How to make your space with ADA stanards accessible beautifully

A favorite of architects, designers and contractors, our glass sliding doors meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards without sacrificing design aesthetics.

These interior sliding doors solve for everything, from a clear path of travel to accessible operating hardware, while also eliminating the need for a swinging door application. We offer design teams the best of both worlds: beauty and function. Here’s a quick Q&A with details and visit our ADA compliance page to learn more.

Q: DESCRIBE HOW KLEIN’S PRODUCTS MEET OR EXCEED ADA STANDARDS.

A: The Americans With Disabilities Act requires a variety of installations. Our frameless glass doors meet or exceed ADA standards for:

• - Path of Travel – Our frameless glass doors have no hardware or tracks in the path of travel. Not only does this allow wheelchairs to pass smoothly over a threshold, it also reduces trip hazards.
• - Doorways – To be ADA accessible, doorways must be between 32-48 inches. With our glass sliding doors, there is an almost infinite possibility for door widths.
• - Sliding vs. Swinging Door – In most swinging door applications, you are forced to occupy the space needed for the door to open, making it difficult for wheelchair access or causing the operator to move more than necessary. Our glass sliding doors eliminate the issue and offer greater ease of use due to the minimal operating space needed.
• - Thresholds – Since no floors, tracks or thresholds are needed in most applications, this diminishes the potential for uneven floors and obstacles.
• - Force and speed – The Americans with Disabilities Act requires a maximum opening and closing force of five pounds. Our frameless glass doors have a very light opening force (always four pounds or less, or less than 1% of the door’s mass). And with frameless glass doors, the weight is supported on overhead rollers, making it even easier to open or close the door.
• - Operating hardware –Klein’s glass sliding doors accept all types of ADA accessible hardware, including full-height ladder pulls.

Q: WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL CHALLENGES WITH THE CLIENT WHEN IT COMES TO NEEDING ADA COMPLIANT PRODUCTS?

A: Many times designers must sacrifice design aesthetics for a space to be ADA accessible. Our glass sliding doors allow for both utility and design aesthetics, all while adhering to ADA regulations.

Q: WE KNOW IT CAN BE EXPENSIVE FOR COMPANIES TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE ADA REQUIREMENTS. HOW DO KLEIN PRODUCTS HELP THEM DO SO IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER?

A: In many cases the client incurs no additional cost by using glass sliding doors to be ADA accessible. The product does not need to be modified or altered in any way to become ADA compliant.

Q: HOW DOES KLEIN DESIGN FOR BEAUTY AND FUNCTION WHILE INCORPORATING ADA REQUIREMENTS?

A: Klein designs every product with both form and function in mind. By designing the best-looking and best-performing products possible, we are simultaneously making them more accessible. For example, increasing the quality of our rollers allows them to operate more smoothly and with less force. Also, eliminating floor tracks at door openings provides a cleaner look while also eliminating a potential obstacle.

Klein’s goal is to always make the best product possible in all regards. We ensure this by exceeding all safety testing regulations, and design products with all types of users in mind. Because our products are so versatile, the users of our frameless glass doors vary greatly.

The same product could be used in an elementary school with small children, a nursing home with elderly patients, an energetic office or a quiet library, a high capacity sports facility or a private residence. We ensure sure all of the glass sliding doors we offer meet or exceed Americans With Disability Act standards so they can be used and enjoyed by everyone.