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May 15, 2026

Door closer makes and models: a like-for-like comparison

Rutland products
Guidance

There is a plethora of choices of door closer brands, types, sizes and finishes available on the market today – allowing nearly any door and décor to be well matched to a functional and legal closing device. There’s no reason why you can’t enhance every door with the benefit of a self-closing device.

Door closer makes and models: a like-for-like comparison

There is a plethora of choices of door closer brands, types, sizes and finishes available on the market today – allowing nearly any door and décor to be well matched to a functional and legal closing device. There’s no reason why you can’t enhance every door with the benefit of a self-closing device.

Obviously fire-resisting doors (fire doors) must have a suitable self-closing device, but non-fire doors can be fitted with a closer and even a hold-open device. This functionality allows the door to automatically close for privacy, and to stop unwanted noise and draughts, yet be kept open whenever desired. When it comes to door aesthetics, there’s various ways to go with the closer – concealed out of sight, go for a neat slimline closer, or make a feature of it with a door-enhancing designer metallic finish.

The downside to all this choice is that there are so many model references used by the different door closer brands, which all sound pretty similar; generally consisting of TS, BTS, or ITS and 4-digit model numbers – which mean very little to the average person.

Can a branded door closer be swapped out for another make?

 

In a perfect world, the principal architect, or specifier, would select the correct door closer and door for legal compliance, user experience and design aesthetics.

However, there are many circumstances where an alternative make of closer, that meets the same safety specification, is considered. Maybe the fitter can’t get hold of the exact same brand, or if an existing closer on a fire door has failed, it needs replacing urgently to restore building safety. We’ve known it when regional availability or supply shortages have presented fit-out contractors or facilities maintenance staff with a dilemma. Another challenge for facilities managers can be existing door closers not providing the performance required to overcome air-pressures, or ease of opening to assist less-able residents.

 

 

Fire compliance is probably one of the most important considerations when choosing an alternative door closer. Third-party certification of door closers is a recognised and generally respected way to ascertain door closer ‘fire rating’ and what particular door types that closer can be fitted to. If the fire door was originally supplied as a complete doorset assembly, and you can identify the manufacturer, then its Field of Application and EXAP and classification reports will help you select the correct replacement closer. These reports (obtainable from the manufacturer) relate to a particular fire door core or system, detailing tested and permitted door closers, and if possible, what alternative door closer can be used. In Field of Application Reports, alternative door closers are sometimes permitted under a caveat like this:

“Alternative face fix door closers must be tested to BS EN 1154, suitably CE/UKCA marked and Certifire approved.”

 

 

Thankfully, there is a single, defined standard that categorises door closers from all popular manufacturers, which is called EN 1154, and it gives us a good basis for comparing door closer models and brands like-for-like.

 

Being the officially recognised (‘harmonised’ or ‘designated’) standard of door closer performance, EN 1154 helps us compare like-for-like across the EU and UK markets. Any CE or UKCA-marked door closer model sold in Europe and the UK has to have an inital sample undergo testing to measure six essential performance characteristics; duty category, basic durability, power (door size/weight), fire or non-fire reated, essential safety, corrosion resistance.

 

By comparing the standardised EN1154 grade numbers on different brands and models of door closer, we have produced this quick reference guide to choosing an alternative to the UK’s most popular brands:

Door closer brands, models and alternatives look-up chart:

 

ARROW ASSA BOSS BRITON IR DORMA HOPPE GEZE RUTLAND SYNERGY
434 – TS4.224 2003 TS 71 AR 6800 TS 1000C / TS 1500 TS.3204 S150.MEC
– – TS4.224 – – AR 8200 – TS.3204BC –
– – – – – – – TS.4204DABC S500
325VP/BC DC200 TS4224V 1120B TS 72VBC AR 1500/3500 TS 2000NV TS.5204BC S600
– – – – TS83BC AR 3500 – TS.5204DABC S610
325 – TS5.225 – TS83VBC AR 8300/8500 – TS.9205BC S800
– – TS5.225 – TS 83VBC AR 8300/8500 – TS.9205DABC S810
516 DC340 TS5.226 2130B TS83VBC AR 9200/9500 TS4000S TS.9206DABC S900 (no DA)
– – TS.5225SA – – AR 8209 – TS.24 –
324 DC500 TS6224 2300 TS 91/2 AR 6409 TS 3000B TS.11204 S3401
– DC700 TS.6225 – TS 93 AR 6509 – TS.11205 S3501
C24V – ITS6224 2400 2-4 ITS 96 2-4 AR 7383 Boxer 2-4 ITS.11204 S1000
– DC860 ITS6225 – ITS 96 3-6 – Boxer 3-6 ITS.11205 S1036
– – TS3.003/4
TS6003/FS		 2820 BTS 80/84 AR 700 TS500N TS.700 3/4 S4003/S4004
– FS14V – – BTS 75V AR 760 TS 500NV TS.7104 S4014
– – TS8.003 – RTS 85 – – TS.8004 S5803/S5804
623 – TS7004 996 TS.73 EMF AR 1998 – Responder 24 –
BM3SE-HO – – – – – TS.3000E TS.Firetrak.114 S3401.EHO/S3406.EHO
– – – – TS.99 – – TS.Firetrak.115 S3501.EHO/S3506.EHO

 

 

Finding an alternative door closer

We hope the above will help you out when searching for an alternative door closer that suits your needs. And don’t forget, there are many upgrades also available, so why not try a high-performing, smoother action closing device, or give your door appearance a revamp with matching door closer, handle, letterplate and other hardware finishes?

Examples of high efficiency closers include the Rutland TS.9205 – a rack-and-pinion closer that sits among our most efficient models and is popular for those working to meet BS 8300 requirements. Cam-action closers are also generally easier to open than many standard closer types.

 

In conclusion, we can’t stress enough the importance of compliance and building safety when considering any change of door closer specification. If you are struggling to select or find the right door closer for compliance and fire rating requirements, ask us for assistance.

 

Here at Rutland, we manufacture a wide range of door closer styles, sizes, and finishes to suit any application, with thousands in stock ready for next-day delivery to the UK mainland.