Kevlar Protection of Door Frames?

I would go with the standard plastic guards....Kevlar is expensive...

http://www.kofflersales.com/corner-guards.asp

Standard plastic guards aren't cutting it.

Time to look for alternatives.

A material with a dull finish to help blend in.

Perhaps a woven material of some type which can be formed.

What is the material the medieval knights wore as a hood? A mesh of some type?

The door frames are steel with the normal buildup of paint and adhesives.

Well, these are a bit pricey, and there is some labor and installation cost to consider, but they do seem to address the resiliency and wear problem, with a cushioned bumper...with flush mount and color/texture coordination, might be just what the doctor ordered...

http://www.kofflersales.com/p/flush-mounted-corner-guards.asp?cid=56

I would also consider some add on pvc bumpers that could be added to the carts....these might require custom design though.....

This may take care of one edge.

"This may take care of one edge."

Yes. The door rabbet vertical edges cannot be protected in this fashion, only the face and rabbet away from the door, and the frame soffit.

If a wrap around piece is desired, thickness becomes the driving issue. Single layer of plastic of some type, or 20 Ga metal, is all you are gonna get.

Search for frame spats. That's it, with the information provided thus far.

What is the material the medieval knights wore as a hood? A mesh of some type?

They wore chain mail. Probably too harsh for your application........

Define "casters". What actually hits the frame, the caster or the load it carries?

Heavy use? Industrial? Institutional? Warehouse? Mine?

More detail.

Health Care.

Patient lifts and specialty chairs wheeled through narrow doors.

Either the caster or the frame supporting the caster scrapes the frame.

Almost always below 8".

Several different brand guards over the years have failed.

These devices come and go from the facility with the patients requirements.

Why not come up with something that can be easily fitted to the lifts and specialty chairs, eliminating the cause of the scrapes? Maybe a clear rubber bumper.

Who knows? You might end up getting rich from it.

It sounds as though you should be using metal, or use plastic and be prepared to replace them periodically as part of your maintenance program.

Is there a non silver or non shiny metal which would blend with the existing simulated wood door frame guard above it?

Perhaps there is a tightly woven Kevlar which would permit adhesive on the back side only?

Why not make it a feature?

I would suit sheet stainless steel guards. They can be roll formed and cut to size by the same roll formers of the metal door frames.

FG8000-24

Trimco Door Protectors:
Frame Guards

I think you're better off with something like these.

Very good alternate.

You have two conflicting requirements.
You want it to to be tough, but for some obsure reason you also want it to look pretty.
One possible solution is to simply have pretty sacrifical covers which need regular replacement.
Otherwise make it out of stainless and stop worrying about how pretty it looks.
Del

(There is a wheelchair user in our house and the door frames, skirtings etc are bashed to b*ggery. Do I care? Not much. Mrs Cat makes me decorate now and then.

I've added alluminium kick panels on some doors and plastic rub strips, but anything eventually gets worn down...even me)

Is "alluminium" stronger than "aluminium" because of the extra "l"?

"Is "alluminium" stronger than "aluminium" because of the extra "l"?"

Both are stronger than American metal because of the extra letter 'i'.

But, if you take the extra L and the extra i and combine them, you get Lithium.

Maybe it's a new alloy.

EUREKA!

We have isolated LynDoorium (¹¹⁷Ld)!

I am texting Mr. Goin Tu Bilkum, our attorney at the firm Dewey Cheatum and Howe, immediately.

And, this with the unwitting help of a KrisDel principal.

^{Should we cut 'em a little cheque?}

No, that'd be wasted.

Just send tin of catnip and a pound of acorns.

It's to make up for the extra 'O' that you guys put in (and the 'i' you leave out) when you pronounce it
Del

The following links are pictures of the damaged door frame guards and some of the casters which are striking them:

http://norm-online.net/2014-01-18_casters_1.JPG
http://norm-online.net/2014-01-18_casters_2.JPG
http://norm-online.net/2014-01-18_casters_3.JPG
http://norm-online.net/2014-01-18_door_frame_1.JPG
http://norm-online.net/2014-01-18_door_frame_2.jpg

Clearly, the problem is caused by inattentiveness of the attendants/caregivers when they push the carts.

Metal is called for here.

A metal guard with a dull color to blend with the above wood colored plastic.

Perhaps a thin carpet like material if properly secured as the carpet is never damaged like the plastic frame guards are.

Carpet... yeah...

Lotsa luck getting the guy who inspects your fire rated doors to approve that.

How will a carpet spat still allow the door to close?

There is a correct, fire rated, ADAAG compliant architectural solution to your quest... but you don't seem to want to consider it. What do you want us to tell you?

Oh, go ahead with the kevlar. What the hell.

Hay Doorman did you look at the pics he sent? They are of a Formica covering that has been added to look like wood not allowed under fire rating. At the last healthcare center I was working on, the fire marshal declared these non-compliant as they were flammable on their own.I don't know who is suppling these but they are telling maintenance guys that they are rated to cover corroded and beaten frames. (AND THAT THEY ARE FIRE RATED). I am not sure, but not one of the maintance people will tell me who is approaching them to sell them the covers. Are you aware of whom is suppling these covers for retro-fit. Duke

I've seen this a number of times in residential care facilities. The wood grain gives a much warmer, homier feel to the building. I don't blame the facilities for wanting this, I agree, makes the home more comfortable, less institutional feeling than plain hollow metal (steel) door frames. Real wood frames simply won't physically last very long, these buildings get some pretty hard use.

As you say, field application of p-lam will void the fire label. I'm not the fire cops, all I can do is offer advice. There are a number of issues here: he is just asking advice about the advisability of this kevlar wrap (which will only make a newer, better grade of problem in the future).

There are compliant HM door frames available that have the wood look, but they are sort of spendy... well, real spendy might be more accurate. When a facility is built, you have to watch the budget, so standard HM frames are often used and then fitted (as shown in the pics) after they get a green tag (occupancy certificate). This is WAY cheaper at the onset, still looks okay (for a while). Then the maintenance guys are saddled with a maintenance headache forever. As lyn said, trouble source is mostly staff... housekeeping, food services, nurses with med carts, moving beds... this is the nature of the beast, and it will never go away.

I feel for the guy, I really do. The solution to this problem nobody wants to hear is, tear out and remove existing frames and replace. That is a whole bunch of money that could be spent on other things. Even the metal spats are expensive, probably looking at $150 bucks per frame for material, and they are a slow to install item. (wild guess, not a price offer).

Just what I though. I have seen a few shops here cut the lower legs off of the frames and reweld new metal in place. Not easy to do as the concrete when it gets hot tries to explode on you. Not a very pleasant experience, as I have been too close to the guys trying it and had the life scared out of me when the concrete explodes. I'm trying to stick with hardware since an accident a year and a half ago, putting off surgery until lawyers figure out who pays for the accident. It really throws a monkey wrench in the works when you can't lift over 50-75 lbs. I was use to 4'0-5'0 doors installing them all by myself but not any more. Duke

Do you have any offcuts from the carpet ? They would work just fine for quite a while... (looks hard-wearing)

How do you close the door with carpet holding it open?

This was discussed previously and Doorman also mentioned fire codes.

When I mentioned the carpet on a fire rated frame, I was hoping Norm would confirm the openings are, in fact, rated. If the doors in play aren't rated, carpet would be, in the eyes of the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), acceptable to him. Making a carpet frame wrap work so the door will close is another issue, which pretty much precludes it's use anyway.

How do you close the door with carpet holding it open?

Indeed....senior moment there...

Try UHMW PE L-Angle.Very durable,abrasion resistant and super tough.

It will even outwear stainless steel.

Try their number 46290.

Super tough stuff!

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=868&parentcatid=795

I would use 'Rubber baby buggy bumpers.'

Perhaps Teflon sheet? Probably won't glue, but can be screwed/ riveted...

So far post 16 Acrovyn D1 Frame Cushion looks to be the most promising for the non opening side of the door which also happens to be the side visible from the hallway.

You'll find aluminium plate a lot cheaper to make and replace if ever it's necessary. Use a thin sheet to get the form right then make in 2mm for the job. For heavier trucks/forklifts etc then stainless plate will do the job up to the point the door pillar is destroyed.