The finish on a commercial steel door is more than a color choice. It affects how the door looks when it arrives, how it is handled on site, and whether the leaf, frame and visible accessories match the architectural schedule. A quotation can only be accurate when the finish requirement is stated clearly alongside the door size, fire rating, frame type and hardware preparation.
For overseas orders, finish information also affects production sequencing and packing. A door supplied in factory powder coat needs different handling from a primed door that will receive its final paint on site. The checklist below explains what contractors, distributors and project buyers should confirm before requesting a quotation.
Why finish details belong in the door schedule
A door schedule often identifies the door number, opening size, rating and hardware set, but the finish column may contain only a general note such as 鈥減ainted,鈥?鈥済ray鈥?or 鈥渢o match.鈥?Those descriptions are not enough for production. The factory needs to know what finish system is required, which surfaces are included and whether the door leaf and frame use the same color.
For a mixed door package, it is helpful to list the finish by opening. Stairwell doors may use one color, service rooms another, and frames may need to match surrounding wall finishes. A clear schedule reduces late color changes and makes it easier to group doors for production, labeling and export packing.
1. Confirm where the door will be installed
Start with the actual location and exposure. An interior door in a dry office corridor has different finish requirements from a door near an exterior entrance, a humid service area or a frequently cleaned hospital corridor. Tell the supplier whether the opening is interior or exterior, sheltered or exposed, and whether the building has any project-specific coating specification.
The door material and coating system should be selected for the stated environment. If the architect has issued a paint specification, product data sheet or approved finish schedule, send it with the RFQ instead of relying on a general description. The factory can then confirm what can be supplied and identify any points that require approval.
2. Choose between powder coating and primer-only supply
Factory powder-coated finish
Powder coating is a factory-applied finish used on many steel door and frame packages. It provides a consistent decorative surface and allows the doors to be packed as finished products. Before quotation, specify the color reference, appearance and whether the leaf, frame, glazing bead, louver and removable covers must match.
Powder coating does not remove the need for careful site handling. Finished surfaces can still be scratched by loose hardware, metal strapping or unprotected contact between leaves and frames. The packing method should therefore be discussed as part of the order.
Primer-only for field painting
A primer-only door is supplied for final painting by the site contractor. The primer should not automatically be treated as the final exposed finish. Confirm the intended site topcoat and check compatibility with the project paint system. The site team should also know which surfaces require preparation before the final coat is applied.
Primer-only supply may be useful when final colors are selected late or when the project requires field finishing. However, it also transfers final color control and touch-up work to the site. State this decision in the purchase documents so that finished and unfinished doors are not mixed.
3. Define color, sheen and texture
A color name such as 鈥渨hite,鈥?鈥渂lue鈥?or 鈥渟tandard gray鈥?can vary considerably. Use a recognized color reference such as a RAL code when it is accepted for the project. For a custom architectural color, provide an approved physical sample or the coating manufacturer鈥檚 reference where possible.
Color is only one part of the appearance. Matte, satin and gloss finishes reflect light differently, while smooth and textured powders produce different surfaces. If the project requires a close match to wall panels, aluminum profiles or other doors, request a coated sample before mass production. Final appearance can vary slightly between materials and coating batches, so the approval method should be agreed in advance.
4. Coordinate finish with hardware, vision panels and louvers
Hardware preparation should be completed before the final finish wherever possible. Lock cutouts, hinge preparations, closer reinforcement, cable raceways, vision panels and louvers all affect the door surface. Late cutting or welding can damage a finished coating and create visible repair areas.
Send the hardware list or hardware sets with the door schedule. Identify any special preparations for concealed closers, electrified locks, access control cables or oversized vision panels. For fire-rated steel doors, the door, frame, glazing and hardware configuration should be reviewed as one opening rather than as separate items.
5. State what must match
Do not assume every visible component will automatically receive the same finish. The RFQ should state whether the door leaf and frame match, whether glazing beads and louvers are coated in the same color, and whether exposed fasteners or thresholds have a separate finish.
For hollow metal door and frame packages, list the finish for each opening or each door type. If frames are shipped in sections for site assembly, confirm how joints and touch-up areas will be handled. This is particularly important when frames and leaves are produced or installed at different stages.
6. Plan protection, labels and export packing
Finished doors should be separated so coated surfaces do not rub during inland transport, container loading or unloading. Ask how leaves, frames, hardware cartons and glazing components will be grouped and labeled. Door marks on the packages should correspond with the door schedule so the receiving team can identify each opening without unwrapping every item.
For long-distance shipment, discuss pallet or wooden-case packing, moisture protection and the placement of loose hardware. Project labels and required product labels must remain legible and should not be covered by site painting or installation work. Bastion Door鈥檚 factory capability page outlines the production, hardware preparation and export packing information that can be discussed for an order.
Finish information to include with an RFQ
- Door number, quantity, opening size and handing
- Door leaf and frame material or required product type
- Interior, exterior, sheltered or exposed location
- Powder-coated finish or primer-only supply
- RAL color, approved sample or coating reference
- Required sheen and smooth or textured appearance
- Whether leaf, frame, glazing bead and louver must match
- Hardware list, vision panel, louver and cable preparation
- Fire rating and applicable opening requirements
- Packing, door-mark labeling and shipment requirements
Prepare a finish request that can be quoted
The most useful starting package is a door schedule or BOQ with opening sizes, wall thickness, fire ratings, frame profiles, hardware sets and a finish column. Add drawings or finish samples where the schedule cannot describe the requirement clearly. If some information is still pending, mark it as pending instead of using an assumed color.
Send the available files through the quotation form. Bastion Door can then review the specified door types, finish options, hardware preparation and packing requirements before confirming the commercial quotation.