# Can anyone think of a free way to measure how much force it takes to open a door? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698 "2015-03-10T15:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/1 "2015-03-10T15:45:55Z")
I need to check that my doors are in compliance with building code - can anyone think of a way to do this without actually buying a door pressure gauge (which is apparently a real thing that really exists)? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/2 "2015-03-10T15:56:36Z")
there are hanging spring scales for weighing fish, produce. get one with the needed range and you might get an approximate value. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/3 "2015-03-10T16:04:37Z")
Similarly, there are light-weight “travel” [hanging scales](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=portable+luggage+scale&sprefix=luggage+scale%2Caps%2C182) that are used to weigh your suitcase. You should be able to rig up one of these for your purpose. J. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/4 "2015-03-10T16:08:50Z")
What if you placed a bathroom scale against the door and pushed on it? The maximum pounds indicated would be the force to open the door. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/5 "2015-03-10T16:17:05Z")
If this is a legal requirement and if it has all sorts of legal and insurance ramifications would it be advisable - despite the understandable desire to avoid paying out - to try and hire an “official”, calibrated and approved gauge? Alternatively does the body which enforces the building code (Local Council, Local Town Hall) have a Help Desk or Contact Method (website, telephone) and perhaps they could advise on approved methods of measuring. Perhaps they even lend out such devices. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/6 "2015-03-10T16:46:22Z")
Reminds me of the time I had to check the hardness of a concrete garage floor, which is trivial to do with a thing called a Swiss Ball Gauge - it drops a steel ball on the surface and you measure hardness by the height of the bounce. They’re about $1500 and no one rents them. There are a million weird measurement and calibration tools out there, but I’d think a door pressure gauge is something readily borrowed, rented or even available with an expert user who can certify the results. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/7 "2015-03-10T17:16:23Z")
Looks like they can cost [about $30.](https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=door+pressure+gauge) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/8 "2015-03-11T00:19:30Z")
Wow. I had no idea that people have to measure this. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/9 "2015-03-12T04:39:46Z")
I don’t think that pushing on a bathroom scale would work, since I think that having something pulling sideways (i.e. gravity) would mess up the reading pretty badly. I have a travel hanging scale, but I can’t figure out how to rig it so that it could read “push” instead of “pull”. Even if I attached it to a rope that I slid around the side of the door so that I could pull on the push bar, the weird angle would make calculating the force involved very challenging. Contacting the building code enforcers and asking for suggestions is a good idea. I imagine they’ll just tell me to buy a door pressure gauge, but you never know. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/10 "2015-03-12T05:17:46Z")
Wouldn’t pushing from one side read the same as pulling from the other? Anyways, I’d just call the inspector and ask them if you’re that worried about it. Unless they told you that you need to get in compliance or you’re REALLY trying to nail every last ADA code, I wouldn’t be surprised if they scratch their head and say ‘in 30 years, we’ve never tested that, don’t worry about it, as long as I can open the door when I walk in, you’re fine’. OTOH, if the do test that in your locale, they’ll probably give you some tips on how to make sure you’re in code. If everyone in your city has to do that, then some of the other businesses will have a gauge so they can adjust their door closer once or twice a year. Also, is this a wood door that would need to be planed a metal door with a closer? If it’s a metal door with a closer, you could probably just make the adjustment with the inspector standing there, it only take a few seconds. In that case, I wouldn’t worry about and just wait for him to show up and do it then. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-think-of-a-free-way-to-measure-how-much-force-it-takes-to-open-a-door/714698/11 "2015-03-12T17:02:31Z")
Using a scale would give how much force you apply, it would change with the speed you are opening the door. You could apply 100# force and open it very quickly or 1 oz of force and open it very slowly. I would think a very slow pull or push would be what they are looking for. If a door feels hard they might measure it.