When architects, engineers and contractors plan door installations, they often focus on the visible elements: the frames, hardware, and finishes. Yet one crucial aspect frequently overlooked during early design is the low voltage wiring pathway, the infrastructure that supports access control systems, security devices, and monitoring equipment.
This oversight isn’t just a minor inconvenience. These “little wires” can be a big problem if not installed and protected from damage properly. Improvising wiring solutions after frames are installed leads to cascading problems: project delays, inspection failures, installations that are difficult to service, and severely limited options for future upgrades. The consequences can be both immediate and long-lasting.
Today, we’re examining three distinct approaches to frame wiring pathways: doing nothing and improvising later, using traditional conduit methods, or implementing purpose-built solutions like Frame Frog. By the end of this post, you’ll understand which option makes the most sense for your specific project needs.
Option 1 – Do Nothing and Hope for the Best (or the “Kick the Can Down the Road Approach).
What it looks like
This approach sends frames to the job site with no conduit infrastructure and often uncoordinated back boxes. During construction or final trim-out, electricians will fish their wires through the hollow portions of the frame, often drilling access holes as needed.
Short-term appeal
The “do nothing” approach holds obvious initial attractions. First, it appears less expensive on paper, as no additional materials or labor for conduit installation are included in the original estimate. Second, it offers theoretical flexibility if wiring plans change at the last minute, since no pre-existing infrastructure limits what can be done.
Long-term consequences
The apparent advantages quickly evaporate once installation begins. Without planned pathways, installers often resort to drilling or cutting the frame, risking structural damage and compromising fire ratings. Fishing wires becomes a frustrating, time-consuming process that dramatically increases labor costs. When complete, these frail wires may work initially, but over time they will likely become damaged by later work, or simply through building vibrations that can damage the wire jackets by rubbing against the sharp metal that was cut for installation. This results in short circuits and operational failure, with no way to identify the reason or location without demolition of wall finishes.
Equally concerning is the challenge of adding other electronic devices later. Once that initial wire is fished through with great effort, adding a second device becomes exponentially more difficult. Future maintenance or upgrades will frequently require wiring replacement and necessitate damage to completed work, rather than simple modifications.
Option 2 – Standard Conduit and Junction Boxes
What it looks like
The traditional approach involves installing basic EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) conduit or flexible conduit connected to standard back boxes on either inside the frames or in adjacent walls. This requires coordination between framers, electricians, security contractors, and other trades. Coordination that often happens on the fly rather than during the design phase.
Pros
Standard conduit solutions benefit the contractors through their familiarity. Most trades understand the basic concepts and can implement them without specialized training. The materials themselves are readily available at any electrical supply house, but the cost of field labor for installation of each “conduit drop” from the ceiling to each device adds up quickly because each device is fed separately, usually requiring at least 2, if not 3 or even 4 separate drops to a single frame, not to mention with added cable lengths. For basic installations with minimal device requirements, this approach can be adequate, particularly in non-critical openings where future flexibility isn’t a major concern.
Cons
The quality of these conduit installations varies dramatically and can be quite random, based on installer skill and experience with door frame applications specifically. Electricians will often run unprotected wires, unless conduit is specified, and even then, most will use flex conduit. It is cheaper and easier to install, but not so easy to install the wires. Pull strings are the simple solution, but they are often lost, resulting in the fish tape method which can be quite challenging through a ribbed internal wall of flex conduit. Standard metal back boxes require conduit connectors to be installed on the box in the field. This is tedious work that requires each box to have the access panel removed, the connectors attached, and the cover reinstalled, simply for the sole purpose of connecting each conduit. .
Retrofitting traditional conduit systems proves challenging when device requirements change. The original conduit path rarely accommodates additional wiring bundles, and adding hardware devices often means cutting into finished walls or frames.
Option 3 – Purpose-Built Solutions like Frame Frog
What Frame Frog offers
Frame Frog represents a comprehensive approach to the wiring pathway challenge. Unlike makeshift solutions, it’s designed specifically for access control applications, supporting Class 2 low-voltage wiring (under 30 volts) with specialized ports, dividers, and internal routing walls.
Its UL rating extends up to 180 minutes for fire-rated frames, ensuring that safety standards aren’t compromised for convenience. Each prep kit comes complete with the necessary components: mounting boxes, conduit, sweep elbows, and EMT connectors.
The system accommodates different project timelines through flexible mounting options: wing tabs for field installation when plans change mid-project, or weld clips for factory installation when planning occurs during the design phase.
Why it matters
The impact of purpose-built systems extends beyond mere convenience. Installation time decreases dramatically, with some contractors reporting 65% faster installation compared to improvised methods. The clean, professional results consistently pass inspections without the back-and-forth that often plagues improvised solutions.
Perhaps most valuable is the future-proofing aspect. Facilities inevitably evolve, requiring additional security features or upgraded technology. Frame Frog’s patented internal walls and funnel ports provide the ability to fish wires “in the blind” through the preplanned and controlled pathways. This allows for adding devices without compromising the original installation or requiring extensive renovation.
Choosing the Right Pathway for Your Project
While Frame Frog offers clear advantages, the right solution ultimately depends on your specific project parameters. Consider these key factors when making your decision.
Timing significantly impacts your options. Early planning during design allows for factory-installed solutions, while mid-construction changes might require field-adaptable approaches. Last-minute implementations severely limit your choices to more costly workarounds.
High-security facilities, healthcare institutions, and buildings with heavy access control requirements benefit most from purpose-built solutions. The reliability and capacity for future expansion justify any additional upfront investment many times over.
Simple openings with minimal technology needs might function adequately with basic conduit. However, as device counts increase—card readers, door position switches, request-to-exit sensors, electric strikes, and power transfers—organized, networked conduit systems become essential rather than optional. The success of any pathway solution correlates directly with how well different trades communicate. Purpose-built systems reduce coordination headaches by establishing clear standards and interfaces between frame installers and electrical contractors. By choosing Frame Frog from the project’s beginning, you ensure that your door openings remain smooth, scalable, code-compliant and serviceable throughout the building’s lifecycle. The modest investment in proper infrastructure pays dividends in installation efficiency, maintenance accessibility, and future adaptability.