de La Fontaine - doors and frames

Frame profiles and terminology

When selecting a frame profile, you should consider the following aspects:

Fire rating: It is important to find out if special profiles have been fire-tested.
Wall conditions: The profile could be either for drywall or masonry applications.
Wall anchors: Some special profiles may require special anchoring systems.
Door thickness: The dimension of the rabbets must be adapted to the door thickness.
Esthetic: Different profiles are available to meet the design requirements of your project.

Since we brake form our frames, we can manufacture different profiles with the same lead time (2-3 weeks). Brake forming allows sharper bends, which adds to the esthetic value and ease of assembly between the frame components.

Frame profile terminology and typical dimensions

Standard profiles

Equal or unequal double rabbet profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 3 hours.
Application: Standard application.
Benefit: Excellent lead time from all manufacturers.
Limitations: Common design. Minimum jamb depth 3 5/8" (92 mm).
Comment: Unequal rabbet was used in the past to accommodate 1 3/8" (35 mm) thick doors on the smaller rabbet.

Single rabbet profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 3 hours.
Application: Standard.
Benefit: Accommodates smaller wall dimensions.
Limitation: Minimum jamb depth 2 9/16" (65 mm). For fire rating, minimum 4 1/2" (114.3 mm) jamb depth.
Comment: May also be selected for design considerations.

Cased open profile.

Info: Not fire-rated.
Applications: Double acting doors, sliding doors, frames with special gasketing.
Benefit: Door can swing in both directions.
Limitation: No fire rating available since there is no stop in the profile.
Comment: Sometimes used for sound transmission class (STC) and lightproof openings.

Double egress profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 3 hours.
Applications: Cross corridors, smoke partitions, horizontal exits.
Benefit: Control the flow of traffic in opposite directions.
Limitation: None.
Comment: Standard dimension of the smaller face could be either 1 3/8" (35 mm) or 2" (50.8 mm).

Special profiles:

These profiles are only a few examples of what de La Fontaine can do. Our production line is flexible and our people love the challenge involved with manufacturing innovative products; let us know about your special design requirements.

Radius profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 90 minutes.
Recommended application: Special design.
Benefit: Offers more esthetic value.
Limitation: Wide throw hinges may be required for some applications. May requires hardware coordination.
Comment: True radius profile, including at hinge locations.

Less return profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 90 minutes.
Recommended applications: Hotels, assisted living facilities, historic buildings.
Benefit: Accommodates an applied wood molding over the face of the frame.
Limitation: Longer installation time, due to the anchoring system.
Comment: Strength of hollow metal frame with the warm feeling of wood. Wood trim by others. To comply with the fire rating, hard wood must be used.

Shadow line profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 90 minutes.
Recommended application: Special design.
Benefit: Offers more esthetic value.
Limitation: Cleanliness consideration.
Comment: Has been fire-tested by just a few manufacturers.

Split frame profile.

Info: Fire-rated up to 90 minutes.
Recommended application: Prefinished openings and retrofit applications.
Benefit: Reduced coordination and time on jobsite, flexible adjustment, lack of field VOC's.
Limitation: Prefinished product, need to be handle with care.
Comment: Face welded unit available in different configurations; single-frame, double-frame, sidelite, transfom frame and borrowed lite. For more information, refer to the technical data sheet located in the Promotional Brochures section of this binder.