PVC Strip Door Installation Guide UK — Step by Step

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PVC Strip Door Installation Guide UK — Step by Step

One of the most underrated advantages of a PVC strip door is how straightforward it is to install. Unlike roller shutters or industrial doors that require specialist contractors, a PVC strip curtain can be fitted by any competent person with basic tools — often in under an hour. This guide walks you through the complete process, from measuring your opening to hanging the final strip.

Whether you're fitting a standard doorway strip curtain in a workshop or a heavy-duty forklift access barrier in a warehouse, the fundamental process is the same. Follow these steps and you'll get a professional, correctly specified result first time.

Before You Begin: What You'll Need

Tools Required

  • Tape measure (steel, minimum 3m)
  • Spirit level
  • Power drill with masonry or wood bits (as appropriate for your wall/frame material)
  • Wall plugs and fixing screws (usually supplied with kit or specified in instructions)
  • Pencil for marking fixing positions
  • Step ladder or scaffold if working above head height
  • Safety glasses

Optional but Useful

  • Assistant (makes hanging and positioning strips much easier)
  • Cable ties or temporary clips to hold strips during positioning

Step 1: Measure Your Opening Accurately

Accurate measurement is the foundation of a well-fitted PVC strip door. Measure twice — cut (or order) once.

You need three critical measurements:

  • Opening width: Measure the clear opening width at the widest point. If the opening is slightly irregular, use the widest measurement.
  • Opening height: Measure from the floor (or the point where you want the strips to finish) up to where you'll mount the suspension rail. For maximum effectiveness, strips should reach to within 50–100mm of the floor.
  • Mounting depth: Measure the depth of the header above the opening to determine whether you'll mount the rail face-fix (to the front face of the wall or lintel) or top-fix (to the underside of the lintel or ceiling).

For detailed guidance on measuring specific opening types, refer to our measuring guides.

Step 2: Choose Your Strip Specification

Before ordering, confirm the right strip specification for your application:

Strip Width

  • 100mm strips: Pedestrian use, light traffic, narrow openings
  • 200mm strips: General purpose, moderate traffic, standard doorways
  • 300mm strips: Forklift access, high-traffic industrial use
  • 400mm strips: Heavy vehicle access, large loading bay openings

Strip Thickness

  • 2mm: Light pedestrian use, offices, back-of-house
  • 3mm: Industrial warehousing, regular pedestrian and trolley traffic
  • 4mm: Forklift and heavy vehicle contact, high-impact environments

Overlap

Strips should overlap each other to maintain the barrier seal. Standard overlap is approximately one-third of the strip width (e.g., 100mm strips overlap by ~33mm). For cold rooms and temperature-sensitive applications, use 50% overlap for a tighter barrier. For high-traffic forklift areas, a standard one-third overlap is usually preferable to allow easier passage.

PVC Grade

  • Standard clear PVC: Ambient temperature environments
  • Polar/freezer grade: Cold rooms and freezer stores below 5°C
  • UV-stabilised: Outdoor or high-sunlight applications
  • Anti-static: Electronics, pharmaceutical, or explosive-atmosphere environments

Step 3: Fit the Suspension Rail

The suspension rail is the backbone of your PVC strip door. Getting this right ensures the strips hang correctly and the system performs reliably.

  1. Mark fixing positions: Hold the rail in position above the opening and mark the fixing hole positions on the wall or lintel using a pencil. Ensure the rail extends at least 50mm beyond the opening on each side for a full-width coverage.
  2. Check level: Use a spirit level to confirm the rail is perfectly horizontal. An uneven rail causes strips to bunch on one side and gap on the other.
  3. Drill fixing holes: Drill at the marked positions using the appropriate bit for your wall material. For masonry, use a masonry bit and insert wall plugs. For timber frames, use a wood bit.
  4. Fix the rail: Secure the suspension rail using the supplied fixings. Ensure all fixings are tight and the rail has no flex or movement. For wide openings (2m+), add additional mid-span fixings to prevent rail sag under the weight of the strips.
  5. Check alignment: The front face of the rail should be flush with or slightly proud of the face of the wall to allow the strips to hang cleanly without rubbing on the wall surface.

Step 4: Hang the PVC Strips

  1. Start from one side: Begin hanging strips from one edge of the opening. Most suspension systems use bolt-and-plate fixings or hook-over clips — consult your specific rail system's instructions.
  2. Set the overlap: As you hang each strip, position it with the correct overlap against the previously hung strip. Use a tape measure or a pre-cut spacer block to keep the overlap consistent across all strips.
  3. Work across the opening: Continue hanging strips from one side to the other, maintaining consistent overlap throughout. The last strip should finish at or just beyond the opposite edge of the opening.
  4. Set strip height: Adjust each strip so it finishes 50–100mm above floor level. This prevents strips from being walked on and accumulating excessive dirt at the base, while still maintaining an effective draught seal. For cold rooms, strips can be adjusted to sit closer to the floor for maximum thermal barrier performance.
  5. Check the hang: Stand back and verify that strips hang vertically and straight. PVC strips that arrive coiled may benefit from being left to hang in a warm environment for 30–60 minutes before final positioning — they will naturally straighten as they relax to room temperature.

Step 5: Test and Adjust

Once all strips are hung, test the installation thoroughly:

  • Walk through the curtain several times — the strips should part easily and fall back into place cleanly
  • Check that no strips are catching on the floor, walls, or each other
  • Verify that the overlap seal is consistent across the full width of the opening
  • For forklift applications, carry out a slow-speed test pass to confirm strips clear the forklift mast and tynes without catching or tangling

Common Installation Mistakes to Avoid

Under-specifying the Rail for Wide Openings

A standard lightweight rail will bow under the weight of strips across a 3m+ opening. Always use a heavy-duty rail or add mid-span brackets for wide installations.

Incorrect Strip Length

Strips that are too long will bunch on the floor and be walked on, causing rapid wear. Strips that are too short leave a gap at the bottom, defeating the purpose of the barrier. Aim for 50–100mm clearance above floor level.

Not Allowing for Overlap

A common error is ordering strips to cover the opening width without accounting for overlap. A 2m wide opening with 200mm strips and one-third overlap requires approximately 15 strips — not 10. Use our overlap calculator or refer to the measuring guides to get the right quantity.

Fitting Standard PVC in Cold Environments

Standard PVC becomes rigid and brittle below approximately 5°C. If you're fitting a curtain to a cold room or freezer entrance, you must use polar-grade PVC. Standard strips fitted in cold environments will crack and lose their barrier effectiveness rapidly. See our cold room and freezer strip curtains for the correct specification.

Insufficient Fixings for the Rail

The suspension rail carries the full weight of the PVC strips and absorbs repeated impact from traffic passing through. Use all specified fixing points and, for heavy-duty applications, upgrade to larger-gauge fixings.

Maintenance Tips

  • Clean strips periodically with warm water and a mild detergent — avoid solvents that can degrade the PVC
  • Inspect strips regularly for splits, tears, or distortion — individual damaged strips can be replaced without removing the entire installation
  • Check fixing hardware periodically for tightness, especially in high-traffic or high-vibration environments

Ready to Install Your PVC Strip Door?

We supply a full range of PVC strip door kits for every application, complete with suspension rails, PVC strips in your required specification, and all fixings. Every kit includes full installation instructions.

Browse our ranges:

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Tags: Industrial curtains, Pvc strip door, Strip curtains, Uk, Warehouse