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DESIGN HARDWARE BB5 STANDARD WEIGHT BALL BEARING HINGES
Specifications:
ANSI: Meets ANSI A 156.2 - Dimensions and tolerances conform to ANSI - A156.7
Gauge of Metal: .129 for 4” x 4”, .134” for 4.5” x 4.5”, .145” for 5” x 4-1/2” sizes
Base Material: Steel (ANSI A8112) or Stainless Steel (Grade 304 standard) (ANSI A5112)
Marine Grade 316 US32D Stainless Steel also available
Design & Templating: 5 Knuckle Design & Templated hole locations for wood or metal doors & frames
Fire Door Use: Approved for most types of fire doors up to 4’ x 10’, 8’ x 10’ pairs - Refer to NFPA80
Swaging: 1/16” Swage standard which provides 1/16” of clearance between leaves
Security NRP: NRP - Non removable pin available upon request for most sizes
Pin & Tip: Equipped with easily seated non-rising pin with button head & plug
Radius Corner: 1/4” and 5/8” Radius Corner available and in stock for 4” x 4” sizes only
Bearings: Each hinge has 2 sets of maintenance free non detachable ball bearings
Electrification: Concealed thru wire and monitoring options available, See electrified section
Fasteners: Each box of 3 hinges contains full set of machine and wood screws
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
RESOURCES & DOWNLOADS
Manufacturer Resources
Product Specs
- Series:
- BB5 Series
- Features:
- Ball Bearing Reduces Friction to Extend Lifetime of Hinge, For Medium Weight Doors of Average Frequency Use, More Durable than Standard Hinges
- Product Group:
- Door Hinges and Pivots
- Product Subgroup:
- Full Mortise Hinges
- Product Type:
- Ball Bearing Hinges
- Subcategory:
- Residential Hinges
- ANSI/BHMA:
- ANSI A 156.2, ANSI - A156.7
- Duty Level:
- Medium Duty
- Bearing Type:
- Ball Bearing
- Commercial/Residential:
- Commercial
- Knuckles:
- 5
- Product Size:
- 4.5" x 4.5"
- Department:
- Door Hardware
Design Hardware DH-BB5-4.5X4.5-26D – Frequently Asked Questions
1) Will the Design Hardware BB5 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 hinge work on a fire rated door?
The BB5 is approved for most types of fire doors up to 4 ft x 10 ft, and 8 ft x 10 ft in pairs, per NFPA 80. Beyond those door sizes you are outside what the BB5 is approved for and need to move up to a heavy weight hinge. It also meets ANSI A156.2, with dimensions and tolerances conforming to ANSI A156.7, which is what most institutional specs call out on a full mortise butt hinge.
2) Is a standard weight ball bearing hinge enough for a commercial office door, or do I need heavy weight?
Standard weight is the right call for medium weight doors seeing average traffic, which covers most interior commercial openings: offices, corridors, tenant suites. The BB5 is a medium duty commercial hinge with two sets of maintenance free, non detachable ball bearings per hinge to cut friction and extend life. Where it is not the answer is high frequency openings, heavy solid core or metal doors, and doors carrying a closer all day, such as a main entrance or a stairwell. Those want a heavy weight hinge.
3) Do I need non-removable pin hinges on an out-swinging exterior door?
Yes, and the BB5 is orderable that way. Any door that swings out puts the hinge barrel on the unsecured side, so without an NRP the pin can be driven out and the door lifted off. The NRP option adds a set screw in the barrel that seats against the pin once the door is closed. Both configurations are stocked: order NRP Yes for out-swinging exterior doors, stairwell doors, and anything on a secure perimeter, and NRP No for interior in-swinging openings where it buys you nothing.
4) Will this hinge fit a standard commercial door frame prep without drilling new holes?
The BB5 uses templated hole locations for wood or metal doors and frames, so it drops into a standard 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 mortise prep and picks up the existing screw pattern on both leaf and jamb. Swaging is 1/16 in standard, which gives 1/16 in of clearance between the leaves and keeps the door hanging where the original hinge set it. If the existing hinges are 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 full mortise butts, this is a straight swap.
5) Can I get square corner or radius corner on the 4-1/2 inch BB5 hinge?
The 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 BB5 is a square corner hinge. Design Hardware stocks 1/4 in and 5/8 in radius corner in the BB5 at the 4 in x 4 in size only, so if your frame is a radius corner prep you need to be working at 4 x 4, not 4-1/2. Check the corner of the existing hinge before ordering, because a square corner leaf will not seat in a radius mortise without filing the pocket.
6) Is the Orca SSB4545 a drop-in substitute for a Design Hardware BB5 on a fire rated opening?
They are both 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch medium duty ball bearing hinges, so the opening prep matches. Where they differ for a rated opening is what is stated about fire door use: the Design Hardware BB5 is approved for most types of fire doors up to 4 ft x 10 ft and 8 ft x 10 ft pairs, per NFPA 80, and it meets ANSI A156.2 with dimensions and tolerances conforming to ANSI A156.7. If the door schedule calls out a fire rating and an ANSI reference, the BB5 answers both directly. The Orca SSB4545 is listed as a medium duty ball bearing commercial hinge.
7) I need a non removable pin hinge for an outswing exterior door - does the Orca SSB4545 cover that?
For an outswing door where the barrel is on the secure side, specify the Design Hardware BB5 with the Non-Removable Pin option set to Yes; it is a listed configuration in every BB5 finish, including 630-316 satin stainless steel marine grade for coastal exposure. The Orca SSB4545 is a stainless steel square corner ball bearing butt hinge in 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch, medium duty. When the security requirement is an NRP set screw in the barrel, the BB5 NRP configuration is the one to order.
8) Can I use a Design Hardware BB5 where a radius corner hinge is specified?
Not at the 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch size. The BB5 radius corner options, 1/4 inch and 5/8 inch, are stocked for 4 inch x 4 inch sizes only; the 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch is a square corner hinge. The Orca Hardware SSB4545 is likewise a 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch square corner ball bearing hinge. If the existing mortise was cut by a radius router template, confirm the corner radius before ordering either one, since a square corner hinge needs the mortise corners squared up.
9) What gauge steel is the BB5 4.5 inch hinge, and what is it made of?
At the 4.5 in x 4.5 in size the BB5 runs .134 in gauge metal. Base material is steel (ANSI A8112) or stainless steel, Grade 304 as standard (ANSI A5112), and marine grade 316 stainless is offered in US32D. For a coastal building, a pool deck, or a wash down area, the 630-316 satin stainless marine grade option is the one to order; 304 stainless or plated steel will not hold up the same way in salt air.
10) Do the BB5 hinges come with screws, and how many hinges are in a box?
Each box of three BB5 hinges includes a full set of both machine screws and wood screws, so you are covered whether the frame is hollow metal or wood. Three hinges is the standard hang for a door up to 7 ft, so one box does one opening. Nothing further is required to hang the door beyond the door prep itself.
11) What is the difference between a 5 knuckle ball bearing hinge and a plain bearing butt hinge?
A plain bearing hinge is metal riding directly on metal at the knuckles, which is fine on a light interior door that gets opened a few times a day. The BB5 is a 5 knuckle design with two sets of sealed ball bearings, so the load rides on bearings instead of the knuckle faces. That is what lets it carry a medium weight door through frequent cycling without squeaking, dragging, or wearing the knuckles oval. On any commercial opening with a closer on it, or any door in a corridor or public space, go ball bearing.
12) Can I get an electrified hinge in the BB5 series for a card reader or door position switch?
Yes. The BB5 series offers concealed thru wire and monitoring options, which is how you get power across the opening to an electric strike, electrified lock, or exit device without a surface loop, and how you feed a door position signal back to the access control panel. These are ordered separately from the standard mechanical hinge, so specify the electrified version up front. On a typical opening you use one electrified hinge in the set and standard BB5 hinges for the remaining positions.
13) Does the finish I need decide between the Design Hardware BB5 and the Orca SSB4545?
It often does. The Design Hardware BB5 4.5 inch x 4.5 inch is offered in 605 bright brass, 606 satin brass, 613 satin bronze oil-rubbed, 619 satin nickel, 622 matte black, 625 bright chrome, 626 satin chrome, 630-316 satin stainless steel marine grade, and 600 primed for painting, each with or without a non removable pin. The Orca SSB4545 is a stainless steel butt hinge in the same 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch square corner ball bearing configuration. When the hinges have to match existing lever and closer finishes across a set of doors, the BB5 finish range is what to work from.
14) My door is heavier than average traffic - is a medium duty ball bearing hinge like the BB5 or the Orca SSB4545 the right call?
Both the Design Hardware BB5 and the Orca Hardware SSB4545 are medium duty ball bearing hinges. The BB5 is built for medium weight doors of average frequency use, with 2 sets of maintenance free non detachable ball bearings per hinge and metal gauge of .134 inch at the 4-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch size. For a high frequency or heavy door leaf, step up to a heavy weight ball bearing hinge rather than either of these two, since both sit at the same medium duty level.
15) I need an electrified hinge for access control - will the Orca SSB4545 work?
For power transfer through the hinge, the Design Hardware BB5 is the one to look at: concealed thru wire and monitoring options are available in the series. The Orca Hardware SSB4545 is a mechanical stainless steel ball bearing butt hinge, medium duty, with no electrification called out. On a card reader or electric strike opening, specify the electrified BB5 for the power transfer point and use standard BB5 or comparable ball bearing hinges for the remaining leaves.
16) Can I use the BB5 hinge on a residential door as well as a commercial one?
It works on both. The BB5 is built as a commercial hinge, but the 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 size and the templated prep are the same ones used on solid core residential entry and interior doors, and Design Hardware lists it for residential hinge use as well. For a landlord or property manager standardizing across a mixed portfolio, that means one hinge and one finish covers apartment doors and the common area openings, with the NRP option added only where doors swing out.
17) Will the hinge pin work its way up over time?
No. The BB5 uses a non-rising pin with a button head and plug, seated easily during install. That is the detail that matters on a door with a closer, where a rising pin on a cheaper hinge slowly walks up the barrel and starts binding or dropping the door out of alignment. Combined with the two sets of maintenance free ball bearings, there is nothing on the hinge that needs servicing after it is hung.
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Does the Design Hardware DH-BB5-4.5X4.5-26D come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The Design Hardware DH-BB5-4.5X4.5-26D is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty.
For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
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