What different types of industrial doors are there?

Callum Dodsley • September 15, 2022

Industrial technology is constantly evolving and this means that the needs of factory owners and bosses are constantly being met with new advancements in design and manufacturing. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in the world of industrial doors which have continued to expand to offer more convenience and more bespoke design than ever before. With health and safety of workers always the priority, these doors help keep staff safe while also keeping costs low. However, which one is right for your business?


From roller shutters to high speed and hangar doors, there are many different types of industrial doors. It’s become incredibly easy to find the right model, no matter the application, thanks to recent developments in design and technology but understanding the use of each door has also become more important to ensure you are paying for the door you think you are.


Roller Shutter Doors


Roller shutter doors are the most common type of industrial door and most likely the form you are most familiar with as these are also commonly used domestically for things such as garage doors. They are known for being secure, versatile and economical. Roller doors are ideal to maximise the available space. In terms of cost, roller shutter doors are also the least expensive type of doors to repair and maintain. They are tailor made to suit individual opening requirements and are suitable for a vast range of industrial, commercial, retail and domestic requirements.


  • Wide range of curtain styles to suit your bespoke requirements
  • Internal or External applications
  • Choice of Colour and Finishes
  • Economical to Repair and Maintain
  • Robust Design
  • Available in Push Up, Hand Chain and Electrical Operation


High Speed Doors


High speed doors are the most modern door on this list. As demand grew for a product which could allow the swift movement of materials and traffic from one area to another to minimise heat loss, contamination and airborne pollution, a door had to be created to offer a reliably safe and fast opening. High speed doors are quite recognisable due to its fabric curtain material. This same material is what has resulted in a door to be of low maintenance due to the absence of moving components within the door blade. The door is incredibly lightweight which means it can offer opening speeds of up to 3m per second. This kind of door is ideal for retaining heat, cold and ambient temperatures, making it ideal for use in hygienic, pharmaceutical and food preparation areas.


  • Low Maintenance
  • Colourful and striking colour
  • Rapid opening
  • Resistant to airborne dust and dirt



PVC Curtains


PVC curtains are similar to high speed doors in a number of ways. They are lightweight, they are used as a barrier from contaminants and can help with heat control. However, they are also far less expensive than roller shutters and high-speed doors. This is because they are a lot more simple and basic. They are designed to hang from the top of doorways, and are often used in conjunction with other external doors to ensure an insulating yet flexible barrier.


  • Cheap and Cheerful
  • Easy to Use
  • Incredibly Versatile
  • Reduce Heat Loss and Blocks Contamination


Sectional Doors


Much like roller shutter doors in many ways; sectional doors are made of large panels and can operate manually or electrically in a vertical motion. Unlike roller shutter doors, there is the opportunity to include windows or door access as well as play around with the design more. If you require doors that deliver security and smooth operation yet you also need a good amount of natural daylight, these doors are ideal. Many of these doors can also help to reduce energy usage because of their excellent thermal performance.


  • Energy Saving
  • Superior resistance to all weather conditions
  • A high level of security and excellent insulation
  • Made from either Galvanised Steel or Aluminium panels

 


Steel Hinged Doors


Designed for frequent use, steel hinged doors are manufactured to deliver excellent strength, security and style. Steel hinged doors are typically quite nice looking and are generally used for things such as fire exits and security doors for increased safety. 


  • Bespoke manufacture to suit exact customer requirements
  • Typical uses : fire exit steel doors, security rated steel doors
  • Rigorously tested to stand the test of time
  • Fitted with quality, industry standard hardware and hinges
  • Readily available, replaceable components


With a wide range of doors available, there is always the right solution available for your business. Contact us today for a free installation quote or for more information and guidance on what door would best suit your business’ needs.


Contact Us

How Energy-Saving Doors Reduce Costs and Improve Efficiency

By Elusha Cronje • April 17, 2025
How Energy-Saving Doors Reduce Costs and Improve Efficiency

Choosing the Right Industrial Door for Your Business

By Elusha Cronje • March 27, 2025
Choosing the Right Industrial Door for Your Business

The Importance of Industrial Door Maintenance for Your Business

By Elusha Cronje • March 27, 2025
The Importance of Industrial Door Maintenance for Your Business

Overhead Door Safety Tips for Industrial Facilities

November 8, 2023
Reducing the risk of serious injury means setting boundaries for anyone operating your industrial overhead door and ensuring all areas are properly marked.

The Benefits of High Speed Doors

By John Bubb • March 23, 2023
Tridoor has been producing high speed doors for industrial businesses for 20+ years. Our high speed doors provide both ease of access and high security.

Can roller shutters be repaired

January 4, 2023
In simple terms yes. Roller shutter doors are manufactured using individual components that make up the full door system. The main components of a roller shutter door is the barrel assembly and the door curtain, these too are made up of individual items and can be replaced but the extent of this damage or wear to these two vital parts can sometimes make replacement a more cost effective option. The roller shutter door barrel: The barrel assembly or axle is often a steel tube, the size and thickness is determined to prevent deflection of the tube under the weight of the door curtain (industry standard is 1:400). The barrel may contain shafts, bushes, springs, motor and brakes. Depending upon the age of the door, all the items are readily available and replaceable. The roller barrel assembly is a classed as a suspension element and carries the weight of the roller shutter curtain, It is recommended that any repairs to the barrel assembly is carried out by a specialist door contractor who has the expertise to identify the parts, faults and can carry out the repairs safely. Replacement of motors and safety brakes should only be carried out by a specialist door contractor 

How often should roller shutter doors be serviced

January 4, 2023
Roller shutter maintenance depends. Legal rights say industrial doors need maintenance every year but a domestic door can last longer due to lack of use.

Force Testing of Automatic Doors

November 28, 2022
In the design, manufacture and maintenance of industrial doors, demands of site, users and the environment are all taken into consideration. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment should be carried out for compliance and even where state-of-the-art requirements have been achieved, residual hazards are still present. Where recital 14 of the machinery directive is concerned, state-of-the-art is not cutting edge safety but the minimum level of safety required. Automatic doors can be opened by various means ranging from a simple push button, remote control, radar or induction floor loops, which activate the door and the door will raise to its upper most position. Once the door has reached its fully open position, for a fully automatic door, usually a timer is activated and the door will count down for a pre-determined time and the door will commence to close. An automatic door can also be where the door will remain at its fully open position indefinitely and requires a signal to close. Upon receipt of this signal, the door will begin to close automatically. For a door to work automatically in the closed position, safety features need to be present to prevent the door closing onto an obstruction or person. This can be in the form of a safety edge in conjunction with a low-level safety beam where either breaking the beam or contact of the safety edge will stop and return the door to the open position. Where a light barrier is installed, this is a full light curtain grid across the door opening and in the path of the closing door to a height of approximately 2500mm; crossing this beam at any point will stop and return the closing the door. As mentioned previously, recital 14 of the Machinery Directive relates to the minimum requirements for safety therefore residual hazards can still be present. When an automatic closing door is installed or maintained, the specialist door contractor should carry out a force test of the closing door. The force of the closing door should not exceed 400n, should reduce back to 150n in 0.75s to allow the door to stop and return so no overrun is present and should reduce further to 25n within 5s. The test is carried out at specific locations beneath the door and at heights where the door reaches full speed. A special force test meter is required to measure these forces on both doors and gates and should be calibrated on an annual basis. The test is recorded and a certificate is issued in order for the door to be compliant.
A large warehouse with a truck parked in the back

The Benefits of Industrial Doors

By Callum Dodsley • September 15, 2022
Industrial doors have lots of benefits to your business beyond keeping the breeze out! Installing a door properly and keeping it maintained can be a big boost for your company's image.

SHUTTER SAFETY BRAKES

November 8, 2019
Shutter Safety brakes, anti fall back devices for vertically acting door fall back protection STANDARDS: Construction Products Regulation (CPR) (EU) 305/2011 EN 13241: 2003+A2:2016, Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates, Product Standard, Performance Characteristics. EN12604: Supporting structures, fixings, suspension elements and door leaves should be designed to withstand 2 x the total foreseeable load without permanent deformity. Supporting structures, fixings, suspension elements, fixings, door leaves and travel stops should be designed to withstand 3.5 x their total foreseeable load without ultimate structural failure Rolling shutter curtain attachments should be secured against normal loads, shock loads i.e. safety brake engagements. EN 12604 suggests at least 50% of barrel is covered at fully closed position. Vertically acting door static balance Vertically moving door leaves should achieve static balance such that: they remain static in the fully open and fully closed position Any slight out of balance movement when the door is stopped in any other position should not exert a static weight of more than 15kg Vertically acting door fall-back protection Vertically moving doors should be protected against failure of vulnerable balancing system components. Some structures within the suspension system can be considered to be resistant to failure provided they achieve the design strength of EN 12604 Other more vulnerable elements such as springs, cables, drive chains, gears, functional brakes (used to stop doors in normal use), should be provided with a back up system. The protection should be effective that in the event of failure of any one single vulnerable balancing component The door leaf must not exert a static weight of more than 20kg The door leaf must not travl more than 300mm within 2500mm of the ground or any other permanently available access level. Shutter Safety Brakes 
More Posts