Without a doubt, pivot doors are more in style than ever. Rotating on a vertical axis with nearly invisible components, these swinging doors are characterized by their clean lines, contemporary aesthetic and endless design possibilities – features that make them ideal for a wide array of applications, especially as grand design statements. They particularly stand out, however, for their beautiful and elegant movement that allows smooth transitions between spaces, setting them apart from regular hinged doors. To ensure that this characteristic motion is achieved, two steps are indispensable: selecting high-quality hardware and installing it properly.
To do so, it is always important to be up to date with modern technologies and products, not only to ensure the optimal performance of the pivot systems, but also to enable designers and manufacturers to take their designs to unprecedented levels. With this in mind, FritsJurgens has incorporated new technologies in their new top pivot range in an effort to increase quality, facilitate installation and provide more creative opportunities for all kinds of applications. Therefore, we will present the innovative features of these top pivots, along with detailed tips and tricks on their correct and easy installation.
What is a top pivot?
A pivot door is essentially made out of five components: a door, a pivot system, a top pivot, a floor plate and a ceiling plate. While a pivot hinge system is mortised inside the bottom of the door, the top pivot is mortised inside the top of the door, securing it and anchoring it to the ceiling. These pivot hinges are placed at any desired position in the door, and their placement is crucial because it ultimately dictates the location of the vertical axis – the spindle – on which the door pivots.
A new top pivot family to explore new possibilities
To optimize the use of available space in a doorway, FritsJurgens’ new top pivots (TP-40, TP-70 and TP-CG) decrease the minimum distance between the pivot point and the wall. With high-quality casing and a similar look as the System M family, the designs maintain the unique pivot door movement and flexibility, offering controlled functions such as the soft close or self-closing. They also include several improvements; for example, the pin can extend in 8 screw twists instead of the former 16, making installation quicker. The new top pivots are not available yet, but will be launched soon. Below, we explore their characteristics.
Thanks to the fixed pivot point at 40 mm, the TP-40 is as close as possible to the side of the door. By offering maximum clear width and practically no unused space, it can make the most out of small spaces, becoming an ideal option for standard-sized doors, small doors and renovations.
On the other hand, the TP-70 is an all-rounder pivot that can be placed in any position between 70 mm and the center of the door, also reducing unused space. It can be applied in any type of door and be combined with every FritsJurgens bottom pivot system.
Both the TP-40 and TP-70 are available in two options – Class B and Class G – that differ from each other by the thickness of their pin, making each system fit for purpose. Whereas the first holds doors up to 150 kg, the second is suitable for doors between 150 and 500 kg.
In addition, the cable grommet variant is especially designed to easily pull cables (security, cameras or lighting fixtures) through the door and top pivot. With the components inside the door, the pivot point is flexible from 91 mm to middle placement.
Installation in four simple steps
Once the correct top pivot is selected according to a project’s requirements, the system can be installed. Of course, the process slightly differs depending on the chosen hardware, but essentially comes down to four simple steps.
1. Mount the floor plate
The axis of the pivot system fits in the floor plate, meaning it sets the door in place. To mount it, the milling must first be made in the sill at the correct location. Then, because the floor plate goes into the floor with 8 mm pins, four holes must be drilled 8 mm deep using the right size and type drill (7.5 mm diameter for wood, 8 mm for aluminum). After adding glue to the holes and bottom of the floor plate, the piece can be positioned with the help of a rubber hammer. FritsJurgens offers different floor plates – square, round, Flush rounded, Flush square, with a chemical anchor or 30 mm pins – that can be applied on different sills (wood and aluminum) and on different floor types, whether it be in a single floor or between two different floors with an expansion joint.
2. Mount the ceiling plate
Usually made of stainless steel, the plate guides the spindle of the top pivot into the ceiling to secure the door’s position. After its position is determined with a point laser, a hole is drilled for the tube on top of the ceiling plate, and the screws can be pre-drilled. The top of the plate is then covered with glue and affixed to the ceiling (screws can also be used for additional reinforcement).
3. Mount the door
The door can easily be mounted by lifting the oval spindle on the System M+ or System M into the notch in the floor plate. However, it must be placed in its open position, ideally using an Axle Wrench. Then, the top pivot is extended by turning the hex key in the bottom hole at the top of the door eight times (or sixteen times in the case of the TP-CG).
4. Fine-tune the door
Finally, after the door is installed, there is freedom to slightly adjust its placement until it is perfectly straight by using an adjustment screw. The radial position, closing seam and movement can also be fine-tuned.
To provide more insight and facilitate the process, FritsJurgens has introduced a new stream of Youtube content by product engineer Robin Vos. With his technical expertise, Vos further explains the TP-40 and TP-70 installation in two detailed videos, as well as covering all parts of the product family, the required tools and the fine-tuning process. He also answers more specific questions, such as how to determine the gaps around the door (min 13:38), how to reset the door movement adjustment (min 14:19), what to do when the pivot point is located at more than 230 mm away from the side of the door (min 15:26), or what to do when the floor is not a regular floor (min 16:19).
Although it is true that pivot doors won’t go out of style any time soon, improvements can always be made to enhance their design, beauty and motion. Like Vos suggests, “a perfect product doesn’t exist, there is always room for improvement.” Therefore, innovating and exploring new technologies is key to achieve better quality and installation methods. By empowering architects, manufacturers, installers and homeowners, this ultimately leads to a better design.
For more information on pivot doors and their installation, contact FritsJurgens here.
