Understanding ADA Compliance for Café Doors

Understanding ADA Compliance for Café Doors

Designing accessible spaces isn’t just about following regulations—it’s about creating environments where everyone can move comfortably and safely. For commercial settings, understanding how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to swinging café doors is essential.

This guide will help the Swinging Café Doors team—and our customers—understand the basics of ADA compliance for café doors, so you can confidently provide accurate and helpful information.

ADA Door Requirements

The ADA sets specific standards to make sure all doors are easy to use, especially for individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. The main requirements include:

• Clear Opening Width: Doors must provide at least 32 inches of clear width when open at 90 degrees.

• Opening Force: Interior doors should require no more than 5 pounds of force (lbf) to open.

• Closing Speed: If the door has a closer, it must take at least 5 seconds to move from 90° to 12° before latching.

• Maneuvering Clearance: There should be enough clear space around the door for a wheelchair user to approach, reach, and open it easily.

• Hardware Height: Operable parts such as push plates and pulls must be between 34 and 48 inches above the floor and usable with one hand—without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting.

• Protruding Objects: Doors can’t extend into hallways or circulation paths in ways that create hazards.

Single-Action vs. Double-Action Doors

One of the most common customer questions is whether double-action café doors (those that swing both ways and return to center) can be ADA compliant. Here’s what to know:

• Single-Action Doors: These doors swing in one direction and can easily incorporate ADA-compliant closers. They’re generally the simplest and most reliable way to meet ADA standards.

• Double-Action Doors: These swing both directions using spring hinges. While possible, meeting ADA requirements with this setup is more challenging, especially for taller or heavier doors. Hydraulic double-action hardware is available, but it’s typically much more expensive and requires precise installation.

What to Tell Customers

When customers ask about ADA compliance, it helps to keep your message simple and informative. Key points include:

• Café doors can be ADA compliant—as long as they meet width, opening force, and closing speed standards.

• Standard spring hinges often struggle to meet both the 5-pound force and 5-second closing requirements simultaneously.

• For full ADA compliance, recommend single-action doors with an ADA-rated closer.

• If a customer prefers double-action doors, explain that special hydraulic systems can meet the requirements, but they come with higher costs and installation complexity.

Practical Installation Tips

Before installing or recommending café doors, check these details to ensure compliance:

• Verify that the door opening width provides at least 32 inches of clear space.

• Use a force gauge to confirm the opening force is 5 lbf or less.

• Use a stopwatch to ensure the door takes at least 5 seconds to close from 90° to 12°.

• Remember that exterior or fire-rated doors may have different force requirements under local building codes—ADA primarily applies to interior doors.

Special Considerations for Narrow Openings

When an opening is narrower than 40 inches (for example, 39-7/8 inches), splitting it into two café door leaves won’t meet ADA standards. In these cases:

• Each leaf must provide at least 32 inches of clear opening by itself.

• Two smaller leaves cannot be combined to count toward this width requirement.

• The best solution is often a single swinging door that provides the full clearance.

Always encourage customers to check with their local building official or plan reviewer. Requirements can vary depending on whether the door is in a staff-only area or a public circulation path.

Final Thoughts

For most commercial applications, the simplest path to ADA compliance is using single-action doors equipped with adjustable, ADA-rated closers.

While double-action café doors can offer aesthetic and functional appeal, they’re more difficult to certify as compliant and often require specialized hardware and additional investment.

By understanding these standards and guiding customers through their options, we help them achieve safe, stylish, and fully accessible spaces.