting option you specify.

1. Regular Arm Mount

Door closers with a regular arm will be mounted on the pull side of the opening. The closer body is mounted to the top of the door and the closer arm is attached to the face of the frame head. The closer body will require the top rail of the door to be wide enough for installation otherwise a mounting plate will be needed for proper installation.

 

 

The regular arm closer is often not preferred when aesthetics are a concern due to the closer arm sticking out perpendicular to the face of the door when the door is closed.

2. Parallel Arm Mount

Parallel arm door closers are mounted on the push side of the opening. The closer body is mounted to the top of the door and the parallel arm is fastened into the soffit at the head of the frame. If the top rail of the door is narrow a mounting plate will be required for the closer body. When the door is closed, the parallel closer arm folds so that it is parallel to the face of the door making it less noticeable and is preferable when aesthetics are a concern. Parallel arms also travel in such a way to allow built-in closer arm stops to be added allowing more control at the opening.

 

3. Top Jamb Mount

Top jamb mounted closers are used where the top rail of the door is narrow and the closer needs to be installed on the push side of the opening. With the closer body mounted to the face of the frame head and arm attached to the face of the door, it is somewhat more aesthetically pleasing than installing the closer body on the face of the door with a mounting plate. The length of the arm is a consideration based on the reveal dimension.

 

The “reveal” is measured from the push side face of the door to the face of the frame in the closed position.

4. Track Arm Mount

Track arm closers have a roller that runs along a metal channel track as the door opens and closes. The track arm can be mounted on the push or the pull side of the opening. In both cases the closer body is mounted to the face of the door. For push side mounting the track is attached to the soffit of the frame head. When installed on the pull side the track is mounted to the face of the frame head. However, the closing power on a track arm is not always as strong as traditional closer arms.

Stanley_ARM_TRACK

Track arms sit very neatly against the face of the opening which is aesthetically pleasing on both the push and pull side installations.

5. Corner Bracket Mount

Corner bracket mounted door closers are the least common of the surface mounted closer options. It is really only required when the door has an angled or arched top rail. A bracket is attached on the pull side of the opening in top corner of the frame and the closer body is installed onto the bracket while the arm is attached to the face of the door. The corner bracket will project into the clear width opening of the frame when the door is opened which may pose a problem with headroom clearance.

See examples of some corner bracket mounted closers for arched doors at idighardware.com.

Other Door Closer Mounting Considerations

  • For doors installed at exterior locations, the closer should be mounted inside of the building where possible.
  • On interior openings, closers are often specified to be installed on the least public side of the openings. This way they will be out of view in common areas but will still perform their basic function.
  • In some cases, such as schools, closers are specified to all be parallel mounted. This is due to the possibility of regular arms being damaged or abused by school kids who pull or hang on the regular arm that sticks out.
  • Some mounting options will restrict the degree of opening so be sure to check manufacture data to see if a certain closer arm application will allow for the degree of travel you are expecting.
  • For high traffic areas a heavy duty forged parallel arm will likely last much longer than a track arm application.

For questions or special applications please contact a Beacon CDL sales representative who can help you find the right solution for your door closer requirements. Also learn about LCN door closers from Allegion.