Parker Custom Security replaced a worn pair of back-of-house steel doors at Kilroy's Supermarket, 288 Rock Road in Glen Rock, New Jersey, in Bergen County. The old green doors were dented, rusted along the bottom, and left a gap where the two leaves met, and a handwritten sign on one leaf told staff not to open it because it was broken. Parker installed a new pair of hollow metal doors with vision lites, a surface vertical rod exit device and a closer on each of the two leaves, and keyed lever trim on the outside. Because each leaf has its own exit device, either door opens with a single push from inside. The rods latch at the head of the frame, with no bottom rod or floor strike for carts and pallet jacks to catch. Parker installs panic bars and exit devices across Northern New Jersey, New York City, and Westchester County.
The new hollow metal pair from inside: a surface vertical rod exit device and a closer on each leaf.
Replacing the Back-of-House Double Doors at Kilroy's Supermarket in Glen Rock
A supermarket's back doors work harder than almost any door in the building. Deliveries come in, trash and cardboard go out, and carts, hand trucks, and pallet jacks bang into the leaves all day. Years of that left this pair of doors at 288 Rock Road dented, rusting at the bottom, and out of line, to the point where staff had taped a sign to the glass telling people not to use one leaf.
Kilroy's brought in Parker Custom Security to replace the doors and the exit hardware together, so the opening would close, latch, and let people out the way it is supposed to.
Project Details
The Challenge: Worn Steel Doors on a Busy Back Entrance
From outside, one leaf was visibly dented and pushed out of line with the other, the vision lite was covered with tape and paper, and the bottom of the leaf no longer sat cleanly at the sill. From inside, rust and worn paint ran across the lower half of the doors, daylight showed through the gap at the meeting edges, and a sign on the glass read "Do not open this door, it's broken."
Before, from outside: the old green pair, with one leaf dented and out of line.
Before, from inside: rust along the bottom, a gap at the meeting edges, and a do-not-open sign.
- A door staff could not trust: one leaf was labeled broken, which defeats the point of an exit.
- Worn, rusted leaves: the bottoms of the doors had taken years of carts and moisture.
- Gaps at the meeting edges: light coming through means weather and pests can come through too.
- One panic bar for two leaves: the old pair had a bar on one leaf only, so the other leaf depended on it.
Sound Familiar? Back-Door Problems Bergen County Businesses Know
If you run a supermarket, restaurant, warehouse, or shop in Glen Rock, Ridgewood, Fair Lawn, Paramus, or anywhere in Bergen County, you have probably heard at least one of these:
- "Don't use that side, it sticks." A pair of doors where only one leaf works halves the opening for deliveries and for getting out.
- "The bottom of the door is rotting out." Rust at the bottom of a steel door usually means water, salt, and cart damage have been at it for years.
- "The floor latch keeps getting smashed." Bottom rods and floor strikes on a busy service door get bent, jammed with debris, and knocked out of line.
- "Can we just put a new bar on it?" A new panic bar on a bent, sagging door will not latch reliably for long.
The Solution: A New Hollow Metal Pair with Surface Vertical Rod Exit Devices
Parker replaced the doors and the hardware as one package:
- Hollow metal doors: a new pair of steel doors, each with a vision lite so people can see through before opening.
- Two surface vertical rod exit devices: one on each leaf, with the rod running up the face of the door to a latch at the head of the frame. Either leaf opens with a push on the bar.
- Top rods only: no bottom rods or floor strikes, so nothing sits at the floor for carts and pallet jacks to hit.
- Two closers: a surface closer on each leaf, so both doors close and latch on their own.
- Outside lever trim: keyed lever trim on the outside of both leaves, so staff with a key can get in while the doors stay locked from the outside.
Is Your Back Door Taking a Beating?
Parker replaces worn steel doors and panic hardware for stores and commercial buildings across Northern New Jersey. We will look at the opening and give you a free estimate.
Why Surface Vertical Rods Fit a Supermarket Pair
On a pair of doors, the exit hardware has to latch somewhere. A rim exit device latches to the other leaf or to a center post, which means one leaf depends on the other, or a post sits in the middle of the opening. Surface vertical rod devices latch each leaf directly to the frame, so the full width stays clear for deliveries and both leaves work as exits.
Mounting the rods on the surface of the door, instead of inside it, also keeps service simple: an adjustment or a replacement part does not mean taking the door apart. On a back-of-house door that gets hit every day, that matters.
Surface vertical rod exit devices and surface closers on a new hollow metal pair in Glen Rock.
Exit Device Types for Commercial Double Doors: Design & Specifications
Pairs of doors are where exit device choice matters most. These are the main options Parker installs on commercial double doors in New Jersey and New York:
Exit devices for pairs of doors
- Rim exit devices with a removable mullion: each leaf gets a rim device that latches to a center post. The post can be removed to open the full width for moving large items.
- Surface vertical rod (SVR): rods on the face of each leaf latch at the head of the frame and, if specified, at the floor. No center post. Used here in Glen Rock.
- Concealed vertical rod (CVR): the rods run inside the door for a cleaner look. Common on storefront and lobby doors, harder to service.
- Less bottom rod (LBR): a vertical rod device with the top latch only. It keeps the floor clear on high-traffic service doors.
- Fire exit hardware: on a fire-rated pair, the exit devices must be listed as fire exit hardware, and the rod configuration has to match what the door and hardware listings allow. See our guide to fire-rated doors.
Hollow metal doors and hardware
- Construction: steel face sheets over a reinforced core, hung in a steel frame. The standard door for service entrances, stairs, and exits.
- Vision lites: small glass panels let staff see who or what is on the other side before pushing the door open.
- Closers: a closer on each leaf brings the door shut and lets the latch engage every time.
- Outside trim: lever trim with a key cylinder allows keyed entry from outside, while the door always opens freely from inside.
- Hardware package: exit devices, closers, trim, and kick plates are part of Parker's commercial door hardware installation work.
The Finished Result
Kilroy's back entrance now has a pair of solid steel doors that close, latch, and open the way they should. Either leaf can be used as an exit with a single push, the floor is clear for deliveries, and from outside the doors stay locked behind keyed lever trim. The handwritten sign is gone.
After, from outside: the new pair with keyed lever trim and vision lites.
A new hollow metal pair at the store's service entrance.
- Dented, rusted green steel doors
- One leaf marked "do not open"
- A gap at the meeting edges
- A single panic bar on a pair of doors
- New hollow metal pair with vision lites
- Both leaves open with a single push
- Surface vertical rods latching at the head, with a clear floor
- A closer on each leaf and keyed lever trim outside
Why Northern New Jersey Businesses Choose Parker Custom Security
Glen Rock is Parker's first featured project in Bergen County, alongside work in Essex County such as the storefront and fire-rated door replacement in Newark and the church access control and intercom project in West Orange.
- In business since 2003: more than two decades of commercial doors, frames, and hardware.
- Doors and hardware from one team: steel doors and frames, aluminum entrances, and panic bar and exit device installation, so the door and the hardware are fitted together.
- Work around your operation: door replacements are scheduled around deliveries and business hours.
- Licensed, bonded, and insured, serving Northern New Jersey, all five boroughs of New York City, and Westchester County.
Planning Door Work in Bergen County?
Whether it is one worn back door or every exit in the building, Parker Custom Security will look at the openings and give you a clear scope and estimate at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who installs panic bars and commercial doors in Bergen County, NJ?
Parker Custom Security installs hollow metal doors, panic bars and exit devices, closers, and other commercial door hardware across Bergen County, including Glen Rock, Ridgewood, Fair Lawn, Paramus, and Hackensack, as well as Essex, Hudson, and Passaic Counties. At Kilroy's Supermarket in Glen Rock, Parker replaced worn back-of-house double doors with a new hollow metal pair and surface vertical rod exit devices. Parker has served commercial buildings since 2003. Call (212) 491-5627 for a free estimate.
What is a surface vertical rod exit device?
A surface vertical rod exit device is a panic bar with a rod mounted on the face of the door that runs from the bar's center case up to a latch at the head of the frame, and sometimes down to a latch in the floor. Pushing the bar retracts the latches. Because each leaf latches to the frame or floor instead of to the other leaf, a pair of doors with surface vertical rods does not need a center post, and each leaf opens on its own.
Why use top rods only on a pair of commercial doors?
A top-rod-only setup, often called less bottom rod, latches each leaf at the head of the frame and leaves nothing at the floor. That suits back-of-house and service doors, where hand trucks, pallet jacks, and carts roll through the opening and bottom rods and floor strikes get bent, clogged with debris, or knocked out of line. Whether a top-rod-only setup is acceptable depends on the door, the hardware, and, on a fire-rated opening, the hardware's listing.
Do supermarket back doors need panic hardware in New Jersey?
It depends on the building's occupancy classification and occupant load. New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code is based on the International Building Code, which requires panic hardware on certain exit doors, mainly in assembly and school occupancies above set occupant loads. Every exit door must still open from the inside without a key or special knowledge. Many supermarkets and retailers put panic hardware on back-of-house exits either way. Your local code official makes the final call.
Should I replace the whole door or just the panic bar?
If the door is straight, solid, and closing properly, a new exit device on the existing door is often enough. If the door is dented, rusted at the bottom, sagging, or leaves a gap at the meeting edges, a new bar will not latch reliably for long, so replacing the door is usually the better value. At Kilroy's Supermarket in Glen Rock, the old doors were worn badly enough that Parker replaced the doors along with the hardware.
How much does it cost to replace commercial double doors with panic hardware in NJ?
Cost depends on the size of the opening, whether the frame is replaced, the door gauge and core, vision lites, the type of exit devices, closers, outside trim, and any masonry or concrete patching. A pair of doors with two exit devices costs more than a single door with one. Parker Custom Security prices each job after a free on-site assessment in Northern New Jersey, New York City, and Westchester County.
Can the doors be replaced while the store stays open?
Usually, yes. A back-of-house door replacement is scheduled around deliveries and store hours, and the opening is never left unsecured overnight. Parker also works in occupied apartment buildings, churches, and schools, where the same sequencing keeps people moving through the building while the work is done.
