Frameless Glass Doors (Herculite)

Frameless tempered glass doors, often called Herculite doors, give an entrance a clean, open look. We install new frameless doors and repair and replace the patch fittings, rails, floor closers and locks that run them.

How frameless glass doors work

A frameless glass door is a single panel of thick tempered glass, usually 1/2 inch, with metal patch fittings or rails at the top and bottom. The door pivots on a floor closer set into the slab or on top and bottom pivots, and it locks with a bottom rail or patch lock. The name Herculite comes from an early brand of tempered glass door and is still widely used for this kind of door.

Common problems we repair

Doors that swing past closed, close too fast or do not latch, usually a worn or leaking floor closer
Patch fittings that have loosened or slipped on the glass
Doors that drag on the floor or rub the frame because a pivot has worn
Locks that no longer align with the strike
Shattered door glass after an impact or a failed fitting

Floor closers

Most frameless doors are controlled by a floor closer under the threshold. Closers lose their hydraulic fluid over time, especially in heat, and then the door stops closing smoothly or holds open poorly. We replace floor closers and set closing speed and latching speed so the door closes reliably and meets accessibility requirements.

Replacing a frameless door

If the glass breaks, the door is secured temporarily and a new tempered panel is fabricated to exact size, with holes and notches for the fittings. Tempered glass cannot be cut after tempering, so precise measurement is essential. We reuse sound fittings where possible and replace worn ones.