Specialty Access Products

BILCO is the original name in basement doors. And after 90 years, the product is still unmatched in design and quality.

What types of basement doors does BILCO offer?
Products are available for both flat and sloped basement doorways. We also offer several material and finish options. You'll find the perfect basement door to compliment your home at BILCO.

Classic Series Basement Doors
Classic Series Sloped Wall Basement Doors
Ultra Series Basement Doors

BILCO egress window well systems add natural daylight and ventilation to basement rooms, making them as warm and comfortable as any area in the home. Window well systems meet IRC 2024 building code requirements for emergency egress and are constructed of non-corrosive materials for many years of maintenance free service.

Window wells from BILCO add beauty and safety to your residential basement window. Depending upon your budget, BILCO has an egress window well system that is right for you.

How window wells can add to your interior design or make your home safer
BILCO window wells are available in a planter design for added beauty inside your home. Or, you can choose a modular design that is the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to provide a safe way to leave your basement in case of an emergency.

StakWEL® Window Wells-Modular Design
ScapeWEL® Window Wells-Planter Design

BILCO egress window well covers keep the window well area clean of snow, leaves and debris. Constructed of polycarbonate, this high-impact cover is UV-resistant and designed for durability and long-life. Sizes are available for all standard size window wells.


Window Well Covers

Consisting of a precast concrete stairwell and either a Classic Series or Ultra Series basement door, PermEntry is the fastest and most economical way to add convenient, direct basement access to any home. PermEntry is ideal for new home construction or remodeling projects and can be delivered and installed in just a few hours by a PermEntry dealer.

PermEntry Basement Entrance

BILCO'S basement door weather strip kit is designed to reduce gaps, and to block leaves, dirt, and pests from your basement area way. The easy to install kit is supplied with installation instructions.

Basement Door Weather Strip Kit
Protect your basement areaway from leaves, dirt and pests BILCO's new weather strip kit is easy to install and includes a series of gaskets specifically designed to seal the intricate shape and areas of a basement door. The kit is supplied with complete installation instructions and the only tools required are tin snips or large scissors. Simply trim the materials as instructed to match your specific door model (possibly even other brands of steel basement doors) and enjoy your well-sealed areaway.

Note: Weather Strip kit will not work on Ultra Series Basement Doors.

Standard Features and Benefits

• Reduces gaps to block leaves, dirt and pests from entering the area way

• Easy to install kit is supplied with installation instructions and can be applied in minutes

• No special tools required for installation

• Designed for BILCO basement doors, but may be suitable for other steel basement door brands

Enjoy the convenience of locking and unlocking your Classic Series BILCO basement door from the outside with a basement door keyed lock kit. Install a BILCO keyed entry lock and save the trip into the basement to lock or unlock the door. The basement door keyed lock kit is available for all steel basement door models and is not available for Ultra Series basement doors at this time.

Basement Door Keyed Lock Kit
With a BILCO basement door keyed lock lit, a simple turn of the key opens the door from the outside, providing convenient access to basement storage areas, workshops, playrooms and utility rooms. From the inside, pushing the handy release lever automatically unlocks the door. To lock the door from the inside, simply push the slide bar into position. The lock kit is designed for homeowner installation and is supplied with a template & complete instructions for quick, easy installation.

Note: Keyed lock kit will not work on Ultra Series Doors.

Standard Features and Benefits

• Rugged construction safely secures the basement areaway

• Corrosion resistant finish and hardware ensure trouble-free operation and long service life

• Special cylinder cap keeps keyway clean, dry, and useable in all kinds of weather

• Gaskets and self-locking fasteners provide a secure, weathertight installation.

• Can be installed in 30 minutes or less

Foundation plates can be used to improve an areaway's appearance, cover rough masonry, reduce the inside areaway width, or for side support in corner installations. Formed plates are prime-painted steel and are now available with a factory applied powder coat paint finish.

Standard Features and Benefits

• Improve areaway appearance, cover rough masonry and small holes, span voids in brick and concrete block. In this case, select foundation plates as wide as the sidewalls

• Reduce inside width of foundation. In this case, select foundation plates wide enough to span sidewalls and extend into areaway so that BILCO door frame overlaps them by at least 2" per side

• Install the BILCO door in a corner

 
Installation

Foundation Plates are cut to length on the job site to fit the areaway conditions. Anchor the plates to sound sidewalls before installing the door to cap the areaway. Foundation plates can be overlapped to accommodate areaways greater than 84" in length.

Finish Options

Foundation plates are supplied with a primer finish that requires a finish coat upon installation. An optional factory-applied powder coat paint finish is available. This highly durable finish elminates the time and expensense required to finish coat the foundation plates after installation. The optional powder-coat paint finish is available in White, Light Gray, Sandstone, Brick, Green, and Black to match standard BILCO powder coat basement door colors.

Stair stringers sizes are available for all BILCO Basement Doors sizes. Constructed of heavy galvanized steel, BILCO stair stringers for basement areaways are an economical and more durable alternative to wood stair stringers for your basement areaway.

Standard Features and Benefits

• Easy to install and less labor intensive than wooden stair stringers

• 14-gauge galvanized steel construction provides the same lasting service as your BILCO Door

• Removeable treads allow bulky items, such as a new furnace or freezer, pool table, or big screen TV, to be easily moved into the basement.

 
Installation

Simply nail the stringers to the areaway sidewalls, using the masonry nails supplied. Cut the wooden treads to the required length from standard 2" X 10" lumber stringers (wood not supplied), and anchor them in position with the nails provided.

Painting Instructions

Optional stair stringers and foundation plates are galvanized steel but can be painted for aesthetic purposes. If painted, a metal primer must be used prior to applying the finish coat of paint. 

Project Snapshot

• Rock Island High School, originally built in 1937, upgraded its aging smoke vent system to improve fire protection while maintaining the integrity of its historic architecture.

• The project required the careful removal of a deteriorating “doghouse" style vent and the installation of a modern, acoustical smoke vent that enhances safety.

BILCO Products

• BILCO supplied customized acoustical smoke vents featuring the Thermolatch® II positive hold/release mechanism and gas spring operators for reliable operation during fire emergencies.

• The vents deliver industry-leading OITC-46 and STC-50 sound ratings, providing exceptional noise control while ensuring compliance with modern fire and life safety standard

Project Snapshot

• The New York Public Library expanded its research capacity by constructing the Milstein Research Stacks beneath Bryant Park.

• The multi-phase renovation, completed in 1992, transformed the 10-acre park into a layered public and archival space with integrated library infrastructure.

BILCO Products

• The project included a custom BILCO double-leaf floor door designed to meet the emergency egress needs of a large, below-grade facility.

• The door's heavy-duty construction supports constant pedestrian use in a high-traffic urban park, while maintaining long-term functionality.

Project Snapshot

• The Genesee County Drain Commissioner—Division of Water and Waste Services completed a three-year, $9.5 million project to construct a new digestion and dewatering facility.

• The facility retrofit included the installation of two 18,500-pound centrifuges to process up to 250 GPM of sludge for improved wastewater management.

BILCO Products

• A custom 22-foot-long roof hatch from BILCO was used to lower and install the massive centrifuges into a fourth-floor space of a 51-year-old building.

• The hatch features heavy-duty arms, chains and Type 316 Stainless Steel Hardware to ensure safe, unobstructed access and watertight closure.

Project Snapshot

• The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater at dōTERRA in Pleasant Grove, Utah, is a new $65 million, 77,950-square-foot performing arts facility.

• The facility includes two theaters with seating for over 1,000 guests, a club lounge, ballroom, arts education wing and state-of-the-art performance technology.

BILCO Products

• The project incorporated motorized BILCO smoke vents, measuring 6 feet x 8 feet, 6.5 inches, equipped with push button operation for quick opening. A BILCO roof hatch allows rooftop access.

• These smoke vents assist firefighting efforts and improve life safety by venting smoke, heat and toxic fumes in the event of a fire.

Project Snapshot

• This $14.5 million project has been in the planning stages since 2008.

• The project involved the construction of a 5-million-gallon potable water storage tank and a 24-inch diameter supply pipeline in Parker, Colorado, to address the area's growing water demands.

BILCO Products

• The four BILCO access hatches provided crucial access to the water tank's water quality probes, a tank mixer and level sensors, among other components.

• The hatches feature corrosion-resistant materials, compression spring operators for one-hand operation, and automatic hold-open arms for enhanced safety and ease of use.

Project Snapshot

• NoDa Brewing expanded its facility in Charlotte, NC, with a $4 million, 16,000-square-foot addition to increase production capacity by 40%.

• The expansion allowed NoDa to bring cans and dry storage in-house, reducing reliance on off-site locations and improving distribution efficiency.

BILCO Products

• The expansion incorporated eight BILCO smoke vents as part of the brewery's fire safety plan.

• The smoke vents, activated by fusible links, assist with firefighting efforts and building evacuation by removing smoke, heat and toxic fumes.

Project Snapshot

• The Unified Southern Sarpy Wastewater System includes 45 miles of sewer lines, three lift gravity stations and a $130 million investment aimed at enabling regional development in Sarpy County, Nebraska.

• The project is expected to open 97,000 new parcels for development and generate substantial revenue, including $74 million in annual sales tax and $60 million in annual property tax.

BILCO Products

• BILCO supplied 31 stainless steel floor doors with fall protection grating, specified in various sizes, designed for corrosive environments with fall protection grates and lift assistance for one-hand operation.

• The doors ensure high security, easy operation and are integral to protecting equipment and facilitating sewer conveyance in the infrastructure project.

Project Snapshot

• The Venue at Thunder Valley, a 4,500-seat entertainment venue, was built to replace an outdoor amphitheater and needed to address noise issues from a nearby rail line.

• The $100 million project, part of the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, Calif., incorporated acoustical smoke vents to reduce noise intrusion and improve acoustic quality for events.

BILCO Products

• BILCO supplied six acoustical smoke vents, each measuring 5 feet by 10 feet, designed to limit exterior noise.

• The vents were specified to meet high sound insulation standards, with OITC-46 and STC-50 ratings, to ensure minimal noise intrusion from the nearby train line.

Code Information

Installation Instructions

Size Charts