Moving day at an apartment entrance looks the same in almost every building: the sofa will not pass, the inactive leaf bolts have not been opened in years and have seized, and nobody knows where the key is. The real value of a double-leaf entrance shows exactly then, and usually fails to. A properly configured set keeps the second leaf openable in two minutes.

When a double leaf is needed

Three situations make it unavoidable. Clear width, because a single leaf gains weight and hinge moment rapidly as it widens. Architectural proportion, because a single leaf in a wide tall opening looks wrong. And use: furniture moves, stretcher access, bicycle and pram traffic all need the second leaf. Our standard lobby and villa size is 145×215 cm clear frame opening with a 165×223 cm architrave edge and 20-24 cm adjustable frame depth, which in most cases means a double leaf.

Active and inactive leaves

Asymmetric sets are common: a wider active leaf for daily use beside a narrower inactive one. The inactive leaf is secured to the frame with top and bottom bolts and the active leaf latches into it. Symmetrical sets look more balanced and change the locking arrangement, since both leaves then move regularly.

Choosing the inactive side

  • The active leaf should line up with the main walking route.
  • The open leaf must be able to rest against a wall without blocking a stair rail or the mailboxes.
  • Intercom and bell panels belong beside the active leaf.
  • The inactive leaf needs its own closer; a leaf without a handle is not left free.
  • Mailbox, number plate and handle positions are planned around the inactive leaf.

Bolts and locking

The meeting line is the weak point. If the inactive leaf is not bolted into the frame at top and bottom, the active leaf's lock has nothing solid to engage. Bolt keeps must align, and a bottom keep buried under new floor finish makes the bolt useless. Bolts left unused for years seize with dust and oxide, so opening them once a year is enough maintenance. Where the active leaf locks at three points, remember the keep sits on the inactive leaf: a poorly bolted inactive leaf makes a three-point lock no safer than a single point.

Hinge loading

A wide glazed leaf is heavy, and as glass area grows the weight shifts toward the handle edge, increasing the moment the hinges carry. Three bearing hinges, heavier frame gauge and closer anchor spacing are standard here. A few millimetres of settlement in the first year is normal and three-way adjustable hinges correct it without dismounting. Visible droop usually means inadequate frame anchoring or a wall section that cannot carry the load, so confirm that before installation.

Glazing, grilles and transoms

Glazed compositions are the norm on double-leaf entrances, bringing light into the lobby. Glass must be tempered, and sealed double units are preferred outdoors. Wrought or laser-cut grilles in front of the glass are functional as well as decorative, closing the opening if glass breaks. A fixed transom light raises the overall height without loading the leaves, which is the practical route above 215 cm. Our double-leaf building entrance doors combine transom lights and mailbox variants.

Freight and installation

A double-leaf entrance will not fit a passenger lift, so confirm stair turning radius and floor count before shipment. Frames can be supplied in one piece or as assembled sections, which helps in narrow stairwells. Glazed panels travel in separate crates, upright with edge protection, and leaves are packed individually and stood vertically in the container. Send your opening dimensions in centimetres, the wall section and the leaf ratio you want, and we will quote to your sizes. The same configuration appears in our glazed villa door models with double-leaf options. Loading is from Istanbul by road or container.