Suppliers give their products a whole lot of names. That makes it a little confusing when researching door types. Some of the names for the same product are rapid roll, fast action, speed door, spiral door, etc. There are actually three main types, and the correct choice depends on the location of the door and what it needs to exclude.
Fabric roll-up doors
A flexible PVC curtain rolls up onto a drum at speed. These are the most common high-speed doors and typically the cheapest. The majority are engineered to withstand impacts. If a forklift catches a curtain, it’ll likely pop out of the guides and feed itself back in on the next cycle. This means an engineer won’t have to be called out to remedy the problem.
Ideally, you would use a fabric door inside a building, for example, between a warehouse and a production area. You could also use one as a second door behind an external shutter. Some fabric doors have wind bars, and reinforced curtains, for external use, but the more exposed the opening, the harder the fabric door has to work.
Folding high-speed doors
These fold up in sections instead of rolling up. They are meant to withstand wind and weather conditions on outside openings, so they are usually found on exposed yards and large sites. Wind resistance is classified under BS EN 12424. Ask what class it is and compare it to the exposure of your opening.
Rigid spiral doors
Aluminum slats wind in a spiral to avoid contact with each other and to insulate the door. They are very fast, and can be used as the primary external door. They are the most expensive option.
How they’re triggered
A door that opens too quickly wastes the energy it was purchased to save. Some traffic controls are interchangeable; some aren’t. Radar can detect traffic and cycles the door. A radar that detects all forklifts (and not just the ones going through the door) will cycle the door all day. Induction loops can also detect traffic, but only in one direction.
Back to the full guide: High-Speed Doors
Related: High-Speed Doors and Night Security