Does a Hollow Metal Door Need the Same Edge on Both Sides?

If you've worked with hollow metal doors for a while, you've probably seen both beveled and square edges specified on door schedules.

Most of the time, the two edges are treated as the same. A door is ordered with a beveled edge, or it is ordered with a square edge.

But that's not always how we look at it when we're building a custom door.

The hinge side and the lock side have different things going on. The hinge has to let the door swing properly, while the lock side has to close into the frame and work with the latch and strike. Once you start looking at the hardware, it makes more sense that the two edges don't always have to be identical.

Start With the Hinge

Depending on the hardware, the hinge side may need a particular edge configuration or a certain amount of clearance. That's something worth checking before the door is fabricated.

A beveled edge may work perfectly well with one hinge setup and not be the right choice for another. The answer isn't really "beveled is better"or "square is better."It depends on the hardware and the way the door is supposed to swing.

This is especially worth watching on projects where the hardware has already been selected.

The Lock Side Is a Different Story

The lock edge has a different job. As the door closes, the edge needs to move cleanly into the frame, while the latch, strike, and other hardware need to line up and operate properly.

For that reason, a beveled lock edge can still make sense even when the hinge side needs to be square.

There's nothing unusual about that from a custom manufacturing standpoint. Each side is being configured for what it needs to do.

So, Do Both Edges Have to Match?

Not necessarily.

There are practical reasons many hollow metal door manufacturers use the same edge on both sides. It keeps production more standardized and reduces the number of configurations that have to be managed.

For a standard door, that's often the easiest way to do things. But custom manufacturing doesn't have to work that way.

If the hinge requires a square edge and the lock side calls for a bevel, the door can be built with different edge configurations on each side.

That's one of those small details that doesn't always show up in a product catalog, but it can matter once you're dealing with specific hardware.

What Should You Check Before Ordering?

If you're putting together a door schedule or sending a hollow metal door package out for pricing, it's best to check a few things before simply writing "beveled"or "square".

Start with the hinge. A spring hinge and a ball-bearing hinge have different operating characteristics, so their hinge-side clearance requirements may also differ. The edge should be selected to suit the actual hinge being used.

Second, What Does the Hinge Side Need?

Don't assume a beveled edge will work for every hinge. The hinge, door edge, and frame need enough clearance to allow the door to swing properly.

Third, What Do You Want on the Lock Side?

The lock side can be specified separately. If a beveled lock edge is preferred, it can be combined with a square hinge edge when the hinge and frame requirements call for it.

And finally, check the clearances.

Door edge, hinge, frame, and hardware all have to work together. A small detail on the shop drawing can turn into a much bigger headache if it isn't caught until installation.

A Little More Detail in the Door Schedule Can Help

This is also where a little extra information in the door schedule can save some back-and-forth later.

Instead of simply listing:

Door edge: Beveled

it may be worth identifying which edge the note applies to, especially when specific hardware has already been selected.

Something as simple as:

Hinge edge: Square

Lock edge: Beveled

gives the manufacturer a much clearer picture of what the project is actually asking for.

And if the hardware isn't finalized yet, that's worth knowing too. The manufacturer can then flag the edge configuration for confirmation before production.

How We Look at Beveled Doors at McMason

At McMason, we don't look at a beveled edge as just a standard feature that has to be applied to the entire door.

On a custom hollow metal door, the edge needs to make sense with the hardware, frame, and application.

That's why we're comfortable looking at the hinge edge and lock edge separately when the project calls for it.

Our beveled hollow metal doors can be configured around project-specific requirements, including the hardware preparation and edge configuration.

The important part is getting those details sorted out before fabrication starts.