Most Common Commercial & Residential Locks - Okey DoKey Locksmith

Choosing commercial locks and door hardware can be confusing because businesses have very different security, access, durability, and door-control requirements. A small office may need conventional commercial locksets, while a retail store, warehouse, school, medical facility, or multi-tenant building may require heavy-duty commercial hardware, restricted key systems, exit devices, electronic locking, or access control.

The manufacturers below represent a wide range of commercial locking and door hardware. Some specialize in mechanical locks and cylinders, while others focus on high-security systems, exit devices, door controls, electronic locks, or access control. Before choosing a brand, consider the door, frequency of use, required security level, key-control needs, and compatibility with the rest of the building.

Choosing Commercial Lock Hardware

A commercial lock should be selected for the specific door and application. Hardware installed on a frequently used storefront entrance has different requirements from a private office, storage room, warehouse gate, or interior employee door.

Commercial properties may use cylindrical locks, mortise locks, deadbolts, interchangeable-core systems, high-security cylinders, electronic locks, keypad locks, magnetic locks, card readers, or panic bars. Many buildings use several of these systems together.

When evaluating commercial hardware, consider how frequently the door is used, whether employees need individual credentials or keys, whether access needs to be changed frequently, and whether the opening is part of an emergency-egress system. A commercial locksmith can evaluate the existing hardware before a lock is replaced or upgraded.

Commercial Lock & Door Hardware Brands

These manufacturers cover different portions of the commercial security market. The list includes traditional lock manufacturers as well as companies specializing in cylinders, high-security systems, electronic locking, exit hardware, and door controls.

Mechanical Commercial Locks

Traditional mechanical locks remain common throughout commercial buildings. Depending on the opening, businesses may use cylindrical lever locks, mortise locks, deadbolts, interchangeable-core cylinders, storefront locks, or other specialized hardware.

Brands in this list such as Schlage, Sargent, Corbin Russwin, Falcon, Arrow, Adams Rite, and Yale offer hardware used in commercial door applications. The correct product depends on the door construction, function, traffic level, and existing hardware.

If existing hardware is damaged or no longer appropriate for the property, a commercial lock change can replace the lock while keeping the door's overall security requirements in mind.

High-Security Locks & Key Control

Some businesses need more than a conventional lock. Facilities with sensitive rooms, valuable inventory, multiple employees, or strict access policies may benefit from high-security cylinders and better key control.

Manufacturers such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and BiLock focus on products intended for higher-security applications. Depending on the system, these products may offer specialized cylinders and controlled key systems designed to give the property manager greater control over who can obtain or use keys.

For a business with many keyed doors, the locking system should be planned as a whole rather than choosing each lock independently. This is particularly important when master-keying or restricted access is involved.

Electronic Locks & Access Control

Electronic security allows businesses to manage access without relying entirely on conventional metal keys. Depending on the property, an access-control system can use a card reader, keypad, electronic lock, credential, or other method to authorize entry.

Manufacturers represented on this page include companies that produce electronic locking and access-control equipment in addition to conventional mechanical hardware. The appropriate system depends on how many doors and users need to be managed and whether access events need to be controlled electronically.

Electronic hardware should also be coordinated with the mechanical lock, door closer, exit hardware, fire and life-safety requirements, and any existing building access system.

Exit Devices & Door Controls

A commercial opening is more than its lock. Many doors also depend on exit devices, closers, hinges, strikes, electronic hardware, and other components working together.

Companies such as Norton specialize in door controls, while brands including Falcon, Arrow, Adams Rite, SDC, Sargent, and Corbin Russwin provide products for various commercial door applications.

A malfunctioning door closer can prevent a door from closing correctly, while an improperly selected or damaged exit device can affect both security and safe egress. When a commercial door uses a panic bar, replacement hardware must be appropriate for the opening and applicable building requirements.

Commercial Lock FAQ

What type of lock is best for a commercial door?

It depends on the door and its function. An office, storefront, warehouse, emergency exit, and restricted interior room can require very different hardware. Door construction, traffic, security level, access requirements, and applicable codes should all be considered.

What is the difference between residential and commercial locks?

Commercial locks are commonly designed around the heavier use and specialized functions found in businesses and institutional buildings. Commercial applications may also require specific hardware grades, lever functions, key systems, exit devices, or electronic access components.

What are Grade 1 and Grade 2 commercial locks?

Lock grades are used to classify hardware according to performance requirements. The appropriate grade depends on the application and the level of use expected at the opening rather than simply choosing the highest number or most expensive product.

Should every door in a business use the same lock brand?

Not necessarily. A building may contain products from several manufacturers. However, standardizing compatible hardware can simplify key management, maintenance, replacement parts, and future upgrades.

Can commercial locks be rekeyed instead of replaced?

Many mechanical commercial locks can be rekeyed when the hardware itself remains serviceable. Rekeying changes which key operates the cylinder without necessarily replacing the complete lock. If the hardware is worn, damaged, incompatible, or being upgraded, replacement may make more sense.

When should a business change its locks?

Consider changing or rekeying commercial locks after lost or unaccounted-for keys, employee access changes, a break-in, damaged hardware, or when the existing locking system no longer provides the access control the business requires.

Are electronic locks better than mechanical locks?

They solve different problems. Electronic systems can provide more flexible credential management, while mechanical locks remain practical and reliable for many doors. Commercial properties often use both mechanical and electronic security as parts of the same access system.