The Door Schedule and Hardware Schedule Are Among the Most Complex Documents in Any CD Set - and Among the Most Scrutinized During Bidding
Doors and door hardware are among the most detailed and specification-intensive elements in a commercial building. A typical office building may have 50-200 doors, each potentially with different hardware requirements depending on the door's function, fire rating, security level, ADA requirements, and acoustic requirements. The door schedule - a matrix listing every door by number, with its size, material, fire rating, frame type, and hardware set - and the hardware schedule - which defines the hardware components in each hardware set used in the door schedule - together form the complete specification of door and frame construction for the project. These documents must be technically correct and coordinated with the architectural plans, fire compartmentation drawings, and Division 08 specifications. The ARE PDD exam tests door schedule and hardware schedule production as a construction document competency.
Door Schedule Organization
A door schedule typically includes columns for: Door Number; Door Size (width x height x thickness); Door Material (wood, HM, aluminum, glass); Door Type; Frame Material; Frame Type; Fire Rating; Hardware Set Number; Notes (special requirements). Every door on the floor plan has a door number in a circle or tag; that number references the row in the door schedule. The schedule provides contractors and suppliers all the information needed to fabricate and supply doors and frames without reference to the floor plan.
Hardware Sets
Instead of specifying hardware for every door individually (which would require a unique list for each of 150 doors), architects group doors with the same hardware requirements into hardware sets. Hardware Set 1 might be: standard interior office door (lever handle, passage latch, door stop, standard hinges). Hardware Set 5 might be: rated stairwell door (panic hardware/exit device, door closer, kickplate, lever trim on stair side, coordinator if pair of doors, door stop). The hardware schedule defines each set's components by ANSI/BHMA standard, function, grade, and finish. Hardware specifications are found in Division 08 30 00 (Specialty Doors and Frames) and 08 70 00 (Door Hardware) of the CSI MasterFormat.
ANSI/BHMA Hardware Grades
Door hardware is rated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) under ANSI/BHMA A156 series standards. Grade ratings by cycle testing: Grade 1: Heavy duty; 250,000+ cycles; commercial/institutional (hospitals, schools, high-traffic offices). Grade 2: Medium duty; 100,000-250,000 cycles; light commercial (small offices, interior residential doors). Grade 3: Light duty; residential. Commercial projects: Grade 1 required for all exterior doors, high-traffic corridor doors, and entry doors. Commercial projects can use Grade 2 for low-traffic interior applications.
Hardware Coordination with Fire Ratings
Doors in fire-rated assemblies have specific hardware requirements: Self-closing devices (door closers or spring hinges) required on all fire-rated doors. Rated hardware (hinges, locksets, closers) listed under UL 10C (positive pressure fire test) required. Panic hardware (exit devices) required on doors in egress paths serving more than 50 occupants. No hold-open devices unless they release on fire alarm signal. The architect must verify that all hardware in rated door assemblies is listed for use in the rated assembly.
Key Exam Points
- Door schedule: matrix of all doors with size, material, rating, hardware set; every door on plan references the schedule.
- Hardware sets: group doors with identical hardware; defined in hardware schedule; referenced in door schedule.
- ANSI/BHMA grades: Grade 1 (heavy duty, commercial); Grade 2 (light commercial); Grade 3 (residential).
- Rated doors: require self-closer, listed hardware, no hold-opens (unless fire alarm-released), panic hardware on large egress assemblies.
- Division 08 70 00: door hardware specifications in CSI MasterFormat.
AREprep's PDD construction documents content covers door schedules, hardware schedules, hardware set organization, ANSI/BHMA grade requirements, and how hardware coordinates with fire-rated assembly requirements - giving ARE PDD candidates the detailed door and hardware documentation knowledge the exam tests in construction documents coordination and specification production questions.
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