Accordion-Style Doors for Home Elevators

As you design your custom home elevator, don’t overlook the safety and style of the accordion door. Accordion doors are the standard elevator door found on Symmetry Residential Elevators and are available in a variety of standard and optional laminate panels, unfinished hardwood veneer, acrylic, and aluminum.

What are Accordion Doors?

Accordion sliding doors are collapsible elevator car gates. Regular swing doors are installed on each elevator landing, while the accordion door collapses into a pocket of the elevator car when opened. This allows you to match landing doors to your home decor. All landing doors have a locking device to ensure the elevator will not operate when the doors are open, and to make sure landing doors cannot be opened when the elevator is not at the landing.

Accordion doors must be closed before the elevator operates, and can be either manually or automatically opened.

 ASME Oversight and Accordion Door Standard Features

Elevator door dimensions must meet requirements set out by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). ASME oversees elevator door height, locking devices, and safety standards, among other requirements. For accordion doors, the height of the opening must be either 7’0” or 7’11”. The mechanical locking hinging used for accordion-style doors must meet the deflection requirements of ASME A17.1.

Standard Symmetry Elevator accordion doors are made from laminate paneling and are available in light oak, birch, or white.

Optional Accordion Door Features

In addition to the elevator door heights given above, ASME also allows a height of opening from 6’8” to 8’0”, which is often more convenient for home installations. Additional options include an automatic door opener and a light curtain, a safety feature that detects a person or other obstruction in the path of the doorway. If an obstruction is detected, the accordion door stops closing and immediately opens to prevent injury or damage.

Wooden Accordion Doors and Additional Panel Options

Standard laminate panels are not the only options available when choosing accordion door panels. Symmetry also offers laminate panels in dark oak, chalk, antique white, cherry, walnut, or black, so you can choose a style and color that best matches your home decor. Wood accordion doors made from unfinished matching hardwood veneers are also available and can be stained to meet your needs. If you prefer a modern look, consider clear or smoked acrylic, or choose between solid and perforated aluminum panels.

Accordion Door Hardware

Symmetry Elevator accordion doors typically come with bronze hardware, with the exception of white, chalk, and antique white doors. For clear acrylic panels, clear hardware is the most common choice, although stainless steel and black fixtures are also available. You can specify which hardware color you want when you place your order.

While accordion doors are standard on most home elevators, Symmetry Elevators offers many options for customizing your home elevator. Download the Accordion Door information sheet to see our many accordion door panel options, and then contact a Symmetry Elevator dealer to discuss how a residential elevator can change your home and your life.