Tornado Resistant Doors
Wind Pressure & Impact Related Applications
Tornado doors offer essential protection in areas prone to severe weather. In the United States, approximately 1,000 tornadoes strike each year, with the highest concentration occurring in “Tornado Alley”—a region stretching from Texas and Alabama up through New York. While this area sees the most activity, tornadoes have touched down in every state, making tornado resistant doors a smart investment no matter where you are located.
Steel is the most prevalent door material to pass FEMA P-361 and ICC 500. No wood door, with or without metal sheathing, has successfully passed FEMA P-361.
While tornado doors are similar in appearance to standard steel doors, they are highly engineered products and cannot be substituted by heavy gauge standard steel doors. The video below shows the difference in performance between a standard door and frame assembly and a tornado assembly.
Tornado Door Assemblies
Do not mix and match tornado door components unless they have been approved and certified as an assembly. More tips on specifying tornado doors can be found in SDI’s article in Door & Hardware magazine. For information on the testing and certification of tornado assemblies, please see Intertek’s tornado webinar or our Windstorm FAQ.
Resources
SDI has developed a variety of resources for architects, specifiers and distributors on tornado rated doors below.
Article
A Primer on Tornado Safe Room Doors
Article
Doors & Hardware Magazine: Storm Tested, Shelter Approved
SDI 136
Guideline for Specifying Windstorm Products
Manufacturers
