Door Closer Types and Sizes: Surface, Concealed Overhead and Floor Closers

This guide explains surface, concealed overhead and floor closers as the LCN, Norton and Rixson catalogs describe them, and how our product names show them.

Door closer types: surface, concealed overhead and floor

Surface closer mounting: regular arm, top jamb, parallel arm

LCN lists three mountings for its 4040XP: hinge (pull side), top jamb (push side) and parallel arm (push side). Norton Rixson's surface closers catalog calls the pull side mounting regular arm and describes all three:

• Regular arm - "the only pull-side application where a double lever arm is used" and, according to Norton, the most power efficient. The arm assembly projects directly out from the frame.
• Top jamb - the entire closer and arm assembly project from the frame. Norton calls it, for efficiency reasons, the best alternative to the regular arm; on the 7500 it needs a top rail of just 2-1/8 inches.
• Parallel arm - on the push side of the door, with the arm extending almost parallel to the door; approximately 25% less power-efficient than a regular arm.

LCN designs each 4000 Series closer for a specific mounting, except the 4030, 4030T, 4040XP, 4040XPT, 4050A and 4050AT. Norton's 7500 and 8000 Series come "Tri-Style" packed as standard, for regular arm, top jamb or parallel arm mounting; application-specific versions are also listed.

Closer sizes and spring power

In the LCN and Norton catalogs, closer size describes spring power, numbered 1 to 6. LCN's tables of sizes say "Select closer based on width of door", with separate scales for exterior (and vestibule) and interior doors. Sizes are fixed or adjustable:

• LCN 4010 Series: the 4011 cylinder is adjustable from size 1 through 5 and ships set to size 3; the 4016 is size 6.
• Norton 7500 and 8000 Series: adjustable spring sizes 1 through 6.
• LCN 2010 Series (concealed): cylinders 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 for sizes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The 3130 Series comes in sizes 1, 2 and 3, and its closing power is not adjustable.

For its frame and tube frame closers, LCN's concealed closers catalog says to specify the next higher size where strong drafts exist. LCN also cautions that any manual door closer "selected, installed and adjusted based on ADA or other reduced opening force requirements may not provide sufficient power to reliably close and latch a door."

Hold open, cushion stop and delayed action

• Hold open: LCN codes its hold open arm H, as does Norton's 8000 Series ordering code.
• Cushion stop: LCN's 4030 Cush-n-Stop arm (CUSH) has a stop in the soffit shoe.
• Delayed action: with LCN's delay action cylinder (CYLDEL), the price book orders a 4040XP as model 4041, with a standard (not XP) cylinder. Mounted hinge side, it delays closing from 120 to 70 degrees, adjustable up to approximately 1 minute. Norton's 8000 Series code uses the suffix DA.

Norton's ordering pages add: "Auxiliary stop is required in abusive applications." For LCN arm codes and part numbers, see our LCN door closer parts guide.

Concealed overhead closers

LCN's concealed closers fit "in either the head frame or top rail of the door". Its selection guide sorts them by mounting, for example:

• Concealed in frame: 2010 and 5010 Series.
• Concealed in tube frame: 2030, 5030 and 6030 Series; the 6030 is double acting and non-handed.
• Concealed in door: 3030 and 3130 Series, designed for a 1-3/4 inch interior door.

The 2010, 2030 and 3130 use a single lever arm with track and roller; track options include track with bumper (BUMP), hold open track (H) and both (HBMP).

Floor closers: offset hung, center hung, double acting

Norton Rixson's floor closers catalog says the closer is concealed in the floor and the bottom arm and floor support the weight of the door. Its selection guide starts with the pivot point:

• 3/4 inch offset (model 27): pivot point 3/4 inch from the heel edge and 3/4 inch from the face of the door. Weight to 450 lbs, based on the appropriate number of intermediate pivots.
• Center hung, single acting (model 28): pivot point centered in the thickness of the door. Weight to 350 lbs. The guide notes center hung is "Not for use on fire rated doors."
• Center hung, double acting (model 30): non-handed, maximum door opening 103 degrees.

The model number carries the degree of swing (the dead stop) and the function: S for selective hold open, N for non-hold open, as in the Rixson examples below. A single acting hold open closer holds at exactly the dead stop. Delayed action (DA) lets the door remain ajar at 70 degrees for up to 40 seconds, on closers without hold open. All single acting floor closers are handed.

Complete closer or replacement: the model 27 includes a 180 top pivot; M19 intermediate pivots are required and ordered separately. The LAP option (Less All Parts) is for replacement: "the arm, cover, cement case, top pivot and floor plate are omitted."

How our product names show series, arm and finish

In these examples, the title gives the brand and model first, then options such as arm or track, hand and finish:

• LCN 4040XP-RW/PA-AL - regular arm with parallel arm bracket (RWPA), aluminum.
• LCN 4041DEL-EDA-AL - 4041 with delay action, extra duty arm (EDA).
• LCN 1461-CUSH 689 AL - 1460 Series with Cush-n-Stop arm, finish 689.
• LCN 2015-STD LH 695 - 2010 Series, size 5, standard track, left hand.
• LCN 3132-STD LH 695 - 3130 Series concealed in door, size 2.
• Norton 8501H690 - 8000 Series: 5 = full cover, 0 = standard arms, 1 = adjustable sizes 1-6, H = hold open arm, finish 690.
• Rixson 27105S LH 626 - 105 degrees, selective hold open, left hand, finish 626.
• Rixson 28105N LAP RH - 105 degrees, non-hold open, less all parts, right hand.

LCN's concealed closers catalog names 690 statuary bronze and 695 dark bronze; Norton's catalog names 690 dark bronze, painted. Match the number in our finish codes chart, and the hand in our door handing chart.

Door closers at The Builders Supply

• Door Closers & Operators
• Surface Door Closers
• Concealed & Floor Closers
• Closer Arms, Brackets & Parts

Not sure which closer type, size or arm fits your door? Our customer support team is available Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM Central Time, at 1-888-800-7789 or [email protected].