Adjustable Astragals and Gasketing

Astragals are often rigid pieces of metal that are installed on the edge of one door in a pair. The long strip of metal will then overlap the other leaf when the doors are closed. This helps close the gap between the pair of doors.

There are options from some manufacturers (such as National Guard Products offered from Beacon CDL) that allow you to effectively seal the gap using gasketing that can be adjusted. Over time, meeting stile astragals may not seal as well.

By using adjustable astragals you can tighten or loosen the seals along the height of the gasketing. This will help keep a good seal over the long run.

Types of Adjustable Seals

There are a couple types of gasketing material that can be used, such as silicone or neoprene. We have discussed these different materials in a previous blog post that you can find here.

In this article today we will briefly look at a few types of adjustable astragals and gasketing. Some are spring loaded and some gasketing is even magnetic.

Adjustable Astragals

Meeting stile astragals with gasketing often just overlap slightly or press against each other when the door is closed. When installed, these may not always create a good seal.

By using adjustable meeting stile astragals, these spring loaded gaskets can be tightened without having to remove and re-install the two pieces on the edge of the door. Ensuring a good seal will help prevent sound or air leakage, among other things.

Adjustable Perimeter Gasketing

Adjust seals around the perimeter of the opening accomplish the same purpose. Over time, perimeter gaskets will not seal as well as they did when first installed. During usage of the opening they can move around and cause gaps to appear.

With adjustable perimeter seals you can tighten the seal against the door to ensure the gaps are closed off.

Magnetic Astragal Seals

There are also seals that have magnets inside that stick to each other when the door is closed. This helps ensure the seals are creating a seal all along the material. These aren’t adjustable like the other seals above, but they are an additional option to consider.