Gates-roller shutters to the garage: pros and cons

Wondering which gate to choose for your garage? We advise you to pay attention to the roller shutters. They have a lot of positive qualities that attract the consumer. In addition, there are several varieties of these clever designs. Today we will highlight all the pros and cons of such a gate.

Garage doors of this type are subdivided depending on the material from which they are made, the technology of their installation, the method of control, and the degree of security.

Metal roller shutters are usually divided into the following categories:

• steel and aluminum;
• outdoor (overhead), roll, built-in and combined;
• automatic and mechanical;
• low, medium and high level of protection.

Now we will consider what design features are characterized by a gate of each type.

The very idea of ​​introducing roller shutters into the garage came from the United States. Over the years, it has become more and more popular in our country. This fact can be easily explained by the presence of indisputable advantages of roller shutters.

Their advantages include:

• ease of operation of the opening-closing mechanism;
• compactness and space saving both outside and inside the premises;
• the possibility of self-assembly and full automation of the structure;

• no need for complex additional maintenance and preventive maintenance of the system;
• strength and durability;
• reliability and high burglar resistance;
• aesthetics.

The main disadvantages are:

• the existence of restrictions on the size of roller shutters;
• low thermal insulation;
• freezing of individual structural elements of the gate during frost;
• high price.

Roller shutters are increasingly found not only in the capital's garage cooperatives, but also in the provinces, since they still have more advantages than disadvantages.

Rolling shutters usually consist of the following main parts:

• lamellas - horizontal plates from a metal profile, assembled into a one-piece flexible sheet;
• hinges connecting the lamellas;
• a pair of vertical movement guides;

• a receiving shaft, designed for winding a web folding on it when the gate is opened;
• a protective block in which the folded lamellas are placed;
• electric or mechanical drive (depending on the preferred method of controlling the structure);
• locks of the desired configuration

The basic set can be supplemented with:

• remote control system;
• anti-theft and / or fire alarm;
• silicone seals;
• heating mechanism;
• motion sensor.

We can say that roller shutters are a curtain that, when opened, is neatly wound on a bar and hides in a box fixed to the ceiling.

If necessary, rolling shutters can be automated. To do this, you will need to equip them with an electric drive. Automation significantly increases the comfort of the car owner, allowing you to open and close the garage in just a few seconds at the touch of a button on the remote control, without leaving the car. In the absence of electricity, such gates are opened with a special key.

The security level of roller shutters varies depending on their class:

• classic class 1-2 roller shutters provide good sound insulation, and also protect the room from dust;
• gates of 3-5 classes are more durable and have high burglar resistance;
• armored bulletproof "curtains" belong to the highest grades 6-8.

It is better to entrust the installation of rolling shutters to a professional. However, if you want to save money and know how to work with a construction tool, you can do it yourself.

There are 4 main types of installation:

• waybill (or external) - the easiest and most affordable way. Already from the name it is clear that roller shutters are mounted on the outer wall of the garzhny opening.
• Built-in, implying the location of the "curtain" inside.
• Installation with a box inward, in which the front part of the canopy is also located inside the opening.
• Mounting with the box outward.

For work we need:

• roulette;
• plumb line;
• perforator equipped with a set of drills;
• screwdriver;
• ticks;
• hacksaw for metal;

• keys;
• basic electrician's set: sets of screwdrivers, keys, drills, files and chisels, pliers, side cutters, hammer, knife;
• a gun filled with polyurethane foam;
• anchors, dowels, screws and self-tapping screws.

Having chosen the installation method, and having purchased everything you need, we proceed to the installation of roller shutters, strictly following the technological order:

• first we inspect, evaluate the doorway for deep gaps and other defects, and also take dimensions from it.
• Discovered imperfections are eliminated by leveling them with mortars or filling them with silicone.
• Using a plumb line, we measure the deviations of the working surface along horizontal and vertical lines. This indicator cannot exceed the value of 2 mm per 1 m of canvas.

• Preparing the guides. For this we take metal tires. Having stepped back from the edge 10 cm, we drill through holes for fasteners with a diameter of 8 mm. The distance between them should be at least half a meter.
• In the upper part of the guides, we drill grooves for plugs with a diameter of 12 mm.

Then you need to assemble the door frame, consisting of a protective box and guides:

• we attach the cover to the block, after which we drill a couple of holes with a diameter of 4-5 mm for mounting the rivets.
• We make markings, drill grooves for installing the unit and connecting the electric drive.
• We connect the protective box and guide strips into a single structure.
• We enter the resulting base evenly and tightly into the opening, check the dimensions and correctness of its location at the building level.

• Along the grooves already made in the guides, we apply the marks of the future fasteners and the output of the drive elements to the slope.
• We remove the assembled structure, drill holes in the opening in accordance with the markings, insert dowels into them.
• We make a slot for the output of the electric drive with a diameter of 12 mm for mechanical roller shutters or 16 mm for automatic ones, we put a spring there.
• We install the roller shutter frame in the opening. To do this, we apply the base of the gate so that the grooves in the guides exactly coincide with the holes in the slopes and fix it by tightly tightening all the fasteners.

Next, you need to install the control system:

• Mechanical control is carried out with the help of a manual drive, when pressed, the tape layer begins to move along the slats attached to the slopes.
• Automatic opening / closing of the gate is provided by a rotary motor.

We hang the door:

• We find the end of the lamellar sheet - transom locks are usually attached to it.
• We wind the slats onto the shaft.
• We fill the side edges of the "curtain" in the vertical gaps of the guides.
• At the top we fix the lifting draft springs.
• We mount limiters to regulate the extreme upper and extreme lower positions of the canopy.

We are completing the installation work:

• We connect the automatic controls.
• We check the functioning of all mechanisms and systems.
• We install the plugs.
• We fill the seams with polyurethane foam.

After all these steps, the roller shutters will be installed. Instead of spending extra money on professional installation, it is quite possible to choose an economy option and cope on your own.

In order for the gates to be of high quality and durable, it is necessary to contact the appropriate manufacturers. Let's take a look at a short overview of the most reliable and time-tested garage door manufacturers. The list was compiled based on an analysis of consumer reviews.

The 1st place in the rating rightfully belongs to the Hormann concern (Germany), which has been worthily representing the highest quality products on the world markets for 75 years. Of course, this brand occupies a leading position in the industry, constantly improving, modernizing production. 99% of Hormann product reviews are positive.

Consumers appreciate the durability of garage doors, the mechanism of which, even many years after installation, works clearly and harmoniously, without a single hitch. According to the company's clients, there is no need to waste time looking for higher quality products - they simply do not exist! Car models admire the sleek and modern design of the Hormann roller shutter doors. In addition, people note the convenient conditions for warranty service, the only drawback of which is the frequent lack of parts in the warehouse necessary to repair the gate, as well as the need to wait for the ordered components for several weeks.

Of course, any product of the Hormann brand is an expensive pleasure, but the quality is fully consistent with the price.

A worthy competitor to German colleagues can be made by the Belarusian company Alutech, which has recently consolidated its position and established supplies to the CIS and neighboring countries. A distinctive feature of the company is the creation of powerful quality control departments for finished products. The specialists of this brand do not develop fundamentally new schemes, but use previously created mechanisms, adapting them for themselves.

Russian consumers are satisfied that this modern enterprise exists on the territory of the former USSR and speak flatteringly about its products, noting that Belarusian roller shutters are in no way inferior in quality to foreign counterparts. And they are much cheaper than German ones! Car enthusiasts say that Alutech roller shutters are easy to repair, because the warehouse always has the necessary components.

The only disadvantage of the company, buyers consider a small selection of options for external design. It would be better if specialists paid attention not only to technical characteristics, but also to design.

If you are a patriot, pay attention to the products of the only large manufacturer of garage doors in Russia - the DoorHan company. The budget of this brand made its product in demand, and also helped the company to occupy its niche.

However, the consumer assessment of the product barely reaches 3 points. Undoubtedly, the main advantage of "DoorHan" is the lowest possible price, which allows you to save a lot of money. The simplicity of the design makes it possible to install the roller shutters yourself. But the quality is always directly proportional to the price, and many buyers admit that the products of the domestic brand are noticeably inferior to foreign counterparts.

Russian car owners do not recommend installing DoorHan roller shutters in the garage, as they are completely unsuitable for use in the cold season.In order to reduce the cost, many iron parts have been replaced with plastic ones, so the structure often freezes.

We got acquainted with the three leaders - companies whose products are in the greatest demand. In addition to them, there are many more different companies on the market. USA, Canada, China, Lithuania - this is just a small list of countries in which the production of garage doors is put on stream.

You just have to choose the most suitable option that meets all your requirements and wishes.

Let's turn our attention to the advice of professionals so as not to miss anything important:

• Give preference to aluminum roller shutters. First, they are much cheaper than steel ones. Secondly, this design is much lighter, but at the same time durable and reliable.
• If you are going to install the gate yourself, choose the simplest and most understandable external (surface-mounted) installation method.
• If during the installation of roller shutters you notice that there are a lot of chips and cracks on the doorway, then it is better to completely align and plaster it than to cover up individual flaws.

• Don't neglect automating your gate. In the end, it's just convenient, especially during the cold season.
• So that the parts of the canopy move smoothly and do not freeze at low temperatures, treat them with special compounds and lubricants.

See the following video for installing roller shutters with your own hands.