Electric strikes, maglocks and electrified door hardware
For property managers, building owners, general contractors and door hardware suppliers in Alberta and BC who need doors that lock, unlock and release the right way.
Updated
The quick answer
Every access-controlled door needs electric hardware that locks and unlocks on command: usually an electric strike, an electrified lock or exit device, or a maglock. The right choice depends on the door and frame, how people leave, whether the door is in an exit path, and how it must behave on a fire alarm or a power failure. We choose the hardware with you, coordinate with your door hardware supplier, the door operator company and the fire alarm contractor, and test every door before handover.
Types of electric door hardware
| Hardware | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Electric strike | Replaces the strike plate in the frame. The door’s latch stays; the strike releases it for an approved fob. | Common on single doors with lever handles. Comes in fail-safe and fail-secure versions. |
| Electrified lock | A lock with an electrically controlled handle, built into the door. | Neat and secure; power has to reach the door through the hinge or a door loop. |
| Electrified exit device | A crash bar that always lets people out. Electric latch retraction pulls the latch back so the door opens from outside. | Suits double doors and busy entrances, and works well with automatic door operators. |
| Maglock | An electromagnet on the frame holds a plate on the door, with no latch. | Must release on fire alarm and power loss and has stricter code rules. Not right for every door. |
| Door position switch and request-to-exit | Tell the system when a door is open, forced or held, and when someone is leaving. | Needed for door alarms and for logs that make sense. |
Fail-safe or fail-secure?
| Term | What it means | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Fail-safe | Unlocks when power is removed. | Maglocks, and doors that must release on a fire alarm, such as many stair doors. |
| Fail-secure | Stays locked from outside when power is removed. People inside can still leave with the handle or crash bar. | Exterior doors, storage and equipment rooms, and most office doors. |
Backup batteries keep doors working through short outages. See what happens to doors in a power outage.
Coordinating with the other trades
Door hardware supplier
- Confirms the door, frame and hardware schedule
- Supplies or prepares doors and frames for electric hardware
- We match our readers, power and wiring to their hardware
Automatic door operators
- The accessible push button only works when the door is unlocked or a fob is shown
- The door unlocks first, then the operator opens it
- We connect access control to the operator and test it with the operator company
Fire alarm contractor
- Fire alarm work belongs to them
- Doors that must release on a fire alarm connect to the fire alarm output
- We test the releases together before handover
Codes, exits and fire alarm release
Doors in an exit path must always let people out. Maglocks and some electric locks on exit doors have extra building code rules, such as releasing on fire alarm and power loss, and stair doors have their own re-entry rules. We plan every door with your consultant and the local fire authority. For stair doors, read our guide to stairwell re-entry and crossover floors.
This is general information, not code advice. Your consultant and the authority having jurisdiction have the final say.
When a door isn’t working
Most door problems come down to the hardware, its power or how it’s set up. Our help guides cover the common ones: a door strike that won’t unlock, a maglock door that won’t lock and doors left unlocked after a fire alarm.
Same-day service is available, and our System Rescue team fixes doors other companies installed.
Hardware we install
We install electric strikes, electrified locks, exit devices, closers and operators from Dormakaba and other commercial makers, chosen to suit the door and your access control system, and MTech locks for hotel guest rooms. You get a door schedule, admin access and full documentation on every project.
Doors that won’t lock or won’t release?
We’ll look at the door, frame and hardware and recommend a fix or a replacement, coordinated with the other trades.
Related: access controlstairwell re-entryfob reader not workingwashroom access controlelevator access control
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
Help: Export Avigilon video
Electric door hardware questions
What’s the difference between an electric strike and a maglock?
An electric strike sits in the frame and releases the door’s own latch. A maglock holds the door shut with a magnet and has no latch.
Which is more secure, a strike or a maglock?
It depends on the door. A strike keeps the door’s mechanical latch, while a maglock’s holding force depends on power and has stricter code rules. We recommend per door.
What does fail-safe mean?
Fail-safe hardware unlocks when power is removed. Fail-secure hardware stays locked from outside, while people inside can still leave.
Will our doors unlock during a fire alarm?
Doors that must release on a fire alarm connect to the fire alarm output, set up and tested with your fire alarm contractor. Not code advice.
Can we put a maglock on any door?
No. Maglocks have extra code rules, especially on exit and stair doors. We plan each door with your consultant and fire authority. Not code advice.
Can a door with a crash bar be on access control?
Yes, with an electrified exit device or a strike made for exit devices. People inside can always push the bar to leave.
Can the accessible push button work with access control?
Yes. The button only opens the door when it’s unlocked or a fob is shown, and the door unlocks before the operator opens it.
Do you install door closers and operators?
We install Dormakaba closers and operators, and where another company services your operators, we coordinate with them and connect the access control.
Can you fix doors another company installed?
Yes. Same-day service is available, and our System Rescue team takes over and fixes doors and systems other companies installed.
More answers: Access control questionsGlossary: credentialfail-safe vs fail-secure
Get a door hardware quote
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