Steel roller shutters
Heavy-duty galvanised steel shutters for industrial units and higher-risk premises.
Steel roller shutters have a curtain of galvanised steel laths that is heavier and harder to cut or force than aluminium. They are used on industrial units, warehouses, garages and commercial premises where strength matters more than weight, and can be left galvanised or powder coated.
- Shop & commercial shutters
- From £1,095 + 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 steel roller shutters work
Galvanised steel laths are zinc coated to protect against rust, and can be powder coated on top. Steel curtains are heavier, so they are paired with stronger motors, springs or crank gearboxes. Steel resists cutting and impact better than foam-filled aluminium, which suits higher-risk premises. Deep steel guide rails and wind locks keep wide steel curtains in place in high winds.
Steel shutters are the usual base for fire-rated and many LPS 1175 rated shutters. Single-skin steel is noisier than insulated aluminium, which matters on mixed residential streets. Industrial steel doors can include a wicket door so people can enter without raising the whole curtain.
Steel shutters can be insulated with a double-skin lath where heat loss through the opening matters. Galvanised finishes are practical but plain, so many shopfronts choose a powder-coated colour. Steel is the common choice for garages, lock-ups, plant rooms and loading bays.
Options we can specify
- Galvanised steel laths, single or double-skin
- Powder coating available over galvanising
- Stronger motors, springs and gearboxes
- Deep guide rails and wind locks for wide openings
- Wicket doors on industrial doors
- Bottom-rail locks and anti-lift
- Manual, crank or electric operation
- Insulated steel options
Typical specification
| Lath | Galvanised steel, single-skin or insulated double-skin |
|---|---|
| Finish | Galvanised, or powder coated to RAL |
| Drive | Spring, crank, tube motor or direct-drive / chain motor |
| Options | Wicket door, vision laths, wind locks |
| Typical use | Industrial units, loading bays, garages, higher-risk shops |
How much do steel roller shutters cost?
Steel roller shutters typically cost £1,095 to £5,195 ex VAT (£1,314 to £6,234 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Powder-coated steel shutter, electric, 4m to 6m | £2,595 to £5,195 | £3,114 to £6,234 |
| Galvanised steel shutter, electric, up to 4m | £1,795 to £3,395 | £2,154 to £4,074 |
| Galvanised steel shutter, manual, up to 3m | £1,095 to £1,995 | £1,314 to £2,394 |
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.
Steel roller shutters: common questions
Is steel more secure than aluminium?
Generally yes. Steel laths are harder to cut and dent, which is why steel is used for industrial and higher-risk premises. For independently tested resistance, look for an LPS 1175 rating.
Will a steel shutter rust?
Galvanising protects the steel, and powder coating adds a further layer. Scratches and damage should be touched up so moisture cannot reach bare metal.
Are steel shutters noisy?
Single-skin steel is noisier than insulated aluminium. If noise matters, insulated double-skin laths and a well-adjusted motor help.
Can a steel shutter have a door in it?
Yes, industrial steel shutters can include a wicket door so people can enter without raising the whole curtain.
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
Industrial roller shutter doors
Warehouse, loading bay and factory doors in steel or insulated laths, built for heavy use.
LPS 1175 high-security shutters
Shutters certified to the LPCB LPS 1175 standard for premises that need tested security.
Aluminium roller shutters
Lightweight, corrosion-resistant shutters in roll-formed or extruded aluminium.
Fire shutters
Fire-resisting roller shutters that close automatically on a fire signal to hold back fire.
Steel roller 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.