What Lock Do I Need for My Aluminum Storefront Door?
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For an aluminum storefront door, choose the lock by looking at the existing hardware—not the glass or outside handle alone. A door-edge bolt that is deliberately thrown points to a narrow-stile deadlock. A spring latch paired with an inside push paddle points to a storefront deadlatch. Match that category first, then confirm the backset, door thickness, bolt or latch, holes, frame receiver, handing, and key-override needs.
Start With the Inside of the Door
The same entrance may be described on an invoice or service request as a storefront door lock, storefront lock, store lock, shop lock, commercial door lock, glass door lock, or shop door lock. Those labels do not choose the hardware. The fastest route to the right product family is to inspect how the door works from the inside.
Ask these three questions:
- Does the door have a thumbturn or other control that deliberately projects and retracts a solid bolt?
- Does it have an inside push paddle that retracts a spring latch for normal exit?
- Is the lock actually mounted in the bottom rail of an all-glass door rather than in the vertical edge of an aluminum frame?
The first answer usually places the opening in the narrow-stile deadlock branch. The second places it in the push-paddle deadlatch branch. The third is not an aluminum door-edge application at all; it belongs to the all-glass bottom-rail category.
| What you see on the existing door | Lock category to compare | EASILOK family to review |
|---|---|---|
| A straight bolt or hookbolt is deliberately extended from the narrow door edge | Narrow-stile deadlock | SK1850, SK1850S(sfic), or SM1850 |
| A spring latch secures the door when it closes, and an inside push paddle retracts it | Storefront deadlatch | SK4510 or SK4510S(sfic) |
| The lock sits inside the lower rail of an all-glass door and engages a floor receiver | Bottom-rail lock—not an aluminum door-edge lock | SK777 or SK777S(sfic); use the dedicated all-glass guide |
| The door uses a panic bar, cylindrical lock, magnetic lock, patch lock, or another system | A different commercial hardware category | Do not select from these three EASILOK families by appearance alone |
Deadlock or Deadlatch: The Difference That Changes the Purchase
Choose the deadlock branch when a bolt is intentionally thrown
A narrow-stile storefront door deadbolt or storefront deadbolt normally uses a bolt that the user deliberately projects for secure locking and retracts before opening. Depending on the existing preparation, that bolt may be straight or hook-shaped. The lock body sits inside the narrow vertical stile at the door edge, while the receiving hardware is in the frame.
This branch is commonly associated with an Adams Rite MS1850S-style preparation. EASILOK’s matching product family includes:
- SK1850: mechanical keypad locking and unlocking, with no key cylinder;
- SK1850S(sfic): mechanical keypad operation plus an SFIC key-override path; and
- SM1850: an alternative for interior Twist-to-Lock operation with exterior keyed entry through an SC keyway. It is not an exterior keyless keypad model.
Choose among these products according to how people should enter, whether a managed SFIC key override is required, and whether the existing body, bolt, backset, door thickness, holes, and frame conditions match the selected configuration.
Choose the deadlatch branch when a push paddle retracts a spring latch
A storefront door deadlatch or storefront deadlatch is a different system. Its latch is designed to enter the frame strike as the door closes, and an inside push paddle commonly retracts it for exit. Some buyers call any lock on a glass-filled aluminum door a glass door deadlatch, but the defining clues are the spring-latch action and inside hardware—not the visible glass.
For a compatible 4510-style preparation, the EASILOK choices are:
- SK4510: a mechanical keypad deadlatch with push paddle and no key cylinder; or
- SK4510S(sfic): a mechanical keypad deadlatch with an SFIC key override, reversible latchbolt, and universal-design push paddle.
A deadlatch is not a deadbolt with a different trim. Its lock body, latch action, strike relationship, inside exit hardware, and preparation are different. Do not purchase an 1850-family product for a push-paddle opening or a 4510-family product for a deliberately thrown bolt.
Which EASILOK Model Matches the Way You Manage Access?
Once the physical lock category is known, choose the operating method. This is where owners can move from “What kind of lock is on my door?” to “How do I want employees and managers to enter?”
| Your confirmed door condition and access goal | Product path | What to understand before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| MS1850S-style deadlock preparation; exterior mechanical keypad access; no key cylinder needed | SK1850 | Select the correct straight-bolt or hookbolt configuration, backset, door thickness, finish, and inside operator |
| Same deadlock preparation; keypad access plus an SFIC key-override path | SK1850S(sfic) | Confirm the lock fit and the actual SFIC core, keyway, and pinning system separately |
| Same deadlock preparation; easy interior Twist-to-Lock operation; exterior physical-key entry is preferred | SM1850 | This is not an exterior keypad option; confirm straight bolt or hookbolt, backset, door conditions, and SC-keyway entry requirement |
| Compatible 4510-style deadlatch preparation with inside push paddle; no key cylinder needed | SK4510 | Confirm latch action, backset, door thickness, strike, holes, and paddle arrangement |
| Compatible MS4510S-style deadlatch preparation; keypad access plus SFIC key override | SK4510S(sfic) | Confirm handing, latch, preparation, and the real SFIC system; “SFIC” does not make every core interchangeable |
The “S” models are useful when a business needs a mechanical keypad for routine access and a separately managed SFIC key-override path. However, selecting an SFIC model involves two decisions: the storefront lock must fit the door, and the core must fit the organization’s key system. Confirm both.
Measure the Existing Preparation Before Choosing a Configuration
Identifying the family prevents a category mistake, but the exact configuration still depends on the installed door. Record these items before ordering:
- Full door and frame: Photograph the whole opening from outside and inside.
- Lock-body category: Record the door-edge faceplate, bolt or latch, inside operator, and complete old-lock marking.
- Backset: Measure from the defined lock reference point to the door edge; do not estimate from a photo without a ruler.
- Structural door thickness: Measure the aluminum door structure at the lock location, not the visible glass.
- Bolt or latch: Record straight bolt, hookbolt, or spring latch and capture it in both positions when safe.
- Existing holes and faceplate: Photograph all holes, filler plates, repairs, and clearances.
- Receiver and frame: Record the strike or bolt receiver, frame stop, alignment, and available space.
- Door handing: Note the opening direction from a clearly stated viewing side.
- Access requirement: Decide between keypad only, keypad plus SFIC override, or—in the matching deadlock application—SM1850 interior Twist-to-Lock with exterior keyed entry.
The published EASILOK ranges include several backset and bolt choices, so “aluminum storefront door” is not enough to choose a SKU. A no-new-drilling installation is possible only when the old body, holes, lock geometry, selected configuration, and door conditions align. Treat it as the result of matching the opening, not as a promise attached to a model name.
Three Common Storefront Buying Scenarios
“I lock the door with a thumbturn after closing time”
Open the door and inspect the edge. If a solid straight bolt or hookbolt moves out only when the inside control is turned, begin with the 1850-style deadlock branch. Then choose SK1850, SK1850S(sfic), or SM1850 according to the required outside entry method and the installed preparation.
“Customers use the door all day, and staff exit by pushing a paddle”
Watch the edge while the paddle is operated. If it retracts a spring latch that secures the door when it closes, begin with the 4510-style deadlatch branch. Compare SK4510 and SK4510S(sfic) after recording the latch, backset, door thickness, handing, strike, holes, and key-override requirement.
“The door is almost all glass, and the lock is at the floor”
Do not treat this as an aluminum door-edge glass door lock. A lock housed in the lower rail and engaging a floor receiver belongs to the bottom-rail family. Use the dedicated all-glass replacement guide to compare SK777 and SK777S(sfic), including rail dimensions, threshold space, receiver, removal path, and core needs.
A Simple Buying Sequence
Use this order to avoid choosing by keypad appearance:
- Identify whether the lock body is at the vertical aluminum edge or inside an all-glass bottom rail.
- For an aluminum edge lock, distinguish a deliberately thrown deadlock bolt from a push-paddle deadlatch.
- Match the category to the 1850 or 4510 EASILOK family.
- Decide how users should enter: mechanical keypad, keypad with SFIC override, or the SM1850 keyed-entry workflow.
- Measure the exact preparation and compare the selected configuration.
- Review installation instructions and arrange qualified commercial-door or locksmith help if the door, frame, alignment, or exit function needs correction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of lock is normally used on an aluminum storefront door?
An aluminum storefront door commonly uses either a narrow-stile deadlock or a storefront deadlatch. A deliberately thrown straight bolt or hookbolt points to the deadlock branch; a spring latch paired with an inside push paddle points to the deadlatch branch. Confirm the existing body, backset, door thickness, holes, receiver, and access method before selecting an EASILOK configuration.
How do I tell whether my storefront door needs a deadbolt-style lock or a push-paddle deadlatch?
Open the door and operate the inside hardware. If a solid bolt projects only when you turn the control, compare the deadbolt-style 1850 family. If pressing an inside paddle retracts a spring latch that secures the door when it closes, compare the 4510 deadlatch family. The visible keypad or glass panel alone cannot make this distinction.
Related EASILOK Guides
- Which EASILOK storefront lock fits your door?
- How to identify a storefront deadlock, deadlatch, or bottom-rail lock
- How to measure an existing storefront lock
- SK1850 compatibility guide
- SK4510 compatibility guide
- Glass-door bottom-rail lock compatibility guide
Choose by the Installed Lock, Then by Access Method
The right answer begins at the door edge. Identify a deadlock bolt or push-paddle deadlatch, confirm the installed dimensions and preparation, and then select the EASILOK family that provides the access method your business needs. If you send EASILOK or your installer full-door, edge-hardware, inside-hardware, receiver, label, and measurement photos, the replacement conversation becomes much more specific.