We supply, fit and service automatic doors in Clerkenwell for shops, offices, schools, surgeries and other places the public walk through each day. This page is for business owners, landlords and facilities managers who want an entrance that opens on its own, keeps the heat in and meets the access rules.
You will find the main door types, how we fit them, what drives the cost, the safety rules that apply and how to keep the doors running. Our fitters are FENSA registered, we have been trading for many years, and the work comes with a 10-year guarantee. For the wider range, see our commercial glazing page, or go back to our double glazing home page.
Types of Automatic Door We Fit
The right door depends on how many people use it, how much space you have and how the building looks. These are the types we fit most in Clerkenwell:
- Single sliding doors: one leaf slides to the side. They suit narrow shop fronts and side doors.
- Bi-parting sliding doors: two leaves slide apart from the centre. They are the common choice for supermarkets, banks and busy office foyers.
- Telescopic sliding doors: two or more leaves stack as they open. You get a wide clear gap from a short wall.
- Swing door operators: a motor fitted to a hinged door. They work well on toilets, corridors and back doors, and many can be fitted to a door you already have.
- Folding doors: the leaves fold back on a track. They give a wide opening where there is no room for a slide.
- Curved sliding doors: the leaves run on a curved track. They make a bold front for hotels and showrooms.
Most sliding doors sit in an aluminium frame with toughened or laminated glass. If you want a manual door to match, our aluminium doors use the same slim frames and colour range.
How the Doors Open, Sense and Lock
Every automatic door has three main parts. There is the drive unit, the sensors and the lock.
The drive unit sits in a slim box above the door. It holds the motor, the belt and the control board. You set the open speed, the hold-open time and the force on the board, so the door can suit a quiet clinic or a busy station.
Sensors tell the door when to open and when to stop. Motion sensors pick up people as they walk up. Presence sensors watch the door path and stop it closing on anyone. On swing doors, we add safety sensors on the leaf so it will not hit someone stood in its path.
You can choose how the door is used through the day:
- Auto: opens for anyone in both directions.
- Exit only: opens from the inside, which is useful at closing time.
- Hold open: stays open for deliveries or events.
- Locked: the door shuts and the electric lock sets.
We can link the door to key fobs, keypads, push pads, door entry and your fire alarm. A battery backup lets the door open or close if the power fails.
Safety, Access and the Rules That Apply
A powered door in a public place must be safe for children, older people and people using wheelchairs. In the UK the key standard is BS EN 16005, which covers the safety of powered doors for people on foot. We fit, set up and test each door to that standard and hand you the records.
Approved Document M of the Building Regulations sets out what makes an entrance easy to use. It covers clear width, level thresholds and door controls. The Equality Act also asks service providers to make fair changes so disabled people can get in. An automatic door is one of the most common ways to meet that duty.
Fire safety matters too. If the door is on an escape route, it must open when the alarm goes off or when the power fails. Break-out leaves let people push the sliding panels open by hand in an emergency. We talk this through with your fire risk assessor and your building control team where it applies.
Glass in doors must be safety glass. We use toughened or laminated units that meet the rules for glass in critical places, and we add markings at eye level so people can see the glass.
What Drives the Cost of Automatic Doors
We do not quote set prices on this page, because no two entrances are the same. Every job gets a written, fixed quote after a free survey. You can book yours on our get a quote page. These are the things that change the price most:
- Door type: a swing operator on an existing door costs less than a new telescopic sliding set.
- Size and weight: wide or tall doors need stronger drives and more glass.
- Glass: double glazed, laminated or thermally broken frames cost more than single glazed units.
- Access control: fobs, keypads and links to your alarm add parts and wiring.
- Building work: new steel, a new lintel or a wider opening adds time.
- Power supply: the door needs a fused spur near the drive. If there is none, an electrician will need to run one.
- Working hours: fitting out of hours to keep your shop open can add to the labour cost.
Your quote lists each part of the job, so you can see where the money goes. Payment stages are set out in the written quote.
How We Fit Automatic Doors
We start with a free survey. We measure the opening, check the walls and floor and look at how people move through the space. We then draw up the doors and order them made to measure.
On the day, we keep your business running where we can. On many jobs we fit a door in a day, and we can work early, late or at the weekend. We fix the frame, hang the leaves, fit the drive and set the sensors. Then we test every safety function, show your staff how to use it and leave you the manuals.
The full process, from survey to aftercare, is set out on our how we work page.
Servicing and Repairs
Automatic doors work hard, so they need care. Most makers and BS EN 16005 advise a service at least once a year. Busy sites such as shops and hospitals may need it more often.
At a service we:
- check and clean the sensors and test that they stop the door;
- check the belt, rollers and track for wear;
- check the locks, break-out leaves and battery backup;
- adjust the speed and force so the door is safe;
- log the visit so you have a record for your insurer.
Between visits, keep the floor track clean and the sensors free of posters and stickers. If the door starts to stall, jerk or bang shut, call us and switch it to a safe mode until we arrive.
Choosing the Right Door for Your Building
Start with how many people use the door and who they are. A small office may only need a swing operator on the front door. A busy shop will want bi-parting sliding doors that open wide and close fast. A school may want doors that lock from the office at set times.
Think about heat loss as well. A door that opens all day lets cold air in. A lobby with two sets of doors, or a short hold-open time, keeps the space warm. Double glazed leaves help too.
Last, think about the look. Slim aluminium frames in any RAL colour can match your shop front or the rest of the glazing. If you are planning a new front, our curtain walling and glass partitions pages show how a door fits into a full glass wall. You can read more about our team on our about us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fit an automatic opener to our existing door?
Often, yes. A swing door operator can be fitted to most sound hinged doors. We check the door, frame and hinges first, because a heavy or warped door may strain the motor. We also check there is power nearby and space above the door for the unit. If the door is not fit for use, we will tell you and suggest a new leaf or a sliding door instead.
Do automatic doors help us meet the Equality Act?
They are one of the clearest ways to make an entrance easy for disabled people. The Equality Act asks you to make fair changes so people are not put at a disadvantage. An automatic door removes the need to push a heavy door. We also look at the threshold, the clear width and the controls, so the whole entrance works, not just the door.
What happens to the doors in a power cut or fire?
That depends on how we set them up. Doors on an escape route can open and stay open when the alarm sounds or the power fails. Sliding doors can have break-out leaves that swing open with a push. A battery backup can open or close the door after a power cut. We agree the right set-up with you and your fire risk assessor.
How often do automatic doors need a service?
Plan on at least one service a year. Busy doors in shops, stations or hospitals may need two or more. A service checks the sensors, drive, track, locks and safety stops, and it gives you a record for your insurer. Regular care also stops small faults turning into breakdowns that close your entrance for a day.
Are automatic doors secure at night?
Yes. When you set the door to locked, the drive closes it and an electric or mechanical lock sets. We can add laminated glass, hook bolts and links to your alarm. For shops with high risk stock, we can also fit a roller shutter behind or in front of the door. Ask about this at the survey.
