For some applications there is no truly adequate substitute for an overhead stop. Yet many times they are omitted from from hardware schedules where they should be used. But unless concealed OH stops are included at the design stage, retrofitting surface stops to a job after the fact can present a significant challenge.
All overhead stops and holders are designed to accomplish basically the same goals, but in differing situations. If it is a stop, its purpose is to stop the door before it hits something, usually a wall. If it is a stop and holder, its purpose is to stop the door and, under the right circumstances, hold the door open. Overhead stops protect the door closer arm, and they can also make it more possible for the door closer to shut the door in high winds when the stop is templated to allow the door to open to 90 degrees or less. Maximum degree of opening with an overhead stop tends to be in 110 degree range.
Installation of surface-mounted models is simple except when a door closer is involved. Then an amount of thinking and/or additional parts may be required. This is one of the main reasons overhead stops are not often used. However, in at least one circumstance there is no comparable substitute; that is, exterior, high-use, out-swinging doors that are frequently exposed to high winds.
Most overhead stops are sized according to door width and type of hinge used, for example, you would use a 792S (size 2) for a butt hung door with an opening width of 23-1/16 inches through 27 inches, and a 793S for a door with butt hinges that is 27-1/16 inches wide through 33 inches wide. This is information found in the installation instructions. There are also adjustable overhead stops available from most manufacturers; one example is the ABH 1000A series.
Glynn Johnson 70 and 79 Series Surface Mount Overhead Stops
The 70 series is heavy duty and the 79 is extra-heavy duty. These are overhead stops for doors that are regularly exposed to high winds and/or abuse.
At left is a drawing of the 79 Series installed. You can see the problem of where to put the door closer.
One solution might be the LCN 1460 with 62A shoe that significantly lowers the door closer on the door as shown below:
The drawing above comes from a GJ / LCN applications guide I stumbled upon many years ago. If you look at overhead stop installation instructions, you’ll see they don’t mention a door closer. I have searched for other guides that show door closers with overhead stops, but I have found none.
If you have an aluminum-and-glass narrow stile storefront door with a 3-1/2-inch top rail, you can see that dropping the door closer this much might be a problem. At best, there would need to be a drop plate added that would show through the glass. Not pretty. Another common solution with all surface mount overhead stops is to install the stop on the push side of the door and the closer on the pull side – a viable choice on interior doors, but not usually on exterior doors.
Glynn Johnson 90 Series Surface Mounted Overhead Stops
This is the most common type of surface mounted overhead stop, and all overhead stop manufacturer’s make something like it.
In the drawing above you can see the space it takes up on the door. Here’s how it translates into an application with a door closer:
As you can see, this is not too bad as hardware conflicts go. The measurements are tight, but do-able.
Rixson Series 7 Surface Mount Overhead Stops
Rixson doesn’t talk much about this overhead stop in their catalog. They say it is ‘industrial duty,’ so, I guess, it must be well suited for high use and abuse environments like factories and warehouses. Much like the heavy spring on the GJ 70 series above, the cantilever design works as a shock-absorber. I included it because if its unique design, which is to say it looks kind of cool.
Rixson 6 Series Concealed Overhead Stops
All overhead stop manufacturers make concealed overhead stops.
Concealed overhead stops have the distinct advantage that they interfere much less with the door closer installation, however they often make a difficult retrofit, especially on wood doors, sometimes requiring that the door be taken down so the mortise for the track can be cut in.
On a fire rated door this would most likely void the rating.
Like most Rixson overhead stops, the 6 Series is also available as the 6ADJ Series adjustable version.
Shock absorption is achieved by a heavy spring inside the track. The spring engages at the last seven inches of swing, affording a significant layer of protection for the door closer.
The picture taken from the Rixson 6 Series installation instructions shows how much real estate is left on the door for a door closer, and illustrates how much better it is to be working with a concealed overhead stop rather than a surface mounted one.
