Roller shutter gates for the garage: determining the dimensions and tips for choosing

July 29, 2020

Roller shutters or roller shutters are all names for the same thing, roller doors, which are increasingly being chosen for installation in garages. There are many reasons for this popularity:

• Roller shutters are lightweight and open without any extra effort, even in mechanical mode.
• Resistant to mechanical damage, temperature changes, high humidity and corrosion.
• Retain heat inside the garage, protect from drafts and dust.
• Save space inside and outside the garage.
• The door leaf is reliable and durable.
• Provide protection against burglary.
• They fit perfectly into both the exterior and interior of the garage.

Roller shutters for windows are usually called roller shutters, but roller shutters for large openings, such as garages, are called roller shutters, but in essence there is no difference.

Garage owners have appreciated their advantages over traditional swing gates, and roller shutters in garages have become not so uncommon. For example, with roller shutters, you no longer need to carefully clear snow in winter to open the gate.

Classic white roller garage door that matches the building's façade

We have already talked about the advantages, they also include a relatively low cost, which, coupled with the other advantages of roller doors, makes them a practical ideal option for a garage. Now about the cons...

• The cost of repair work in case of damage to the canvas.
• Aluminum roller shutters are inferior in strength to steel structures

That's probably all. Of course, in each specific garage there may be reasons for choosing a different type of gate, but roller doors will remain out of competition.

The cost of rolling gates depends on the type of profile and configuration.

Which garage door to install: sectional or roller?

Many of our customers are faced with the question of choosing between sectional and roller garage doors. In this matter, everything depends on the location of the gate installation and the characteristics required of them. Let's look at them:

• Price
• Rolling gates are 30-40% cheaper than sectional ones.
• Thermal insulation
• Of course, the thermal insulation of sectional doors is much higher, since the thickness of the door leaf is 2-3 times greater. But if your garage is cold and you are not going to heat it, or the gate is installed indoors, then you should choose a roller shutter gate.
• No space on the garage ceiling
• Possible obstacles to installing sectional doors:
• Utilities run along the ceiling or a hoist hangs;

The depth of the garage is too small compared to the height of the opening;

• There is no lintel (the distance between the ceiling and the gate opening).

In such cases, installing rolling gates will be the way out.

What are there and how to choose roller shutters for the garage?

When choosing roller shutters for a garage, you need to pay attention to several important parameters, and also take into account the tasks that the roller shutters are supposed to perform. For example, if something valuable or an expensive car is stored in the garage, then you can install high-security locks and profiles with a high level of protection. And if the garage is located in the city center and is used for storing things and workpieces, ordinary aluminum rolls are quite suitable.

Canvas material

Aluminum or steel? Most often, manufacturers offer aluminum profiles, because steel sheets are heavier and more expensive. Aluminum is a durable and reliable material that does not corrode.

Burglary resistance

• P1. Basic anti-vandal protection, as well as protection against dust and noise. The lamella width is from 37 to 47 mm.
• P2. Medium level of protection - extruded aluminum profiles with a high level of protection or roller panels with a width of 47 mm.
• P3. Extruded profiles of high protection, this also includes P4.
• P5 (and P6) - anti-burglary steel roller shutters.

When placing an order for roller shutters, be sure to read the certificate of compliance with the burglary resistance class. There are also roller shutters with even higher protection class P7-P8. The level of burglary resistance, like other parameters, affects the price of the product.

Profile type

Roller shutters are made from two types of profiles: roller-rolled profile with foam filler (economy option), anti-vandal extruded profile and perforated lattice profile.

Blade type

The roller door leaf can be completely solid, have transparent inserts or ventilation holes. Here the choice depends only on your preferences.

Color solutions for roller garage doors

Rolling gates from different manufacturers and even different series from the same manufacturer are presented in a different color palette, from the most popular colors to exclusive designs. Painting the canvas according to an individual design is carried out at an additional cost; you can even apply a drawing or inscription to the canvas.

The Alutech Prestige series of rolling gates is available in 18 colors, and the Trend series in 7 colors.

The paint coating of the aluminum tape is highly wear-resistant. A unique polyurethane coating protects the color from fading and cracking.

Manufacturers of garage roller doors

Alutech

Alutech is the largest manufacturer of aluminum profile systems, roller shutters and sectional doors in Eastern Europe. The company was founded in 1996 in Minsk. Since then, Alutech has grown into a large production and sales holding company, consisting of 6 factories and 20 sales enterprises in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Czech Republic. In the Russian rolling gate market, Alutech products are valued for the best combination of price and quality, responsibility and openness of business.

Alutech garage roller door profiles

AG/77 with soft foam filling Material: aluminum Max. web width: 5.6 m Max. canvas area: 17 m2 Number of colors: 16

AG/77H with solid foam material Material: aluminum Max. web width: 6 m Max. canvas area: 18 m2 Number of colors: 12

EV/77 viewing profile Material: aluminum, polycarbonate Max. canvas width: 5 m Number of colors: 12

EA/77 ventilation profile Material: aluminum Max. canvas width: 5 m Number of colors: 12

Colors

DoorHan

DoorHan is a Russian company that dates back to 1994. Own production was launched in 2000. At the moment, it is one of the leaders in sales of automatic gates in Russia, the CIS countries and China due to its low price compared to other competitors. DoorHan gates belong to the economy class among roller garage doors.

DoorHan roller shutter profiles

RH77 with soft foam material Material: aluminum Max. web width: 5 m Max. canvas area: 16 m2 Number of colors: 5

RHT77 with solid foam core Material: aluminum Max. web width: 6 m Max. canvas area: 16 m2 Number of colors: 5

Hormann

Hormann is a German company founded in 1935. The company currently employs over 6,000 employees at 26 plants in Europe, Asia and North America. Hormann rolling gates are the most expensive on the Russian market, but they were able to occupy their niche and gained popularity due to their reliability, durability and truly German production quality.

Profiles for RollMatic Hormann garage doors

Material: aluminum; Max. canvas width: 5 m; Max. canvas height: 3 m; Number of colors: 12

Profile 75 mm

Profile 75 mm with glazing

Profile 75 mm with ventilation grilles

Differences between different roller shutter drives

Electric drive.

This method of controlling the operation of roller shutters allows the use of emergency opening devices and remote control. With this drive you can use automatic locks. The main disadvantage is the size limitation on the width of the opening (minimum 60 cm)

Cardan drive.

A cheap and reliable device for controlling roller shutters. You can choose to use a fixed or removable unit. The downside is that the weight of the door leaf should not exceed 36 kg.

Cable drive

. This reliable and inexpensive device can be installed directly on the wall or attached to a rail. The cable drive, unfortunately, cannot work in conjunction with perforated roller shutters. A prerequisite is the installation of a lower lock.

Belt drive.

The cheapest and easiest way to control roller shutters. The disadvantage is the restriction on the weight of the door leaf (no more than 15 kg). This system cannot be routed through a wall.

Rolling gate installation options

Indoor roller gates can be installed with or without a protective frame:

Mounting options with box

Surface-mounted external installation

Surface-mounted internal installation

Built-in installation with the box facing outwards

Built-in installation with the box inside

Combined installation with the box facing outwards

Combined installation with the box inside

Installing a doorway in a roller shutter

First of all, the garage owner must decide how to carry out the installation - overhead or built-in.

The fact is that the decision will affect what preparatory work is needed to mount the hole in the gate. In addition, it is worth taking into account the installation features that relate to the passage for the gate.

At this stage, the following requirements must be met:

1. The surrounding foundation should be as level as possible. There should be no cracks or protrusions.
2. The level of the mounting surface should be controlled, allowing a maximum error of 5 millimeters.
3. There must be a free area for the gate. If there are pipelines or other communications, they are removed if possible.

Control systems

Manual control

Gate drive Designed for gates with a door leaf weight of up to 35 kg. When the handle is rotated clockwise, the blade rises, and counterclockwise, it lowers.

Cord drive Can lift gates weighing up to 80 kg using a strong steel cable.

Spring mechanism The weight of the gate is compensated by springs, which makes it easy to open the gate using the handle both inside and outside.

Automatic control

To automate gates, push-button or radio-controlled electric drives are used. As an additional option, drives with an obstacle detection system are available, as well as a manual emergency lifting system in the event of a power failure.

Automation manufacturing companies: Nice (Italy), Somfy (France), AN-Motors (China), DoorHan (Russia), Hormann (Germany).

Depending on the requirements for protection against “intelligent” burglary, the following access electronics can be installed on automatic roller shutter gates:

• Remotes with dynamic or static code;
• Code dialing keyboard;
• Lock wire switch.

Installation work

After the owner has fully studied the installation instructions for roller shutter gates, he will install them with his own hands without much difficulty. Before starting work, it is necessary to check the readiness of the portal for installation of the structure (how and why to do this was described earlier). When planning to connect an electric drive, it is worth thinking about the wiring.

In order to ultimately obtain a complete product, it is worth checking the components of the future product, and then proceed directly to assembly and installation.

Fastening the guides

To install roller shutter fastenings you need:

1. Mark where the holes will be.
2. Drill the walls for fasteners.
3. Use a drill to make holes for the plugs.

Installation of roller shutters

To install the roller shutter, you need to install pillars on the foundation. There is no need to deepen them too much, just reinforce them properly. The racks are connected at the top using a lintel or steel beam. A roof is placed over the gate to provide protection from precipitation.

Installation begins with assembling the frame, in the shape of the letter P. All work should be carried out on the floor. The upper part of the frame is equipped with a box with a shaft, and the side parts are equipped with tires. The finished gates are attached to the walls of the building. Afterwards, the web must be wound onto the shaft.

When installing roller shutters, it is worth considering the resistance of the frame to the wind. This parameter is important, so it must be taken into account in any case.

To increase resistance to burglary, the owner should think about a lock or profile with bolts, as well as a cylinder.

Installation of automation

Rolling gates can be equipped with automation, so that they open and close without active human intervention.

It is also possible to install emergency opening of roller gates.

Automation is controlled using a remote control or keys. If the garage building is small, it can be opened thanks to the cardan.

Whether to make an automatic drive mechanism for opening and closing the gate or not - the decision must be made during the preparation of the project.

It is best to give preference to a motor that has torque to spare.

Installation of the structure

According to the diagram, on the surface of the wall or the upper part of the opening (for the built-in version), it is necessary to place marks for future fastenings, and drill holes in the box itself:

• overhead installation - on the back side of the box;
• built-in - at the top of the box.

Another hole must be made for the drive cable. At the next stage, the connection with the guides occurs. Next, you need to try on the box, check the marks and punch holes. Insert dowels into them, and a protective spring into the recess for the drive.

When installing the roller gate frame, you should carefully ensure that the notches and the corresponding holes are aligned, and that the structure itself is positioned strictly horizontally in relation to the floor level. Tighten the fasteners evenly to prevent misalignment in the future.

Control and automation, if provided, are installed strictly according to the instructions, observing all safety precautions. For these works, consultation with a professional is required.

At the last moment, the web is assembled, wound onto a shaft, and the edges are passed through the tires.

Installation ends with checking the operation of the entire structure. If everything is in order, plugs and gaps are inserted and sealed, and all technical seams are covered with polyurethane foam.

Lock for roller gates

During assembly, automatic locks - crossbars - are attached to the last end element of the roller shutter. They are needed for a tighter connection to the floor. Side plugs and a locking cylinder allow the box to be left unattended for long periods of time. Without installing automation, a lock on a roller shutter gate is required, because the door leaf, although not by much, can be raised by a few centimeters.

The time and money spent on designing and installing roller shutters will ensure their uninterrupted operation and comfort of use. New times require new forms that correspond to the spirit of the times, and roller shutters respond to the challenges of the new millennium.