Perforated & punched shutters
Shutters with perforated, punched or micro-perforated laths so displays stay visible.
A perforated shutter is a roller shutter whose laths are pierced with small holes, so light and a window display can be seen through it when it is down. Punched laths have larger slots, and micro-perforated laths have very fine holes for a near-solid look from a distance.
- Shop & commercial shutters
- From £1,645 + VAT
- UK-wide
Get a free quote
Send the postcode and rough size. We reply with a guide price and book a free survey.
How perforated & punched shutters work
Perforated laths let shop lighting show through at night, which keeps a high street looking open and lived-in. Many council design guides prefer see-through shutters to solid ones because they avoid a blank frontage after hours. Micro-perforated laths have holes so fine that the curtain reads as solid from a distance but glows when lit from inside. Punched laths have larger slots, giving better visibility and more airflow, at the cost of a little privacy.
Perforations slightly reduce the weight of the curtain, which can help a motor or a push-up spring. Window displays stay on view to passers-by, so a closed shop can still advertise what it sells. The perforated section can run the full height or start above a solid bottom section for extra kick protection.
Some councils still refuse perforated external shutters in sensitive areas, so planning is checked before ordering. Perforated shutters can be powder coated, though very dark colours make the display behind harder to see. Airflow through a perforated curtain helps ventilate a closed unit and reduces condensation behind the glass.
Options we can specify
- Perforated, punched or micro-perforated laths
- Optional solid bottom section for kick protection
- Electric or manual operation
- Window display visible after hours
- Ventilation through the curtain
- Powder coating to a RAL colour
- Box external, behind fascia or internal
- Bottom-rail locks and anti-lift blocks
Typical specification
| Lath types | Perforated, punched (slotted) or micro-perforated aluminium or steel |
|---|---|
| Visibility | Fine perforations for a near-solid look; punched for more visibility |
| Layout | Full-height perforation or solid kick section at the base |
| Operation | Electric with key switch or manual push-up |
| Planning | Often preferred by councils to solid shutters; still checked case by case |
How much do perforated & punched shutters cost?
Perforated & punched shutters typically cost £1,645 to £4,895 ex VAT (£1,974 to £5,874 inc VAT) for the common sizes we fit, depending on width, operation, lath type and finish. Larger or specialist jobs are priced after survey.
| Option | Ex VAT | Inc VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-perforated or punched shutter, 5m and over | £2,595 to £4,895 | £3,114 to £5,874 |
| Perforated electric shutter, up to 3m wide | £1,645 to £2,995 | £1,974 to £3,594 |
| Perforated lath upgrade on a new shutter (add-on) | £95 to £395 | £114 to £474 |
Guide prices assume a straightforward opening with a power supply nearby. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing after the survey, before anything is ordered.
Work out your own guide price
Enter the width and height, choose the operation and lath type, and the quote tool draws your shutter to scale with a price range.
Rules that apply
What the law and planning system expect, by nation. We check these at survey.
Planning permission for shopfront shutters
England
In England an external shutter on a shopfront is usually treated as development that needs planning permission from the local planning authority, and a listed building also needs listed building consent. Many councils' shopfront design guides favour internal shutters, perforated or open-grille designs and boxes hidden behind the fascia, and some refuse solid external shutters in conservation areas and on main shopping streets.
Wales
In Wales an external shopfront shutter normally needs planning permission from your county or county borough council, or the national park authority, and a listed building also needs listed building consent. Welsh councils' design guidance often prefers internal or open-pattern grilles to solid shutters, particularly in conservation areas.
Scotland
In Scotland fitting an external security shutter to a shopfront normally needs planning permission from the council, and listed building consent if the building is listed. Councils often ask for the box to be concealed and for open or perforated designs rather than solid shutters in conservation areas.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland planning permission for an external shopfront shutter is decided by your local council, which took over most planning decisions in 2015, and a listed building also needs listed building consent. Design guidance generally favours shutters that keep the frontage visible.
Safety of powered shutters
Powered doors and shutters are treated as machinery. The installer commissions them with a risk assessment, safety devices where the risk calls for them and force checks to BS EN 12453, then hands over a declaration of conformity and maintenance instructions. In workplaces, the employer or whoever controls the premises must keep doors maintained and safe for staff and visitors.
Electrical work
England
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In homes in England, new circuits are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so the work is done by a registered electrician who can self-certify it, or notified to building control.
Wales
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In homes in Wales, new circuits are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations as applied in Wales, so the work is self-certified by a registered electrician or notified to building control.
Scotland
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In Scotland electrical work in buildings must also meet the Scottish building standards, and is carried out and certified by a qualified electrician.
Northern Ireland
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, by a qualified electrician. Northern Ireland has its own building regulations, and any building control requirement for the work is confirmed with your council.
What happens next
Send the details
Give us the postcode, approximate width and height, and what the shutter is protecting.
We survey the opening
An engineer measures and checks the fixings, power and any planning constraints.
You approve a fixed price
The quote lists the specification and price in writing, so there are no surprises.
We fit and commission
Your shutter is installed, tested and handed over with instructions and paperwork.
Perforated & punched shutters: common questions
Is a perforated shutter less secure than a solid one?
The holes are small and the laths are the same gauge, so a perforated shutter still resists forced entry. For the highest-risk premises, a rated product or solid steel may still be recommended.
Can people see into the shop?
With punched laths, yes, fairly clearly. Micro-perforated laths give a softer view that mainly shows light and shapes. We can show samples at survey.
Are perforated shutters easier to get planning for?
Often, because they avoid a blank frontage at night, but each council decides case by case and some refuse any external shutter in conservation areas.
Do perforated shutters let rain in?
A little water can pass through the perforations in driving rain, which is why they are normally fitted in front of glazing rather than as the only weather barrier.
Is the survey free?
Yes, for new shutters, grilles and doors: the survey and written quote are free and there is no obligation to go ahead. Repair and servicing visits are charged, and we tell you the price before we visit.
Are your prices fixed?
Yes. After the survey you get a written price for the agreed specification, confirmed before anything is ordered or any work starts. If you change the specification, or a hidden problem such as a weak lintel is found during fitting, we price it and agree it with you before carrying on.
Related services
Shop front shutters
Shutters for high street shops, takeaways and offices, designed with planning in mind.
Roller grilles
Open-lattice roller grilles for shopping centres and frontages that must stay visible.
Security roller shutters
Made-to-measure roller shutters for shops, offices and commercial units.
Aluminium roller shutters
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant shutters in roll-formed or extruded aluminium.
Who uses perforated & punched shutters
Perforated & punched shutters near you
Choose your county or area for local details and towns we cover.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Scotland
Ready for a fixed price?
Free survey, made-to-measure shutters and a written quote before any work starts.