Electric Strike vs. Magnetic Locks: Which Is Best for Your Miami Business?

Both electric strikes and magnetic locks are widely used in Miami commercial buildings — but they suit different applications. Here's how to choose.

2023-11-28 · 7 min read · Commercial

If you're adding electronic access control to a Miami business, you'll quickly encounter two primary door hardware options: electric strikes and magnetic locks (maglocks). Both are widely used, both work with card readers and intercoms, and both are installed regularly by commercial locksmiths in Miami-Dade. But they function differently and suit different applications.

How Electric Strikes Work

An electric strike replaces the standard fixed strike plate in a door frame. When power is applied (or removed, depending on the configuration), the strike's latch pocket releases — allowing the door to open even without the latch retracting. The door still closes and latches automatically when someone passes through.

Electric strikes are available in: - Fail-secure (fail-locked): Door stays locked when power fails. Used for high-security applications where securing the space during a power outage is the priority. - Fail-safe (fail-open): Door unlocks when power fails. Required by fire code for most egress doors in occupied buildings.

How Magnetic Locks Work

A magnetic lock uses an electromagnet mounted on the door frame and a metal armature plate on the door. When energized, the magnet holds the armature with a force typically rated at 600–1,200 pounds. The door has no latch — it's held closed purely by the magnetic force.

Maglocks are always fail-safe by nature: cut the power and the door opens immediately. This is why they're common on fire egress doors where fail-safe operation is required. However, this also means they require uninterruptible power or battery backup to maintain security during power outages.

Key Differences

Egress Behavior

Electric strikes work with existing door hardware — the door still has a knob, lever, or panic bar. A person inside can exit by operating the handle normally, even when the access control system is active. This makes electric strikes more compatible with most egress configurations.

Magnetic locks, by contrast, require a separate egress release device: a request-to-exit (REX) sensor, push-to-exit button, or motion detector that cuts power to release the door when someone approaches from inside. For fire egress compliance on a maglock door, these REX devices must be properly installed and tested.

Door Types

Electric strikes work best on doors with standard latch hardware — hollow metal doors, wood commercial doors, and most standard commercial entry doors. They don't work on doors without a latch (sliding glass doors, for example).

Magnetic locks work on virtually any door type — glass doors, metal doors, aluminum storefront doors, hollow metal. If your building has all-glass entries (common in Miami commercial properties), maglocks are often the only practical option.

Aesthetics

Maglocks have a cleaner exterior appearance — no visible hardware on the door face. Electric strikes are concealed within the frame but require compatible latch hardware that's visible. For Miami retail and hospitality businesses where aesthetics matter, maglocks often win this comparison.

Security Level

Both can provide equivalent access control functionality. For high-security applications, electric strike systems with mortise locksets provide higher physical resistance to forced entry than maglocks, because the maglock releases completely once power is cut — by any means.

What Miami Fire Code Requires

All electronic locking devices on egress-required doors must fail in a manner that allows exit. For electric strikes on egress doors, this typically means fail-safe configuration. For maglocks, they are inherently fail-safe. Both must also integrate with the building's fire alarm system to release automatically upon fire alarm activation.

Before installing either system, verify compliance with the Miami-Dade County fire marshal's requirements for your specific occupancy type.

Which Should You Choose?

• Choose an electric strike if your doors have existing latch hardware you want to retain, you want to preserve the door's existing aesthetics, or you need fail-secure capability on non-egress doors.
• Choose a magnetic lock if you have glass or aluminum-frame doors, if aesthetics are a priority, or if you need a simple installation on doors without suitable latch hardware.

Caraballo Locksmith designs and installs both electric strike and magnetic lock systems for Miami businesses of all types. Call us for a site assessment and recommendation based on your specific doors, occupancy, and code requirements.