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Steel or Aluminium Security Shutters?
Many customers are still not aware of the benefits of aluminium security shutters even though they have been around for many years.
Which shutter is best depends on the application each time:
Traditionally original security roller shutters were always manufactured from steel and still are today. The image of an industrial looking, heavy duty steel security shutter is real as there were so many installed in towns up and down the UK and mostly fitted with a galvanised steel unpainted curtain, mainly because of the costs. Most people would buy security shutters immediately after a break in or a spate of vandalism and it would have been a grudge purchase. Far too often the price was the main focus. Not so much these days however as security shutters are designed into new shopfronts and commercial premises far more often, and with a bit of thought on the colour finish the slat type they can actually enhance a building.
So which shutter type should I choose from steel or aluminium? Well the aluminium security shutters seen in the UK were all derived for the continental shutters used extensively across Norther Europe and brought across to the UK by companies such as SWS over 20 years ago. The aluminium shutter curtain profiles are far more attractive than steel with a choice of various subtle designs in what is generally a double skinned slat with a slightly curved shape to help the curtain roll up and prevent surface damage. Steel roller shutter profiles as used in security shutters have always been a single skin design where as generally most aluminium shutter profiles are double skinned in their construction.
The aluminium extruded shutters are one of the strongest security shutters available, with a thick aluminium curtain profile providing great stability and strength whilst also looking good when down and closed. Steel security shutters have been around for so long some companies still simply offer these only as it is what they are set up to provide and although the steel shutters have their uses, especially on large windows and door openings they can be a bad purchase if the specification is kept somewhat downgraded. For example a thinner gauge steel slat will sag in the middle if the curtain is too wide and once the curtain sags the shutter will soon self destruct with too much strain on al the components.
How many terrible looking security shutters have you maybe seen in more undesirable areas of a town or city? They have been a symbol of a run down shopping area for many years with graffiti and rusty dangerous sections exposed with tatty looking hood covers, or sometimes no cover at all!
Cheap internal components will not help the shutter either with components such a nylon bearings or motors with too little power as well as an inferior internal barrel and specification. All these components of course cannot be seen by you, the customer, so be aware of what you are being sold or quoted for with a security shutter as it is far too easy to buy a real headache in a poorly constructed, cheap shutter. The same will apply to aluminium shutters of course and this is normally the incorrect use of a far too lightweight curtain slat that should be usually specified for heat and light control rather than security. As there are probably over 40 or so different aluminium slats in use in the UK and all at vastly different prices per square metre it is easy to get the wrong specification because price was far too much of the focus in early discussions. Buy cheap and buy twice!!
