On a new commercial build, the automatic entrance is one of the last things installed and one of the first things inspected. That combination gets general contractors in trouble. The opening gets framed to the wrong dimension, the power never got pulled to the header, or the operator shows up three days before the owner walks the building. Then the punch list has a door on it, and the door is the item everyone can see.
CSC Automatic Doors has worked with builders and facility owners across central Arkansas since 1976. Here is what we ask general contractors to think about early, so the entrance is a non-event at closeout.
Get the Spec and the Rough Opening Right Before Framing
Automatic door packages are not interchangeable. A sliding package, a swing operator on an existing frame, and a full-height storefront slide all need different rough openings, different headers, and different structural support above the opening.
Before the opening is framed, we want to confirm:
- Which door type the architect actually specified: sliding, swing, or a low-energy operator on a manual door
- The finished rough opening width and height, including header depth for the operator housing
- Whether the header can carry the operator and door weight, and what backing is needed
- Interior versus exterior swing, and whether the door serves as a required means of egress
- Breakout requirements on sliding doors, which affect frame and jamb detail
- Floor conditions: slab flatness at the threshold and the drainage slope at the sill
Fixing a rough opening after the storefront glass is set costs far more than a fifteen-minute conversation during framing. Send the door schedule and the elevations to your automatic door contractor while the walls are still on paper.
Power and Low-Voltage Have to Be in the Drawings
The single most common delay we see is electrical. The operator needs dedicated power terminated at the header, in the right location, on a circuit that is actually live when the door is installed. If the electrician runs it after the ceiling is closed, someone is opening the ceiling back up.
Coordinate these items with your electrical sub during rough-in:
- A dedicated circuit stubbed into the header at the operator location, per the manufacturer's requirements
- Conduit or raceway for wall-mounted push plates on both sides of the opening, at accessible mounting height
- Low-voltage pathways for hardwired actuators, card readers, or access control
- Fire alarm interface wiring where the entrance ties into the building's alarm or egress release
- Any conduit needed for vestibule doors to talk to each other on a two-door entry
Actuator height and location matter more than people expect. A push plate mounted where a door swing blocks it, or too far from the opening, does not meet the intent of the code and will get flagged.
Design ADA Compliance In, Do Not Patch It On Later
Accessibility is far cheaper to build than to retrofit. The approach to the entrance, not just the door itself, is part of it: the clear floor space at the actuator, the slope of the walk leading in, the threshold height, and the maneuvering clearance on the pull side of a swing door.
Low-energy operators used for accessible entrances have specific opening speed, hold-open time, and closing force requirements. Those are set and verified by a certified technician with the proper gauges once the door is installed and powered. They are not something the field crew adjusts with a screwdriver, and they are not something to guess at before an inspection.
If the accessible route or the actuator placement is wrong, the fix usually involves concrete, not hardware. Catch it at the site plan stage.
Schedule the Install Before the Final Walkthrough, Not During It
Automatic door operators have lead times, and the install itself is not a same-day drop-in. The unit is mounted and wired, the door is hung and squared, sensors are aimed, and then a certified technician commissions the entrance: opening and closing speeds, hold-open timing, closing force, sensor detection zones, and the safety re-open behavior.
We ask GCs to build in time for three things after the door is physically installed. First, the electrical connection and startup. Second, commissioning and safety adjustment by an AAADM-certified technician. Third, a short owner turnover so the facility staff knows how to run the daily safety check, where the manual release is, and who to call.
Put the door on the schedule at least a few weeks before the owner walks the building. An entrance that is commissioned, tested, and documented before the walkthrough stays off the punch list.
Bring Us In Early
If you are building or remodeling a commercial building in Little Rock, Conway, North Little Rock, Benton, Bryant, Maumelle, Jacksonville, Searcy, Russellville, Cabot, Sherwood, or Hot Springs, send us the plans while the opening is still a line on a drawing. We will confirm the rough opening, tell your electrician exactly what to run, and get the install on the calendar ahead of your closeout date. Call CSC Automatic Doors at 501-548-2374 and we will walk the job with you.
Frequently asked questions
When should a general contractor bring in the automatic door contractor?
As early as the design and framing stage. The rough opening dimensions, header support, dedicated power location, actuator conduit, and accessible approach all get set long before the door ships. A short review of the door schedule and elevations during rough-in prevents the two expensive fixes: reframing an opening after storefront glass is set, and opening a finished ceiling to pull power the electrician missed.
What electrical does an automatic door need on a new build?
At minimum, a dedicated circuit terminated at the header in the operator location, per the manufacturer's requirements, plus low-voltage pathways for push plates on both sides of the opening, any access control or card reader wiring, and a fire alarm interface where the entrance is tied to the building's alarm or egress release. The exact circuit and conduit requirements depend on the operator specified, so confirm them with the door contractor before the electrician rough-ins.
Can our crew set the door speed and closing force after installation?
No. Opening speed, hold-open time, and closing force are safety settings that have to be measured with the proper gauges and set to the applicable standard. That commissioning is done by a certified AAADM technician after the door is installed and powered, and it should be completed and documented before the owner walkthrough. Call CSC at 501-548-2374 to schedule it.