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Another factor to be aware of is how effective the material will be in keeping clean and resisting bacteria, particularly if the building is a hospital or laboratory. Stainless steel is one of the most durable and clean finishes available, but nylon is extremely strong and impact resistant and can even be used on fire-rated doors. The benefit to using nylon? “The surfaces are completely resistant to dirt and bacteria,” says John O’Meara of Hafele America. “They provide excellent hygienic qualities, they are maintenance free, don’t rust or tarnish and can be cleaned with a damp cloth and water.”

If handles are to be made of a material other than metal, like leather, consider how long it will last and how long it will stay clean. Polished brass is a great looking finish, but on a push plate or pull, it can become scratched and tarnished quickly.

Kickplates, of course, are used to preserve the door and it is common industry practice to use them on doors with closers. People often have a tendency when going through a door to grab the handle and kick at the bottom of the door at the same time. Moving equipment through doors is another door abuse factor that kickplates help minimize. They are always mounted on the push side of a door, but if the door will be exposed to wet mops and chemicals, be sure to specify mop plates for the pull side as well. Mop plates tend to be specified about 4 inches in height, just enough to cover the area a mop would brush against a door, whereas the average height of a kickplate is 8 inches high. Armor plates cover a greater area of a door and are generally used to protect a door against carts, gurneys and other equipment that it may come in contact with. A protective plate cannot be over 16 inches in height on a fire-rated door unless specifically tested by the manufacturer. Satin stainless steel BHMA 630 is the most popular material and finish used in commercial work, but most homes have brass plated kickplates on the front door for a more pleasing look.

If protecting the door edges is a concern, guards can be mounted on the door edges to help prevent damage. These are typically used in hospitals. As with the kickplates, they cannot be more than 16 inches in height on fire-rated doors unless tested by the manufacturer.

Protecting a door also includes stopping the door. This can be accomplished with overhead door stops or floor- or wall-mounted stops. Where obstructions to the normal opening of a door occur, such as equipment or cabinets behind a door, overhead stops are an easy solution. Wall or floor stops are most widely used and they are available in a variety of finishes. Residences tend to use spring stops that mount in baseboard and hinge pin stops. Hinge pin stops attach to the hinge pin and stop the door by bumping the frame when the door is opened.