Guide to Commercial Locks

Determining which locks best serve the unique security needs of your commercial property can be a daunting task, especially when considering how wide a variety of lock types are out on the market today. Here’s a guide from the commercial locksmith experts here at DKNY Locksmith on the most commonly installed commercial lock types you can find in secure business operations today.

Cylindrical Lever Locks

These common locks are made up of interior and exterior levers, an interior and exterior rose, a latch, a cylinder, and a chassis. The locks of this variety is housed within the lever. These locks may appear like push button lever locks, but differ in that they can be operated with either a key or push button – with the push button being on the interior, while the keyed end of the lock is on the exterior. They are ideal choices for high volume traffic.

Mortise Locks

These highly popular commercial door locks are durable and reliable, and are ideal for high volume and high traffic areas. They are made up of a lock body, through spindle, strike plate, lock cylinder, and of course – the handle. They can also be outfit with different features like face plates and unique hardware called escutcheon (or rose) plates. The deadbolts within the mortise lock bodys are hard to reach, making mortise locks incredibly resistant to forced entry attempts. Mortise locks usually last for an incredibly long time making them ideal choices for budget-conscious installation.

Keypad Locks

Incredibly popular today for commercial and even residential settings, these locks allow for programmable codes to be issued to multiple users, eliminating the need for keys. They additionally offer the potential for master key control settings and the programming of security hierarchies that allow individuals to access specific areas, but not others, or only access certain areas at certain times. Some completely keyless keypad lock setups cannot be bumped, picked, or otherwise bypassed by the traditional methods used by burglars, making them a very secure choice – especially when paired with biometric lock features.

Panic Bars

These locks have a different function than traditional locks, as they are built with exit rather than entrance in mind. These keyless panic bars work through the connection between a bar and latch. When the bar is depressed, it’s internal mechanics pull back the latch that keeps the door closed, allowing for the rapid opening of the door. Panic bars are installed with rapid exit and egress in mind, in order to aid potential emergency situations like fires. They are usually required in almost every commercial setting, and are usually built to be fire resistant or fire proof.

Electric Strikes

These locks can be considered a mixture between keypad door locks and panic bars in that they are electrically powered, with unlocking and exit in mind. They come in fail-safe and fail-secure varieties. Fail-secure electric strike locks unlock when their circuit is closed, and an electric current is applied. Fail-safe electric locks can be opened when the circuit and electrical current is disrupted. This means that fail-safe locks will remain closed and locked when power is off, and that fail-secure locks will be opened when power is off. The choice between fail-safe and fail-secure stop is a consideration building management makes based on factors including building layout, the amount of employees, the security level, and what sort of emergency plan is in place. Electric strike locks are chiefly best for commercial buildings that experience high-volume and regular foot traffic, in order to both restrict secure areas as well as ensuring that all foot traffic moves through one secure path.