Magnetic Lock Installation & Door Hardware

Maglock or electric strike?

An electric strike works with the door’s existing latch: the lock stays in place and the frame releases it. A maglock has no latch at all and holds the door by surface contact. Maglocks suit some doors where a strike won’t fit — glass, aluminum storefront, or doors with no room in the frame — but they depend on power and need dependable release on exit.

What gets checked at the door

The header and frame must be strong and wide enough to mount the magnet; the door must close fully so the plate meets the magnet; and an outswing or inswing door needs different brackets. A door closer that no longer pulls the door shut has to be dealt with first, or the lock can’t hold.

Power, release, and safe exit

A maglock is fail-safe: it releases when power is lost. People inside must be able to leave without special knowledge, so the release arrangement — a motion sensor, push-to-exit button, or integration with fire alarm — is part of the plan. Which arrangement a particular door needs depends on that building, how the door is used, and the requirements that apply to it, so it is worked out for each project with the owner and any other trades involved. We don’t promise blanket code compliance.

Part of an access-control or ButterflyMX project

A maglock can be the release hardware for access control or a ButterflyMX entry. Whether a particular system supports a given lock — voltage, relay, and power supply — is checked for that system, not assumed. On a ButterflyMX project, we install the maglock and certified subcontractors perform the ButterflyMX product installation and certified connections. Electrical work beyond the door hardware, panel installation, and software setup are identified before anything is promised, along with who handles them.

Building approval

In a multi-unit or managed building, the owner, board, or managing agent approves changes to a shared entrance. Bring them in early, especially if the door is a required exit.

What affects the quote

Describe the door, the frame, what should release the lock, and how people leave, and you’ll hear what the project involves before work starts. The main factors:

• Door material and swing direction
• Frame and header strength
• Holding force needed
• Exit release: sensor, push button, or fire-alarm tie-in
• Power supply and connection to the access or intercom system
• Electrical work beyond the door hardware, and who handles it

Common questions

What happens to a maglock in a power outage?

It releases. That is why maglocks are paired with a dependable exit arrangement and why some doors are better served by an electric strike.

Do you handle the wiring and the system too?

We install the maglock and coordinate its connection within the agreed scope. Electrical work beyond the door hardware, the panel, and system software are identified up front, along with who is responsible for them.