DIY wooden roller door for a shelf

Today, the domestic market of gate products includes sliding, sectional, overhead and roller gates.

Which of these designs to choose is the final decision of the owner. But, when it comes to rationally using space, roller shutters, without a doubt, remain unrivaled.

DIY roller gates

What dictates the choice of roller shutter design?

The choice of roller shutter design is optimal in the following cases.

• The parameters of the opening in the wall are not suitable for installing another type of gate (for example, it is not possible to place the main guides of sectional or overhead doors). This problem is most common in old non-residential premises (garages, distribution points, warehouses). In such situations, roller shutters are the optimal solution. In addition, their independent installation is quite possible.
• It is necessary that the entrance gates be installed as quickly as possible.

Garage roller doors can become a true decoration of your garage

Roller shutter installation steps

First, assemble and prepare the frame, which consists of guides and a box. Make 0.5 m marks in advance on the guide rails along which holes for fastening are drilled. For self-tapping screws with a diameter of 4.2 mm and 6 mm, prepare drills - 5 mm and 6.2 mm, for dowels of 8 and 10 mm - 8.2 mm and 10.2 mm. The upper and lower holes should extend no more than 150 mm from the edge of the cut. And now let's get started:

• Attach the assembled frame to the installation site.
• Check the symmetry of the opening and the correct location in space using a building level.
• Using the holes on the box and tires, make marks in the opening, then drill the holes with a hammer drill.
• Secure the frame. Do not forget to use a plumb line to check how the box and tires are installed to avoid distortion.
• Based on the diagram, connect the electrical control elements to the electric drive. Next, take care of the manual controls.
• Assemble the roller shutter with crossbars or traction springs.
• Fix the traction elements to the drive shaft, and place the springs in the hammer drill.
• Limit the extreme positions of descent and ascent by installing special stops.
• Test the canvas.
• Remove all seams and holes. It is also worth installing plugs and all kinds of accessories.

Attention! Make sure that the blade works properly in all positions.

If the roller shutters were installed in compliance with all the rules, the garage door will function for a long time and with high quality.

Advantages and disadvantages of roller shutter gates

Advantages of roller gates.

• To open the gate, you do not need free space either on the side of the opening or on both sides of it.
• Rolling gates open well in snowy weather (there is no need for lengthy clearing of snow from the space in front of the gate).
• Various transport maneuvers are possible.
• Entrance gates can be equipped with an electric drive at a relatively low cost.
• Extremely easy to use.
• Installation is possible with an arched opening.
• Aesthetics (roller gates are in perfect harmony with roller shutters on the windows).

Disadvantages of roller gates.

• Roller gates are not burglar-resistant enough compared to other designs.
• The function of the gate may deteriorate when it becomes icy.
• The need for protection from the negative effects of precipitation.
• The gate leaf, consisting of lamellas, does not allow the gate to be cut in

Methods for installing roller gates

Installation of roller shutters

Installing roller shutters is not a difficult task. But there are a number of features that the garage owner may not even be aware of. Ultimately, this leads to the gate quickly breaking or becoming unusable. Although, if installed correctly, they can last a very long time, without even requiring maintenance.

Important! It is better to entrust the installation of shutters to professionals; in addition to special skills, they have all the necessary equipment, thanks to which the installation will take place quickly and efficiently.

If you still decide to install roller shutters yourself, you will need:

• roulette
• screwdriver
• building level or plumb line
• hammer and pliers
• hammer drill
• electric drill (with a set of drills)
• metal scissors
• spanners
• electrician's kit (for installing an automatic drive)

You should also have polyurethane foam, sealant for sealing gaps (silicone or acrylic), steel anchors, plastic dowels, screws, tie rods. Having all this, you can begin to prepare the doorway.

Important! The shape of the doorway should be strictly the same as the shape of the shutter. There shouldn't be any difference. The maximum permissible deviation is 1.5 mm per 1 m.

Carefully inspect the surface of the walls where the roller shutters will be installed. All defects and irregularities must be removed. Unevenness can be removed using building mixtures; to do this, use a plumb line or a building level. You can also use special gaskets for alignment - it will be easier and cheaper.

Methods for installing roller gates

There are three main ways to install roller shutter gates.

• Overhead.
• Ceiling.
• Installation of roller gates built into the wall.

The simplest method in terms of execution is the overhead method. A shaft is strengthened above the gate opening, and guides are mounted on the sides. This method is often used in houses where there are roller shutters on the windows (this installation of the gate guarantees a unified composition).

Internal installation is suitable for any shape of gate opening and provides better protection of the door leaf from precipitation.

The lintel method involves placing the shaft at the very top of the opening. The shaft is placed in a decorative box. Thus, an additional lintel is created, located from the base one at a distance of 3.5 - 4 cm. This method can be used only if the height of the gate opening is sufficiently high (more than 2.4 m).

Embedding into a wall is a rather complex and difficult to implement method. The ideal option is when its possibility is provided for at the stage of drawing up project documentation.

A niche for the box is arranged in advance above the opening. It can be sealed with clapboard, bricked or simply plastered. If everything is done carefully and correctly, the result will be a very beautiful gate.

The roller shutters seem to come out of the wall (it looks very nice). But this method has significant drawbacks.

Firstly, there is completely no access to the drive mechanism.

Secondly, in frosty weather the possibility of the box freezing cannot be ruled out.

Roller gate design

The main problem when installing roller gates is ensuring a stable geometry of the opening, since the slightest change in it will cause a malfunction of the gate (the leaf will certainly jam).

The pillars must be installed on a single, well-reinforced foundation. The racks at the top are connected using a jumper. It is advisable to install a roof over the gate. This will protect the blade, shaft and electric drive from moisture penetration.

How garage roller shutters work

Roller shutters entered our lives unexpectedly, coming to us from Europe and the USA. Their main advantage is that they do not take up much space. They got their name from the words “roll” and “shutters” because they can easily be rolled up and placed in a special box.

They consist of:

1. Lamellas are profiles that are connected into a flexible web.
2. Hinges holding profiles together.
3. Guiding movements.
4. Fixation components.

Shutters can be made from different materials: aluminum, plastic, steel. True, plastic material is not used for garage roller shutters. It is mainly used for windows.

Shutters have gained popularity due to the fact that neither rain nor snow can harm them. They also protect quite well from unwanted guests. Some car owners prefer to make shutters from armored steel, but this will cost an order of magnitude more.

Attention! Aluminum gates, combining lightness, strength and reliability, will be more affordable.

Selecting a door leaf

The leaf is the main visible part of the gate. The fabric is assembled from narrow horizontal stripes (lamellas). The lamellas are fastened together using a longitudinally oriented hook-lock.

At the bottom of the door leaf there is an end piece for a better fit to the floor; in the top there is a part for better fastening to the shaft.

Slats for entrance gates are made of aluminum or extruded profile. Compared to window roller shutters, the thickness and dimensions of gate slats are approximately one and a half times greater, since the gate leaf must withstand significant wind loads.

Types of door leaf for roller shutter gates

Let's consider the materials from which roller shutters can be made.

The extruded profile is hollow, but, thanks to the stiffening ribs, it is much stronger than rollforming with polyurethane filling.

If “cold” installation of roller gates is provided (for unheated rooms), you can install roller shutters with viewing or ventilated inserts.

Ventilated inserts are narrow slits in the fabric, protected from moisture. Viewing inserts are small windows in the canvas. They provide natural light.

Steel roller shutters have the greatest strength. The wall thickness of the steel profile is about 0.5 mm. The disadvantage of such a fabric is insufficient corrosion resistance. All it takes is minor damage to the coating, and rust spots may soon appear.

Another disadvantage of such gates is the strong noise that the roller shutters make when moving, as well as during hail and heavy rain. In addition, such roller shutters weigh more than aluminum ones, so a sufficiently powerful drive must be provided in advance.

Another factor that influences the choice of material from which roller shutters are made is the dimensions of the gate opening. The maximum width of the web is:

• for aluminum profile – 2.5 – 4 m;
• for extruded aluminum profile – 4.7 – 7 m;
• for steel sheet – 7 – 11 m.

Roller gate drive device

Peculiarities

Rolling gates, also known as roller gates or roller gates, are a unique locking design that allows you to close a room without any joints. The canvas in this design is rolled into a roll, which is where the name of this type of shutters comes from. They are very convenient to use in small areas, since they do not require a separate space for the diameter of the plow.

Photo - principle of operation

Advantages of rolling gates:

1. Roller shutters perfectly cover a room or yard due to the complete absence of any seams or cracks;
2. They look beautiful. As a rule, steel options or PVC sheets can be painted in any color, they can have texture or other decorations;
3. They are durable. Hörmann Decotherm classic and Rollmatic models can last up to 50 years;
4. Provides quick opening and closing of doors. High-speed gates are very popular among car enthusiasts.

Photo - roll design
Disadvantages:

1. They are not as easy to develop independently as swing or sliding ones. To create them, you need not only to carefully consider the design, but also to accurately calculate the tire and the height of the blade;
2. They are characterized by high heat transfer. If ordinary lifting or rotating ones can be insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene foam, roll ones are not insulated;
3. Despite their external reliability, plastic shutters are susceptible to hacking. They are not loaded and are not protected from external influences by resistance ribs. Because of this, with a strong impact they can easily be broken;
4. Fire-rated built-in roller garage doors for a fence or room take up approximately 5–7 centimeters of usable space.

Photo - fence roller grilles

Shaft and guide rail arrangement

In addition to the door leaf, entrance gates are equipped with a shaft, manual or electric drive, and side guides. It is necessary to purchase connecting and fastening parts.

Important! All finished parts, except for the electric drive, must be from the same manufacturer, otherwise the gate cannot be assembled.

The shaft is installed horizontally or movably (using roller carriages and cantilever rails). Movable shaft fastening is more preferable, since it ensures that the lamellas are fed at a constant angle (this causes less wear).

It is necessary to provide an emergency shaft braking system in case of gearbox failure.

The guide rails are an aluminum profile with a U-shaped section. The edges of the door leaf fit into the guides and provide better wind load.

The guide bars are equipped with special seals that ensure silent movement of the blade and protection from the penetration of dirt or dust.

Design

The gate is divided into two parts: visible and invisible. The visible one is lamellas or canvas; it is divided into several sections. Such blinds are wrapped in a protective box, and the closing process is controlled by an electric drive. It refers to the invisible part of the gate.

Photo - design

Automatic or high-speed roller garage doors can be made from:

1. Hollow slats. They are made of PVC, steel or other materials. They are canvases with internal stiffeners;
2. Viewing sheets. This profile has perforations that retain air. They consist of two panels, inside of which there are stiffening ribs and space for air. Can be either plastic or aluminum;
3. Profile. These steel roller shutters are a strengthened version of the perforated ones. They are made from two sheets, each half a millimeter thick. Stiffening ribs are installed between the individual parts of the panel, which ensure the strength of the panels.

Also structurally, entrance roller gates can be mechanical (which open and close with your own hands) and automatic. Each control scheme has its own advantages and disadvantages. With manual control there is no dependence on electricity or drive operation, but at the same time, automation is more convenient in everyday use.

Photo - automatic shutters

But at the same time, the internal design of the system is practically the same regardless of the type of control. Sectional roller shutters are screwed onto a prismatic shaft. The width of the sides of the prism depends on the size of the lamellas. The shaft is mounted on cantilever rails or carriages. To protect the blades from wear, a special design is installed in which the shaft moves slightly to the side during unwinding.

Video: interior gate repair

Installation Tips

When installing the gate, you need to keep in mind that the guides must have a strictly horizontal line, otherwise the shield will get stuck between them.

If there are drawings, overhead gates are installed more accurately and professionally.

To adjust the spring tension, simply twist the nuts on the tension adjuster

To increase safety when installing overhead gates, safety stops should be installed in the frame. This will make it possible to fix the shield in a position convenient for installation.

Special safety mechanisms should be installed on the gates to prevent pinching a hand or an animal walking in the yard.

Sectional overhead doors

The sectional type of gate has a spring mechanism, due to which the opening and closing of these gates can be done manually. But if desired, sectional doors can be equipped with automation. This allows you to open the gate directly from the car.

Lifting sectional doors with wicket

Additional features

Sectional doors can be equipped with additional accessories:

1. Build a gate into the door leaf.
2. Install a special window for garage doors.
3. Install a ventilation grille in the gate, which will create the necessary ventilation of the garage in a natural way.
4. Select a gate locking system. This can be an internal deadbolt or deadbolt lock. The latter is a more preferable option, as it has the function of unlocking the electric drive. If, for example, the power is turned off, the gate can be switched to manual control mode.

According to experts, the model of the Dorhan company, which presents automatic gate options on the market, has proven itself to be a popular and sought-after model of lifting gates.

When installing garage doors yourself, the installation instructions and drawings for assembling Dorkhan overhead doors will be useful.

Important! When installing gates, special attention must be paid to safe operation. Or rather, a device that protects the cable and springs from breakage. Which, if installed correctly, will protect the canvas from falling in the event of any breakage.

Rolling gates

They are used not only for garages, but also for industrial premises. Roller shutters are an ideal option for openings when there is any communication on the ceiling, for example, plumbing, a ventilation system or electrical wiring. To install a roller type, you will need drawings of overhead gates, and you should decide how the installation will take place: in the opening, indoors, on the opening, or outside the premises.

Rolling gate diagram

Installation of roller gates

First, you need to assemble the components according to the size and parameters of the garage. The design of rolling gates must have a protective box, the door leaf itself, a shaft, guide rails and a control system for the entire mechanism.

First of all, you need to take measurements of the openings, and then purchase the necessary components. Next, you need to attach the upper part of the guide roller to the drive section. The bottom of the panel is equipped with brackets. When installed, the lower strip should evenly extend beyond the openings, after which the section is leveled. Vertical guides are placed along it. Cables are attached to the bottom of the panel and rollers with bushings are installed. It is not at all difficult to install overhead gates with your own hands, the drawing of which is included.

Important! When installing overhead gates of any type, it is necessary to have as smooth a floor surface as possible.