Side-by-side comparison
| Hollow metal (steel) | Aluminum storefront | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Back and service doors, exits, utility rooms, stairwells | Customer entrances for retail, offices, plazas and restaurants |
| Glass | Solid, or with a small vision lite | Mostly glass for visibility |
| Strength | Very resistant to impact and abuse | Strong frame, but glass and narrow stiles are more exposed |
| Fire rating | Often available as labelled fire-rated doors and frames | Generally not used where a fire-rated door is required |
| Common hardware | Cylindrical or mortise locks, exit devices, heavy-duty closers | Narrow-stile locks, pivots or continuous hinges, panic bars, automatic operators |
| Look | Plain and functional, can be painted | Clean, modern storefront appearance |
When hollow metal makes sense
Choose steel where security and durability matter more than visibility: rear and loading doors, exit doors, mechanical and storage rooms, and openings that need a fire rating. Steel doors and frames can be painted and fitted with heavy-duty hardware.
When aluminum storefront makes sense
Choose aluminum and glass where customers need to see in and find the entrance easily. Storefront doors come in narrow, medium and wide stile versions; wider stiles leave more room for locks and exit hardware and stand up better to heavy traffic.
Repair or replace?
- Rust through the bottom of a steel door or frame usually means replacement.
- A bent aluminum stile or frame, often after a break-in, can stop the door from lining up.
- Repeated alignment problems point to worn hinges, pivots or frame damage.
- Old hardware that cannot be matched may justify a new door.
A frame that is square and undamaged can often be kept, which saves cost and disruption. That is decided on site.
A third option: frameless glass
For offices and modern storefronts, frameless glass doors give the most open look, with pivots and patch fittings instead of a full frame.
Get advice for your opening
See hollow metal door repair and replacement, aluminum storefront door repair and replacement and new storefront entry systems, or request a quote with photos of the opening.
