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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a rail do that a patch fitting does not?
It spreads clamping load along the whole edge rather than concentrating it at corners.
That suits large and heavy panes particularly.
It provides continuous fixing for locks, pivots and closers.
It also gives the door a visual top or bottom.
Patch fittings grip only at the corners.
Which is chosen depends on pane size, hardware and appearance together.
What is an over-panel connector for?
It transfers the top pivot's load into the fixed panel above and the structure.
In a full-height entrance the door and over-panel are separate sheets.
The top pivot has to bear against something.
The connector is carrying that reaction rather than covering a joint.
It is a structural component rather than a trim.
Its capacity has to suit the door weight and width.
Does the same fabrication constraint apply?
Fully - cut-outs and hole positions are fixed before toughening.
A rail is dimensioned to one specific pane.
A pane a few millimetres out is a new pane.
Setting-out has to be resolved as one assembly rather than component by component.
Door, over-panel and side panels are dimensioned together.
Survey of the actual opening precedes ordering rather than following it.
How deep should a rail be?
Deep enough for the hardware it has to house, before appearance is considered.
A lock or floor spring connection needs a stated minimum depth.
A deeper rail also gives more clamping length.
A shallower rail is less visually intrusive.
The hardware decision therefore comes before the aesthetic one.
Manufacturers publish which hardware each rail height accepts.
Are rails needed top and bottom?
Not necessarily - it depends on the hardware and the look.
A bottom rail alone is common where a floor spring is used.
Top and bottom rails give a more framed appearance.
Some assemblies use patch fittings at the top and a rail below.
Structural requirements for the pane size come first.
Manufacturers state what combinations are permitted for a given door size.
What finish should be specified?
One that survives both the environment and the cleaning regime.
Entrance rails sit in the wet and collect grit.
Cleaning chemicals attack some finishes more than weather does.
Stainless grades differ considerably in coastal conditions.
Anodised and powder-coated finishes have their own limits.
Matching finish across an entrance is usually a design requirement as well.
Can rails be retrofitted to existing glass?
Only if the pane already has the necessary cut-outs and dimensions.
Existing panes are rarely dimensioned for a rail that was not planned.
The pane cannot be trimmed to suit.
Hardware cut-outs in the wrong place cannot be moved.
In practice retrofitting means new glass.
Where a change of appearance is wanted, pricing new panes at the outset avoids disappointment.