Steel Doors and Frames in North York: Hollow Metal, Traffic Doors and an Accessible Washroom for a New Toys "R" Us

A new Toys "R" Us store was being fitted out in North York, and every door behind the shop floor went into a new opening. ZGMEI Inc. was the general contractor. Canuck supplied and installed the hollow metal doors and frames, with their glass, louvers and hardware; double traffic doors in stainless steel frames; an automatic door operator; and a universal washroom kit.

We received the project in late July 2023. The work ran from August to October 2023.

Four decades of doors for names Ontario knows — Canada’s Wonderland, Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire, the LCBO, Metrolinx, Marriott & Hilton hotels, the University of Toronto — plus thousands of businesses across the GTA. Dependable people, quality products, since 1979.

What went in

The steel doors are the back-of-house doors: stockrooms, receiving, service rooms. Some have vision lites, some have louvers for air, and the exit doors have panic bars. The traffic doors go where staff push through with carts and stock: double swing doors that open both ways, in stainless steel frames that stand up to knocks.

Frames first

The job was awarded on the understanding that the steel frames could be delivered within a week. The contractor needed them on site to finish building the openings.

On new construction, the steel frame goes in first, and the wall is built around it. So the frames were the urgent part: the general contractor could not complete the openings until they were on site. Once the hollow metal shop drawings were approved in early August, the frames were ordered and delivered to site promptly.

The doors followed a different sequence. The doors and frames had to be painted before the louvers, glass and hardware went in, so the hollow metal was installed straight away and the crew came back after painting to finish each door. That meant several visits to complete the steel door part of the job.

Traffic doors, and a changing design

The traffic doors had their own shop drawings, and the design changed several times before they were approved. They went into production in September, were ready in October, and the crew returned to install them and complete the remaining items. The delay was worked through with the manufacturers, and the job was finished as planned.

Questions this job answers

Why are steel frames needed before the doors on new construction?

Because the frame is part of the wall. On new construction the frame is set first and the wall is built around it, so the contractor needs the frames early to complete the openings. On this job the frames were delivered promptly once the shop drawings were approved.

What is a traffic door?

A double swing door that opens both ways, used where staff push through with carts, stock or trolleys. On this job the traffic doors are in stainless steel frames, by Super-Seal Manufacturing.

Why paint doors before fitting hardware and glass?

So the finish goes on cleanly and the hardware and glass are not painted over. On this job the doors and frames were painted first, and the louvers, glass and hardware were installed afterwards.

What is a universal washroom kit?

A package of hardware that makes a single-user washroom accessible: typically an automatic door operator, push buttons and a locking and occupancy system. This job included one, with an automatic door operator.

Where this sits

This was steel door and frame and traffic door work in a new retail store in North York. For the same work on your building, start with the steel doors in North York page.