Are you worried about your staff or customers scuffing up a brand new door that you’ve just had installed? You can ask people to be careful. But, few people can train themselves out of opening the door with their feet when they’re carrying something. With a kick plate, you don’t need to ask them to.
What is a Kick Plate?
A kick plate is a thin metal plate that we can install on a door in order to protect it from kicks, scuffs, and other wear and tear. They are typically made of stainless steel or aluminum, and are typically 0.05 inches thick, which translates to 18 gauge in steel and 050 aluminum. You can get thicker kick plates if you need them.
We install a kick plate on the push side because no one kicks the door from the pull side. It should be between eight and sixteen inches high, depending on how much coverage your door needs. It should also be two inches thinner than the width of the door, so it doesn’t stop the door from opening properly.
The Benefits of a Kick Plate
Most obviously, a kick plate will keep your door looking good even after it has been pushed open with feet a few times. Kick plates will therefore extend the lifespan of your door, so that you can go longer without replacing it. They can also add a more style to your door and space. Many kick plates have stylistic elements and can make your door look better than it does now.
Who Can Use a Kick Plate?
What kind of properties may benefit from having kick plates installed on their doors?
- Retail: Customers and staff both will open doors with their feet and a kick plate will help keep the door in good condition despite this.
- Warehouses: People are a bit more likely to be carrying things in and out of warehouses, so kick plates are a good idea. Although, you may benefit from other protection plates too.
- Schools: Children are rougher with doors than adults are, and a kick plate is a good investment to prevent them from scuffing the door.
- High-traffic: Any building with high traffic will benefit from a kick plate because the more traffic the more wear-and-tear the door will have to handle.
Other Protection Plates
If your doors might be scuffed by something other than someone’s shoe, you might consider a different kind of door protection plate for your door. Other options include:
- Mop plates: Mop plates are smaller plates meant for the inside of the door. They protect the door from being scratched by mops.
- Stretcher plate: This plate is installed in the middle of a door to protect it from impact by stretchers, gurneys and other medical equipment.
- Armor plates: Doors that might be impacted by equipment at multiple heights may benefit from an armor plate. They start at the floor and can be as tall as you need to protect your door.
Wondering if a kick plate is right for you? Reach out to us at CLAD to discuss your options.
