How PDQ Helped W.L. Swain Elementary Beat a Tight Summer Deadline
W..L. Swain Elementary School's building had served Plainville, Georgia for more than 50 years, and by 2022 its doors and hardware were showing every bit of that wear on thousands of PK-5 students passing through daily. PDQ's XGT Series cylindrical locks, 7100 Series door closers, and 6300 Series exit devices and trims now secure every renovated classroom, corridor, and exterior opening across the school during the district's tight summer-break window.
About the property
W.L. Swain Elementary School in Plainville, GA was built in 1976. The public school has served the community well but after 50 plus years of wear, and educating thousands of PK-5 students, the building was badly in need of updates. A summer 2022 renovation was designed to change that: roughly 30–40% of the school's doors were re-hardwared, with about 90% of that new hardware going onto brand-new openings, all completed inside the tight window between the last day of school and the first day back.
The Challenge
After 50-plus years of wear, the building needed updates, and the district scheduled the renovation for the one window that wouldn't disrupt students: summer break. That put door hardware, typically one of the last trades in on any construction schedule, directly in the path of a hard deadline. The goal was durable, code-compliant hardware that could stand up to daily elementary-school traffic from day one and keep every classroom and exterior opening secure for years to come.
The Solution
PDQ and distributor Cook & Boardman coordinated a hardware package built for both the compressed timeline and the school's mix of existing and new doors:
Sourcing the cylindrical locks, mortise trim, exit devices, and closers from a single manufacturer and distributor gave Cook & Boardman one coordinated hardware standard to install across every classroom, corridor, and exterior opening in the renovation without any delays.
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Talk To An Expert
PDQ has secured guest rooms, corridors, and back-of-house doors for major hospitality brands for more than 40 years. Tell us about your next extended-stay, full-service, or mixed-use project, and our team will help you spec the right lock, closer, and hardware package for every door on the property.