By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

A floor closer outside in the cold

A floor closer works on hydraulic fluid. Oil gets thicker as it gets cold, and thick oil means a door that closes slowly, or hangs open a few inches and never latches. On an interior door nobody notices. On an exterior door in a cold climate, the first hard freeze finds every weak spot.

That is the reason the Rixson 27-85N-CWF exists next to the standard 27-85N. They are the same heavy duty offset hung floor closer, with one difference in the listing: the CWF versions carry the cold weather fluid note, and the standard ones do not. If you have a customer on an exterior door where winters bite, this is the page to read before you order.

What the catalog says about cold weather fluid

The wording in the CWF listings is direct. Cold weather fluid should be specified for exterior doors in consistently cold climates under 32 degrees F for weeks at a time. The hydraulic fluid is of a lower viscosity to prevent sluggish closing.

Notice what it is not saying. A few cold nights do not call for it. Weeks at a time under freezing do. If the door is exterior and the weather turns like that every winter, spec the cold weather version. If the door is interior, or the climate rarely freezes, the standard closer is the right buy. I will not pretend the catalog says more than that. It does not give a temperature range for the standard fluid, and it does not spell out what the letters CWF stand for, though the fluid note sits only on those listings.

The listings side by side

• 27-85N-CWF-LH-626: cold weather fluid, left handed.
• 27-85N-CWF-RH-626: cold weather fluid, right handed.
• 27-85N-RH-626: standard fluid, right handed.
• 27-85N-LH-605: standard fluid, left handed, bright brass.

The 626 is satin chrome, and 605 is bright brass. Compare the two right-handed 626 listings and the only difference you will find in the description is that cold weather paragraph. That is a clean way to see the choice.

What is the same on both

• A heavy duty 3/4 in. offset hung floor closer, single acting, non hold-open.
• A built-in positive dead stop, listed at 85 degrees, so the door cannot swing past it.
• Door weight to 450 lbs and door width up to 4 ft 0 in.
• A Cycolac, rust-proof cement case.
• A standard top pivot, 180, included.
• Certified to ANSI/BHMA A156.4. Non fire rated.

The catalog adds a caution about door size and weight: the guidelines assume the proper number of intermediate pivots. On a tall or heavy exterior door, that is not optional. The pivot at the top and the closer at the floor carry the door, and the intermediate pivots keep it from bowing.

Non fire rated is the important line for a lot of exterior doors. If your opening carries a fire label, read our Rixson 27 versus F27 guide first.

How to choose in a minute

1. Is the door exterior? If not, the standard closer is the answer.
2. Does the climate sit under 32 degrees F for weeks at a time? If yes, take the cold weather fluid version. If it only dips below freezing now and then, the standard fluid is the catalog's default.
3. Is the opening fire rated? If yes, this is the wrong closer. This one is listed as non fire rated.
4. Is the door under 450 lbs and 4 ft 0 in. wide, with the right number of intermediate pivots? If not, call us before you buy.

Those four questions settle nearly every call I get on this closer. The mistakes I see are on the last two: a rated door getting a non-rated closer, and a door that is a little over the width or weight and gets sold anyway.

The handing question

The catalog lists these as left handed or right handed, and this is not a casual choice. A floor closer sits in a cement box in the floor, and getting the hand wrong means a recut. Check the hand on the old closer's label if it is still readable. If you are not sure, send us a photo of the door and the floor box and we will confirm the hand before you order.

What you are buying with a floor closer

The catalog says it well: the weight of the door is supported by the bottom arm and floor. The closer is doing two jobs, holding up the door and controlling it, which is why a floor closer suits a heavy exterior door that would pull a regular closer's mounting off the frame. If you have not read our overview, start with the Rixson 27 floor closer guide.

Check the pivot and the floor box at the same time you replace the closer. A new closer on a worn pivot just moves the problem. And remember that an exterior floor box fills with water if the drain path is blocked. Clean it out before you set the new unit.

Common questions

What is Rixson cold weather fluid?

A lower viscosity hydraulic fluid meant to prevent sluggish closing. The catalog says to specify it for exterior doors in consistently cold climates under 32 degrees F for weeks at a time.

Do I need the CWF version on an interior door?

The catalog ties cold weather fluid to exterior doors in consistently cold climates, so an interior door does not need it.

How heavy a door can the Rixson 27-85N handle?

The catalog lists weight to 450 lbs and door width up to 4 ft 0 in.

Is the Rixson 27-85N fire rated?

No. It is listed as non fire rated.

Is a top pivot included?

Yes. The catalog lists the standard top pivot, 180, as included.

See the full range on our Rixson door closer page. Tell us the door's hand, weight and climate and we will pick the right fluid.