Commercial Door Hardware for Shed?

[slim_grim]

Hey all.

My moto shed has a pair of home built doors that are about 3' each. I'm putting a cat door in one soon so that our outdoor cat can escape the cold this winter. As such, my wife will be in and out of the shed pretty often. My current door latch lock is a bit fussy, so it's a good time for an upgrade. I'd really like these door to be setup like commercial doors. I'm thinking a vertical exit device on the right side to replace the barrel locks and a normal exit device on the left for daily use.

Has anyone used the cheap units like found on the big online store, or is this a place where it's worthwhile to spend more money? Anyone have experience with some door hardware that they can recommend I check out? Bonus points if I could find one with a keypad.

I suppose it probably makes more sense to just keep it as-is and add a keypad deadbolt. My brain worm disagrees though...

 

[Rusted Nut]

To use crash bar style in your photo, you will need to add a mullion between the two doors. Commercial crash bars aren’t cheap either. Personally, I’d go a bit simpler.

 

[slim_grim]

To use crash bar style in your photo, you will need to add a mullion between the two doors. Commercial crash bars aren’t cheap either. Personally, I’d go a bit simpler.

A mullion is needed even if one of the doors has vertical locks? Doesn't seem like it would be.

I'm leaning towards a keypad deadbolt for simplicity sake.

 

[MovingAlong]

My current door latch lock is a bit fussy, so it's a good time for an upgrade.

Has anyone used the cheap units ...

You've got contradictory statements there. Upgrading to a cheap unit is probably not going to generate the results you're hoping for.

I'd treat it like any other set of french doors, fix one side with pins and use standard door hardware on the other. (and yes, add a T-shaped Astragal to the fixed door)

 

[slim_grim]

You've got contradictory statements there. Upgrading to a cheap unit is probably not going to generate the results you're hoping for.

I'd treat it like any other set of french doors, fix one side with pins and use standard door hardware on the other. (and yes, add a T-shaped Astragal to the fixed door)

This is how it's currently setup. It sort of has an astragal in the sense that one door overlaps the other. I figured that the cheap hardware could be fussy.

A keypad deadbolt is looking pretty appealing.

 

[Jmonnty]

Your pic above is called rim by vertical rod, the rim mounted on the RHR door and surface vertical rod on the LHR it used to more common when functional trim on vertical rods didn't exist. The leaf with the svr has a surface strike, no need for a hardware mullion.

What would be cheaper is hollow metal pair with flushbolts and z astragal, and a lock set on the active leaf. Accentra nex touch is my choice on a keypad lock

 

[Rusted Nut]

A mullion is needed even if one of the doors has vertical locks? Doesn't seem like it would be.

I'm leaning towards a keypad deadbolt for simplicity sake.

No mullion needed if you go with vertical rods.