- \n
- In-house fabrication helps solve non-standard openings, retrofit challenges, and hardware upgrade requirements.<\/li>\n
- Custom machining for frames, vision lites, louvers, and pre-installation helps keep projects moving and code compliant.<\/li>\n
- Shop-based modifications can improve turnaround times, installation speed, and consistency across your project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n When you need a new fall jacket, you go to the store and buy or, go straight to your phone and buy it. But when you need everything to fit just right, you get it tailor-made. That\u2019s the simple idea behind in-house fabrication in our Door Division. With the capacity to design custom wood and metal door and door frame solutions, we have been keeping Chicagoland commercial and multi-unit residential buildings safe and compliant for decades. <\/span><\/p>\n
When Custom Fabrication Matters<\/span><\/h2>\n
Stock doo<\/span>
![\"Custom](\"https:\/\/www.andersonlock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/frames-scaled-e1769698869343-225x300.jpg\")
rs and frames are built for typical conditions, but in Chicago and the surrounding region, older buildings, changing construction codes, retrofits, tenant buildouts, or even creative architects mean that typical situations don\u2019t stay typical for long.<\/p>\nOver the years, we\u2019ve heard our customers wish for a one-source door, frame, and hardware solution \u2014 and that\u2019s just what we\u2019ve created with our Door Division<\/span>. We\u2019ve become a powerful partner for Chicago-area contractors, facility operators, and property managers.<\/p>\n
Our <\/span>in-house fabrication<\/span><\/a> capabilities allow us to tailor-fit doors, frames, and cutouts to exact field conditions. And all our modifications stay code compliant. That keeps your project on schedule by avoiding rework and less-than-idea jobsite jerry-rigging.<\/span><\/p>\n
How Stock Doors and Frames Can Fail<\/span><\/h2>\n
Factory-direct doors and frames may not fit the bill for several reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n
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- Size mismatch<\/b> In remodels or older buildings, the opening size or wall thickness may be mismatched with the frame. This is especially true with non-standard or out-of-plumb walls.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Upgrades<\/b> When it\u2019s time to upgrade your hardware, or especially with access control upgrades, you may find your doors need new cutouts, reinforcements, or electric fittings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Code changes<\/b> Changes to safety codes, especially concerning visibility, often require installing vision lites or louvers in solid doors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Special projects<\/b> Sometimes you have a design idea that\u2019s off the beaten path, and no one makes a door quite like it. You need customization!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Understanding In-House Fabrication Projects<\/span><\/h2>\n
There are a few common machining projects we see in the Door Division.<\/span><\/p>\n
Custom Door Frames and Frame Adjustments<\/span><\/h3>\n
When you actually get to the jobsite, or once the drywall and finishes are up and you have field-verified specs, you may find that stock frames won\u2019t fit, won\u2019t sit flush against the walls, or won\u2019t anchor securely in place.<\/span><\/p>\n
Frame jobs include resizing frames or making adjustments to accommodate jamb depth, unusual wall thickness, or unique opening profiles. Because we do this in our shop rather than on the jobsite, we can maintain tight tolerances and grind and dress welds cleanly.<\/span><\/p>\n
![\"Blue](\"https:\/\/www.andersonlock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blue_door-300x164.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Vision Lites or Windows<\/span><\/h3>\n
In industry-speak, the windows you see in doors or next to them are called <\/span>vision lites<\/b>. You can just call them windows; we\u2019ll know what you mean. They are <\/span>important for both safety and aesthetics.<\/p>\n
Our shop can cut and reinforce openings for glass kits, sidelites, narrow lites, and so on. With our CNC (computer numeric control), we\u2019re able to make precise and non-standard cuts.
![\"Circular](\"https:\/\/www.andersonlock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Circle-cutout.jpg\")
<\/span><\/p>\nSee what our CNC can do at the new <\/span>Color Factory<\/span><\/a> in downtown Chicago.<\/span><\/p>\n
Louvers<\/span><\/h3>\n
Louvers are the thin metal slats you often see in commercial and industrial applications. They allow air flow while also providing some privacy and security. They can be used alone or with vision lites.<\/span><\/p>\n
Most louvers come in standard sizes, but not all doors have cutouts for them. Our CNC makes precise cutouts to accept any manufacturer\u2019s louvers.<\/span><\/p>\n
Pre-Installation<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Door](\"https:\/\/www.andersonlock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/toddp-e1769698307796-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHardware <\/span>pre-installation<\/span><\/a> is fast becoming a popular option among contractors. We can cut and drill out doors for hardware with greater precision than can be done onsite. Then we can install and even test everything so it gets to your site ready to go. Anything we can\u2019t install in our shop gets packaged with the door so installers know exactly what goes where.<\/span><\/p>\n
- Special projects<\/b> Sometimes you have a design idea that\u2019s off the beaten path, and no one makes a door quite like it. You need customization!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Upgrades<\/b> When it\u2019s time to upgrade your hardware, or especially with access control upgrades, you may find your doors need new cutouts, reinforcements, or electric fittings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Size mismatch<\/b> In remodels or older buildings, the opening size or wall thickness may be mismatched with the frame. This is especially true with non-standard or out-of-plumb walls.<\/span><\/li>\n