Everything you ever wanted to know about industrial doors

Depending on the nature of your business, selecting industrial doors could be one of the most important decisions you ever make. Industrial doors are a serious investment, so it pays to pick a commercial door that will support your business’ operations for years to come.

The correct door in the right space will increase safety, visibility, efficiency and improve aesthetic properties in a commercial space. Read on to learn more about industrial doors, and benefit from our wealth of industrial door knowledge and experience.

Larnec is in the business of providing industrial and commercial doors for businesses in all kinds of industries. Contact our friendly customer service team now for fast delivery of Australia-made commercial doors.

What considerations should you take into account when buying public access industrial doors?

There are several features in public access industrial doors that you should consider before making a purchase.

Prehung or not prehung?

Prehung metal doors are already hung on hinges, ready for immediate installation where they are needed. Always find out if the door you are ordering has a prehung option. This will save a lot of time and money for yourself and your business.

Door-only products have the advantage of being cheaper upfront. However, these options can be very costly at the installation stage. Prehung doors have the benefit of saving you time and money on-site.

All doors from Larnec are prehung. We ship doors that are ready for immediate installation onsite at your business. Our popular products include:

• Sentry 200.47: Fully metal clad, wrapped and sealed personal access door
• Sentry 200.TP: Tilt panel precast panel door system for warehouses and factories

With our fast lead times and shipping times, you can organise installation into your shed or garage as soon as the door arrives.

Door material

Both tube and brace doors are popular in the shed and garage market, with the brace door being the cheaper option. However, in a lot of cases the brace door can suffer from being damaged in transport due to it being weaker, thinner and a metal sheet folded material.

Tube constructed shed doors are a stronger more durable product but may cost a little bit more. At Larnec, we believe that these are the best option for all businesses. Although we take great care when delivering personal access doors, it’s important that you choose the strongest possible product for order.

Door packaging

Some metal door suppliers will go ahead and strap an unwrapped shed door to a pallet, while others have custom-made packaging to suit the product. The latter is much better at protecting the product.

It’s well worth looking into how the shed doors are protected during transport. Damaged doors are costly for suppliers and customers, and can lead to increased downtime at the site.

Door furniture (lockset, knob, lever, escape functions)

Don’t forget to ask about the lockset! Depending on your preference, the supplier and also the door requirements you should keep in mind that you could have a knob/knob, knob/lever or even a lever/lever. Do you need an escape function? It’s worth finding out before you order.

When you’re ready to assess the furniture of your new personal access door, give the team at Larnec a call. We will be able to advise you on the right combination of products to suit your needs.

Availability

With production turnaround times constantly being front of mind in the shed and garage market, it’s always worth finding a door supplier that holds standard stock doors. Moving on to a cheaper stock product could save you some time and money.

What are hollow-core doors and solid-core doors?

In the market today, many industrial doors are hollow-core doors — honeycombed on the inside. These are typically cheaper to manufacture, but leave a bit to be desired in the way of strength and stability. In reality, these doors should only be used on the interior of the building.

Exterior industrial doors from Larnec are actually solid-core doors. Solid-core doors are a solid door that is far heavier and denser than a hollow-core. Our doors have been specifically manufactured to be both sturdy and affordable, giving you the best of both worlds.

Which is better for insulation, solid-core or hollow-core doors?

Hollow doors do retain some warmth. However, the lighter and less dense construction of hollow doors does let some heat permeate out through the core of the door itself. Having hollow doors on the outside of a building can make for a very cold winter.

As a solid-core door is a solid piece of material, and it is better at insulating against heat loss. Choosing commercial doors with the best insulation will benefit energy efficiency, wind load resistance, and air circulation. Larnec industrial doors are the perfect solution for businesses in cold areas looking to keep the cold out in winter.

What kind of door is better for acoustics?

Hollow-core doors can break up and disrupt sound waves. They do this by dispersing sound through their honeycombed interior. This is appropriate for an interior office setting. However, when it comes to stopping heavy industrial noise from other sources, hollow doors simply don’t cut the mustard.

Solid doors provide better sound insulation more effectively due to greater density and thickness. At Larnec, we can create custom doors that limit the spread of noise to any acoustic rating required to the client’s specifications.

What security factors should you consider when buying commercial doors?

Doors that are in an area where higher security is required need to be designed to withstand high resistance to damage including fire, lighters, knives and physical attack. Doors that fail these basic safety ratings are a detriment to your business, allowing people a more vulnerable access point than other parts of your shed or warehouse.

We have door ranges that are designed to specifically cater for the business that require greater security. If you are located in an area that needs high security, or if your project requires a more solid and preventative industrial door, be sure to get in touch with Larnec.

Are there any ways to improve security for industrial doors?

As the owner/manager of a commercial facility, you might come under the threat of vandalism. This might include things like:

• Broken gates and fences
• Damage to windows
• Torn up grass
• Graffiti
• Theft

Are there any ways to improve security for your industrial doors? There certainly are, and we've written up a whole guide to door security. For example, you can:

• Ensure that doors are closed
• Maintain equipment and property
• Get the right locks for your doors
• Consider CCTV camera security
• Getting the right doors

The main factor in making your doors more secure is ensuring that you've invested in the right door, to begin with. This means finding the right security rating and features to reduce the risk of forced entry.

Are commercial doors durable?

Commercial buildings see a lot of foot traffic, so industrial doors need to be built for longevity. Frequent use isn’t the only thing that wears out a door, as weather conditions also contribute to this. Our commercial doors are designed with this in mind, with wind-rated doors available for businesses that need them.

What sort of locks do I need for my industrial doors?

There are many different kinds of locks for industrial doors, and the right one for you will depend on your circumstances. For example, you should consider locks like:

• Deadbolt
• Mortice
• Panic bar
• Padlocks
• Cam Locks
• Wall Mounted Locks
• Knob locks
• Lever
• Jimmy Proof Deadbolts
• Latch Locks

Should I think about glazing for the windows on my industrial doors?

You certainly should. Glass is an important component on a commercial door; it presents security questions, and also controls temperature and light coming into your commercial space. Different glazing performs differently, and comes at varying costs. Read our guide to glazing for commercial doors to ensure you're making the right choice.

What considerations are there when procuring an industrial office door?

Many factories and warehouses house offices, as well as heavier industries. These locations need doors as well, and there are unique considerations to keep in mind when selecting doors. We've put together a guide to buying doors for your office, which includes a rundown on the three key factors:

• Security
• Acoustics
• Invitation

Repair or replace? What should I do with my damaged commercial door?

Is your commercial door not working as it should? A number of things can go wrong with commercial doors, after improper use, acts of God, or vandalism. For example, you might struggle with things like:

• The door frame not being square
• A compromised door core, with internal damage
• Delamination where the door starts to splinter
• Dents
• Damage to the hinge

Depending on the kind and extent of the damage to your door, you can either replace or repair the issue. We've put together an extensive guide to appraising a damaged door, so that you can find the best way forward.