Imagine pushing a door with all your strength, only to feel it resist, close too fast, or not open wide enough. For individuals with disabilities, this frustrating experience is far too common. That’s why the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets strict standards to ensure doors are accessible to everyone.

One often-overlooked part of door accessibility is the door closer, it controls how quickly and smoothly a door shuts. If it’s too heavy or closes too fast, it can create a serious barrier. So, what are the requirements, and how do you choose an ADA compliant door closer?

ADA compliant door closer

First Things First, ADA Door Closer Requirements

There are 3 important requirements that door closers must be able to provide to meet ADA compliance.

  • Clear Opening Width: Doors must provide at least 32 inches opening width when the door opens to 90 degrees.
  • Door Opening Force: Requires below than 5 lbs to open the door, allowing easier door operation for everyone.
  • Door Closing Speed: Making sure doors don’t slam shut and close too fast.
    • Doors with closers should take at least 5 seconds to move from the open position at 90 degrees to 12 degrees from the latch.

These guidelines are created after testing and research to create the parameters for equipment that ensures safety and comfort for everyone.

Reducing Door-Related Injuries with Commitment to Accessibility

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, an estimated 1.4 million door-related injuries occurred between 1999 and 2008—that’s roughly one injury every four minutes. One of the most common door-related injuries involves fingers or hands getting caught, often due to poorly designed or forceful door mechanisms.

To reduce these incidents, self closing door closers designed and developed door closers that take more than five seconds to close, preventing doors from slamming or pushing back against users. Besides, these closers include all critical door hardware codes, which make them safe and user-friendly for everyone—including children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

Waterson ADA Compliant Door Closer Solution

Waterson believes in our vision to provide accessibility for everyone including elderly, children, and individuals with disabilities. The ADA provides a crucial benchmark and so we’ve made it our mission to not only meet these guidelines but to engineer products that offer even greater convenience and performance.

  • ADA Compliant: Allow accessibility, provide convenience and smooth operation for everyone, including children, the elderly, and disabled people.
  • Self Closing Mechanism: With built-in spring mechanism, automatically closes the door after every use, providing safety.
  • Durable material: Made with 304 and 316 stainless steel
  • Fire Rated: Certified with 3-hour UL-list and NFPA 80 to resist high temperatures and maintain barrier integrity under extreme fire conditions.
  • Rustproof and corrosion resistant: Withstand harsh environment conditions, like rain and humidity.
  • ANSI/BHMA A156.17 Grade 1: Proven durability with over 1,000,000 cycles. Guaranteed by 3-10 years of warranty, ensure longevity in high-use and high-stress conditions.
  • Heavy Duty: Waterson door closers efficiently support significant loads and are designed for high-traffic and high-stress environments.
  • Adjustability: designed with an adjustable numerical panel that allows users to adjust to the desired closing force and ensures an effective door closing, helping to resolve misalignment, perfect for commercial areas.
  • Anti slam feature: Protect doors and its frame from sudden closing, wind force, preventing injuries and eliminating disruptive slamming noises with controlled closure.
  • Hydraulic closer: Use fluid dampers to gradually soft close the door, effectively held from strong wind, absorbs shocks and vibrations, preventing damage.
  • Modern design: Enhances the aesthetic appeal while maintaining functionality

Our Residential ADA Door Closers Applications

Palm House Hotel | Palm Beach, FL

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River Electric Resort | Guerneville, CA

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ROSS Store | Columbus, OH

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Idyl Fenway Apartments | Boston, MA

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Yes, Waterson door closers meets the USA standard (ANSI/BHMA A156.7, Template Hinge Dimensions) Therefore, you can safely replace the existing hardware with Waterson.

Hydraulic door closers have a buffering feature that allows the door to close even slower when entering a certain angle, can only use on the door that opens ≤ 120° and at temperature > 32°F (0°C)

Yes. Waterson self and soft closing door closers are perfect for outdoors, We usually provide K51MP for exterior use.

For more information, check out our Self Closing Outdoor Gate Closers here.

Waterson Self Closing ADA Compliant Door Closers

Waterson self closing door closers combine the function of an overhead closer and a hinge into a single, sleek component—complete with optional hold-open and door-stop features. Designed for commercial openings, gates, and glass doors, these hinges are easy to install and adjust to meet ADA and ICC A117.1 standards for opening force, while ensuring quiet and secure closure. Crafted from durable stainless steel, they are NFPA 80 compliant, UL 3-hour fire-rated, and built to perform reliably in both interior and all-weather exterior environments. See all our features.

In addition to these performance advantages, Waterson offers flexible customization services. As a direct custom hinge manufacturer, we can tailor hinge sizes, finishes, and especially hinge leaf designs to meet the specific structural needs of your doors. This makes our hinges an ideal solution for door manufacturers seeking custom options that integrate seamlessly with their existing frames.

Request For Information

Please note that Waterson Closer Hinges start from a size of 4″x4″. If you’re in need of smaller self-closing hinges, we’d recommend checking out some other resources! Also, we only provide single acting closer hinges. Thank you.

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