A contractor on a hospital fit-out orders 80 steel doors against the architect's door schedule — and three months later discovers that 12 of them clash with door closers the MEP engineer routed above the frames, and that the cleanroom doors were specified 50 mm narrower than the validated equipment transfer route. Almost every dispute on medical door packages traces back not to bad product but to missing or uncoordinated drawing and specification information. This chapter explains what a complete, buildable door submittal package looks like and how project-specific requirements get locked in.

11.1 The core drawing set

A door submittal (shop drawing) package normally contains four view types:

  • Plan views – horizontal sections through the opening showing frame profile, wall thickness, wall construction (blockwork, drywall, cleanroom panel), anchoring method, leaf swing direction and clear opening width.
  • Elevations – face views of each door type showing overall dimensions, vision panel size and position, louvres, kick plates, and hardware mounting heights.
  • Sections – vertical cuts showing head detail, threshold or flush sill, leaf construction (skin thickness, core), and frame-to-structure relationship.
  • Installation details – enlarged details of frame anchoring, grouting, fire stopping, interlocking with cleanroom walls, and interface with access control cabling.

For medical projects, two additional documents are effectively mandatory:

  • Hardware schedule (hardware sets) – each opening is assigned a set listing hinges, lock/latch, cylinder, closer, seals, kick plates, and any electrified items. MasterFormat projects typically control this under Section 08 71 00; the specification section requires formal submittals of the hardware schedule for approval before ordering.
  • Door schedule cross-check – every door number on the architectural door schedule must map to a drawing type and a hardware set. Orphan door numbers and duplicate numbering are the single most common submittal error.

11.2 Technical approvals and coordination drawings

Shop drawings are not the same as approval. The typical sequence is:

  1. Supplier issues shop drawings + hardware schedule + material/finish data.
  2. Architect/engineer reviews and returns them approved, approved as noted, or revise and resubmit. No fabrication should start before at least "approved as noted."
  3. Coordination drawings reconcile the door package with other trades: ceiling heights versus closers and interlock controllers, HVAC pressure cascades versus seal details, access control points versus electrified hardware, and radiation shielding continuity where walls are lead-lined.

Electrified hardware shop drawings specifically should show wiring points, power supply locations and door-position switch details — reviewers routinely catch missing cable paths at this stage.

11.3 Project-specific customisation

Beyond catalogue sizes, medical door customisation usually covers:

  • Non-standard leaf sizes and unequal pairs (e.g., 1300/600 mm theatre doors)
  • Vision panels: flush double-glazed, leaded glass for X-ray rooms, fire-rated glazing
  • Air-tightness performance: perimeter and drop-down seals for pressure-cascaded rooms
  • Interlocking (door A locks while door B is open) for pass-through and airlock suites
  • Lead lining matched to the wall's specified lead equivalence (see Chapter 15)
  • Special finishes: antimicrobial powder coat, brushed or polished stainless (Chapter 14)

11.4 Common mistakes

  • Ordering from the door schedule alone without approved shop drawings
  • Hardware set conflicts: fire door hardware that voids the fire rating, or seals that break the airtight specification
  • Missing wall-type information — the same frame needs different anchors in blockwork vs. a 50 mm cleanroom sandwich panel
  • Ignoring clear opening width after hardware: a 1000 mm nominal leaf with a surface closer and kick plates may not pass a 900 mm equipment route
  • No revision control: site builds from rev C while the supplier fabricated rev B

Practical checklist

  • [ ] Approved shop drawings exist for every door number
  • [ ] Hardware schedule approved and cross-referenced to the door schedule
  • [ ] Wall construction and thickness confirmed per opening
  • [ ] Electrified items coordinated with access control and power
  • [ ] Clear opening widths verified against equipment/bed movement routes
  • [ ] Revision status frozen before fabrication release

Sources