The most popular types of roller shutter doors

Roller shutters have been the standard method of providing security to windows and doors for many years now. Modern roller shutter doors can come in wide variety of forms depending upon the required application.

Domestic roller shutters tend to be constructed from foam filled aluminium lath that is interlinked to create a continuous door curtain. These types of shutter are a great deterrent to would be intruders but are not the most secure option.

Insulated Security roller shutter provide a host of other benefits such as preventing heat loss on a cold winters night therefore reducing energy bills somewhat. In summer insulated roller shutters can also add much needed shade to a room and prevent heat entering a building on hot sunny days.

Roller shutters can be supplied in a wide range of colours to give an aesthetically pleasing appearance. In addition to this the roller shutter rolls up into a neat compact roll that either sits above the opening or under the lintel where space permits. Available in a selection of sizes and levels of insulation these types of roller shutter are ideal for automation and can be operated using a number of options.

Extruded aluminium roller shutters are a stronger version of the insulated roller shutter door but do not feature foam filled insulation. This type of shutter door is ideal for securing larger residential and commercial openings. They feature all the same options as the insulated roller shutter but the door profile is designed to provide a higher level of security.

A wide range of high security roller doors and perforated roller shutters are available on the market that has been primarily designed for commercial and industrial applications. These types of shutter are constructed from high gauge extruded aluminium profile of more often than not roll formed steel. They provide high levels of security that businesses demand but do not have the most aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Perforated shutters are available in a number of options and are designed to allow light to enter the building. This makes them the ideal solution for shop fronts where it is important that window displays can still be seen by would be purchasers.  Solid roller shutters are an extremely high security option that is virtually impenetrable to intruders making them a popular choice for industrial units.

These can be operated by a wide range of operating systems depending upon the customer`s specification.

Whatever the type of shutter or intended application be sure to consider a roller shutter door the next time you have the need to secure your property or business.

Things to consider when purchasing an electric roller shutter door

If you are considering buying electric roller shutter doors there are a few things to take into consideration. The main factors are the type of operating system you require, do you need additional safety features and is there an alternate entrance to the building in the event of a power failure?

Line Of Sight Operation

Electric roller shutter doors can be operated in a number of ways depending upon the user requirements. For simple line of sight operation, roller shutters can be operated with a hold to run rocker switch or key switch. These switches are available in either hard wired or can wireless, saving time hiding unsightly cables etc.

Remote Control Operation

For remote controlled operation the roller shutter door is operated by a small key ring sized unit. As the roller shutter can in theory be opened from a position that does not allow for line of sight operation it is imperative that either the motor has an inbuilt safety feature or the door has a bottom rail safety edge. This is a requirement by law and is designed to prevent injury from the door hitting an object during its operation.

Emergency access

Most roller shutters come supplied with an internal manual release of some kind. This feature allows the door to still be operated from within the garage in the event of a power failure. This is not a problem if there is a side door or alternate access into the building. In situations where no access is available an external manual release will need to be specified at the time of ordering your new roller shutter door. If you choose not to go with this option and the power fails you will not be able to gain access to the building.

Caring for your wooden Garage Door

General Advice

Door Cleaning

Wooden garage doors should be cleaned regularly with warm water and either a soft sponge or soft cloth. The door should then be allowed to dry naturally.

Under no circumstances should the door be washed using ;

·         Detergent.

·         Abrasive.

·         Caustic based cleaners.

·         Solvent based cleaners.

The use of any of the above solutions may damage the door surface.

Due to the acidic nature of bird droppings it is recommended that they are removed as soon as possible in order to prevent possible marking of the door panel.


Door Servicing and Maintenance

Garage doors should be used and maintained in line with the operating and maintenance instructions supplied at the time of purchase.

Every six months;

·         Visually inspect all wear items for signs of damage or fatigue. (including cables)

 If damage is found to be present we recommend you contact your supplier to arrange for a replacement.

Garage door springs are under extreme tension and should only be repaired or replaced by a suitably qualified engineer.


Additional factors effecting Woodrite garage doors are:

Factory applied wood stain can provide up to 5 years protection against the elements depending upon the doors location. You may notice a milky coloured staining on the door finish if exposed to heavy rain soon after installation. This is normal in water based coatings and will disappear when left to dry naturally. Over a period of time this will stop occurring. Please note this has no adverse effect on the door finish itself.

All doors are individually constructed to each customer`s specification. Due to the natural variations within timber, wooden garage doors may occasionally display small blemishes. Any such blemishes do not detract from the doors overall appearance. Any blemishes not visible from a distance of 3 metres with the naked eye will be regarded as being within the manufacturers tolerances.

Additionally, natural variations in the timber will vary from door to door. If 2 doors are to be fitted next to each other please let us know and we will arrange for the joiners to match timbers as best they can.

The timber used in the construction of a wooden garage doors should be sourced from managed and sustainable sources.

Prior to installation, garage doors must not be stored in direct sunlight or become exposed to splashes or rain. Staining or colour fading may become apparent if this happens.

Garage doors that are supplied base coat stained will require on site finishing as soon as the door has been installed. The stain used should be a micro porous type stain and should be applied in accordance with the stain manufacturer`s instructions.

The natural beauty of a wooden garage door

Why Choose Timber Garage Door?

Timber is the only truly sustainable building material. A saving of almost 2 tonnes of CO2 emissions can be made through the substitution of one cubic metre of wood for other building material types.

A growing tree will absorb CO2. This absorbtion will help reduce climate change by reducing the number of pollutants in the atmosphere. 

Wood is a totally carbon neutral product due to the above co2 absorbtion. Sourcing timber from sustainably managed forests can often achieve better than carbon neutral status.

A healthy tree will take in one tonne of CO2 for every cubic metre in growth. In exchange for this they will give out oxygen. In fact almost three quarters of a tonne for every cubic metre of growth.

Wood is the most thermally efficient of any natural building material. So good it is more than 350 times more efficient than steel.

As a natural material, timber garage doors offer a timeless appeal that enhances the overall look of any property.

Modern timber products require very little maintenance due to the quality of the coatings used.

Wooden garage doors are widely recognised as the most sympathetic option for traditional buildings. With a little imagination will also blend wonderfully with more contemporary designs.

The Safe Use Of An Automatic Garage Door

As the largest moving object within most properties it is imperative that garage doors are safe to operate and comply with government legislation.

The motor on an automatic garage door is a machine and must therefore be safe to operate. It is a legal requirement under the “Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations” that all such operators must be safe and be labelled with the European CE mark to confirm compliance.

Potential Hazards

The most important consideration is the potential for the door to strike or crush the person operating the door with sufficient force to cause injury.

Cases have arisen not only in the UK but worldwide where automatic garage doors have caused injury and in a few even killed the operative.

In a number of the cases, the motor had either been incorrectly installed or had not been maintained in accordance with the manufacturer`s instructions.

Achieving the required standard

As detailed above, electrically operated garage doors must be safe. This includes been safeguarded against accidents including any that may happen as a result of misuse.

 BS EN 13241-1 is the European standard which enables a supplier to prove that a door is safe.

This legislation provides two options for the protection of operatives from doors which close automatically.

1. Prevention of a collision occurring with a moving door.
2. Limiting the force on the operative in the event that a collision does occur.

Most manufacturers find option one to be both costly and inconvenient as sensors would be required to detect any approaching person, then stop the door before the person came into contact with it. It must be noted that a single photocell cannot achieve this.

The majority of garage door operators feature the second option as they are more realistic and more easily achievable.

Safety devices

The design of the majority of garage door operators contain in built safety features designed to stop the door and reverse the motor should it come into contact with an obstruction or person.

There are however two situations when this feature may not be available or become ineffective.

Up and Over Canopy Garage Doors

This type of door requires the use of a bow arm adaptor to allow a traditional garage door operator to open and close the door safely and effectively. If the bow arm is incorrectly specified, it may mean that the inbuilt safety features of the motor do not recognise that an obstruction has been detected until a dangerous level of force has been applied.

In order to comply with BS EN 12453 it is imperative that a combination of door, drive unit and adaptor has been tested together and was found to of complied with the above British Standard.

Insulated Roller Garage Doors

The majority of insulated roller garage doors are fitted with a tubular motor. Although great at opening and closing the door they tend not to have inbuilt features to limit the amount of force been applied during operation.

Due to this factor any reputable door supplier will have additional in built safety features like a wireless safety edge installed on the bottom edge of the door curtain. This works by sensing an object and immediately stopping the door therefore giving force limitation.

The Safety Aspects Of An Automatic Roller Garage Door

We have all come across sites selling so called premium insulated roller doors for around £500 or less. Look a little closer and it is obvious they are an unbranded imported product and generally of inferior quality.

Roller garage doors vary in price due to a number of reasons. On the face of it, these doors may look the same as a more expensive product in terms of their appearance, however vast differences are seen with the quality of the components used to manufacture the doors.

Inferior roller garage doors will often use cheap parts such as cheap motors, thin gauge aluminium in the door lath etc and not include safety features making them non compliant with EU regulations for safety.

The main safety features to look for when purchasing an automatic roller door that has remote control operation are that it includes one of the following;

Insulated roller doors

The leading edge of the door should have an inbuilt sensor called a “bottom rail safety edge” that will stop the door automatically if it senses an obstruction. Additionally, doors over 9m2 should have a safety brake fitted as standard to stop the door dropping should the motor fail for any reason.

Single skin roller door

The control box & motor should have a feature that monitors the amount of force required to operate the door on a day to day basis. This feature will sense an obstruction by recognising the door load has increased and instantly stop the doors operation.

The only exclusion to the above regulations is for electric doors that operate via a hold to run button. This only applies if the operator can see the door at all times during operation of the door.

All Gliderol roller doors have one of the above functions as standard making them fully compliant with the relevant regulations.

VERY IMPORTANT

Photo cells as a stand-alone safety feature even if it forms a grid across the opening do not comply with EU standards.