A magnetic lock holds a door shut with an electromagnet and an armature plate. It has no moving parts, it holds very hard, and it is the standard solution for interior glass doors where nothing else can be fitted. It is also the piece of door hardware most often installed in a way that is genuinely dangerous.
Typical range: $550–$2200 CAD. Ranges are typical for the GTA and depend on the door, the hardware and the time of day. We confirm the price before dispatching.
Egress requirements are not optional
A maglock is the only common lock that, by design, prevents mechanical egress. When it is energised, the door does not open — there is no lever to turn that overrides it. Every code requirement around maglocks follows from that single fact.
A compliant installation releases the door on loss of power, on fire alarm activation, and on a request-to-exit device positioned so a person leaving operates it naturally. Most jurisdictions also require a clearly identified emergency release button on the egress side that cuts power directly to the lock, independent of the access control panel.
We have removed maglocks fitted with no release button, wired through a panel that would keep them locked in a fire, and installed on required exits where they were not permitted at all. Those are not paperwork problems.
Request-to-exit and how doors get it wrong
The request-to-exit device — a motion sensor above the door, a push bar, or a button — tells the system that someone is leaving and releases the lock. A motion sensor is the most seamless option and it is also the one most often aimed badly, leaving a dead zone where a person standing close to the door is not detected.
We commission every REX device by walking the approach from several angles rather than waving a hand at it from the ideal position, because the failure mode is a person trapped at a door that works perfectly when tested casually.
Specification and mounting
- Holding force matched to the door — 600 lb for interior doors, 1200 lb for exterior or high-security, 1500 lb and up for specific applications
- Shear locks where the magnet must be concealed in the head of the frame
- Z-brackets and L-brackets for inswing doors and glass doors without a suitable frame
- Glass door top-rail mounting with through-glass fixings where there is no frame at all
- Double-door assemblies with matched units and a common release
- Battery backup where continued operation through a power interruption is required, with the fire interface still overriding it
Where a maglock is the wrong answer
On a required exit door in most occupancies, an electrified exit device is the correct hardware and a maglock is not permitted. On an exterior door exposed to weather, the armature and magnet faces corrode and the holding force degrades. On a door that simply needs credentialed entry with normal mechanical egress, an electric strike is cheaper, simpler and carries none of the egress complexity.
We propose maglocks where they are genuinely the right tool — interior glass doors being the clearest case — and something else where they are not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are magnetic locks safe? What if there is a fire?
A correctly installed maglock is safe, and safety is entirely a function of the installation rather than the device. It must release on loss of power, on fire alarm, and on a request-to-exit device, with an emergency release button on the egress side wired to cut power directly. A maglock without those is genuinely dangerous, and we have encountered installations like that. If you are unsure about an existing one, it is worth having checked.
How strong is a 600 lb maglock?
Strong enough that a person cannot pull the door open — the rating is the direct pull force needed to separate the magnet from the armature. 600 lb is standard for interior doors. Exterior and higher-security doors normally take 1200 lb. Holding force falls off sharply if the faces are dirty, misaligned or corroded, so the rating assumes proper contact.
Can a maglock be installed on a glass door?
Yes, and glass doors are the application where maglocks make the most sense, because there is often nowhere to fit a conventional lock. Frameless glass doors take a top-rail mount or through-glass fixings with a matched bracket set. Egress requirements apply exactly as they do on any other door.
What happens to a maglock in a power cut?
It unlocks, and that is by design and by code — a maglock must not hold a door shut without power. If you need the door to stay secured through an outage, the correct approach is battery backup with the fire alarm interface still able to release it, not a lock that fails locked.
Magnetic Locks across the GTA
We provide magnetic lock (maglock) installation throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Pick your city for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are in range.
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Card, fob, mobile and biometric access control designed, installed and commissioned — on platforms you own rather than are locked into.
Electric Strikes
Electric strikes supplied and installed with the correct fail-safe or fail-secure behaviour, proper power and clean frame preparation.
Panic Bars & Exit Devices
Rim, mortise, surface vertical rod and concealed vertical rod exit devices — installed, repaired, retrofitted and brought into compliance.
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Fire door assemblies inspected, documented and brought back into compliance — closers, latching, clearances, labels and hardware.