What does this operable partitions final checklist cover?

13 items across 4 sections, covering operation, seals and acoustic closure, alignment and closure, turnover. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The partition installer's field lead with the GC's superintendent, demonstrating the wall before turnover.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

After the ceiling and finishes are complete and the floor is down, before the room is handed over and staff are trained on the wall.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

8 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 11 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails an operable partitions final inspection?

Bottom sweep seals set high so the wall glides easily, which quietly gives away the acoustic rating the wall was bought for. Panels stack and operate fine empty but bind or won't latch once the room finishes and floor tolerances are real. Closure at the jambs adjusted on one end while the far jamb is left with a light gap that leaks sound.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Operable partitions

Operable partitions final inspection checklist

Operable partitions final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

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The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Operation

Panels operate and stack smoothly
Full extend-and-stack cycle run, panels roll without dragging or binding, stack seats cleanly in the pocket.
Pass door operates and latches
Any pass door in the partition opens, closes and latches freely, seals engaging with the door as with the panels.
No photo
Powered-wall safety devices tested by the installer and observed
Where the wall is powered, the installer runs the obstruction sensors, stop controls and key switch while the super watches; the wall stops or reverses as the manufacturer describes.
No photo

Seals and acoustic closure

Top and bottom seals engage across the run
Top and bottom seals deployed and in contact along the full length when the wall is closed, set for the rated acoustic performance rather than for easy glide.
Panel label model matches the approved submittal
Manufacturer's label on the panel edge read: model on the panel label matches the submittal, whose STC is the rated value, with the finish as submitted.
Ceiling trim at the track closed with no open gaps
Trim between the finished ceiling and the track continuous along the run, no open slots above the panel tops for sound to leak over the wall.
Acoustical consultant's field test report on file if one was run
Where the spec calls for a field acoustic test, the consultant's report for this wall on file, with any deficiencies and the installer's corrections noted.
No photo

Alignment and closure

Alignment and closure tight at both jambs
Panels plumb and aligned, closure panel engaged, jamb and floor closures tight at both ends with no light or air gap.
Panel faces flush with even joints across the closed wall
Adjacent panels flush at the face with even vertical joints, edge profiles interlocking over the full height, no panel standing proud of its neighbors.
Panel faces and edges free of install damage
Faces, edges and trim checked for dents, scuffs and torn fabric or vinyl, including the faces that are hidden once the wall is stacked in the pocket.
Flooring along the panel path unmarked after the full cycle
Flooring under the track line checked after an extend-and-stack cycle for scuffs, gouges or seal marks from panel travel.

Turnover

Owner's staff trained to extend, seal and stack the wall
Installer walks the owner's staff through extending, deploying seals, using the pass door and stacking, with attendees and date recorded.
No photo
Operating handles, keys and O&M manual turned over
Seal cranks or handles, any key switch keys, spare parts and the manufacturer's operation and maintenance manual handed to the owner and logged.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Bottom sweep seals set high so the wall glides easily, which quietly gives away the acoustic rating the wall was bought for.
Panels stack and operate fine empty but bind or won't latch once the room finishes and floor tolerances are real.
Closure at the jambs adjusted on one end while the far jamb is left with a light gap that leaks sound.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this operable partitions final checklist cover?: 13 items across 4 sections, covering operation, seals and acoustic closure, alignment and closure, turnover. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The partition installer's field lead with the GC's superintendent, demonstrating the wall before turnover.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: After the ceiling and finishes are complete and the floor is down, before the room is handed over and staff are trained on the wall.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 8 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 11 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails an operable partitions final inspection?: Bottom sweep seals set high so the wall glides easily, which quietly gives away the acoustic rating the wall was bought for. Panels stack and operate fine empty but bind or won't latch once the room finishes and floor tolerances are real. Closure at the jambs adjusted on one end while the far jamb is left with a light gap that leaks sound.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

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Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 11 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.