Gliderol steel roller door steel roller garage doors

Gliderol 'A' Series Single Skin Steel Roller Garage Door

The Gliderol ‘A’ Series is a robust, continuous steel curtain roller door designed for openings up to 3400mm wide. It offers a simple, tried-and-tested design that is easy to install, reliable, and forgiving on garage openings that aren't perfectly square.

Available as a manual door or with remote control electric operation, this single-skin steel door is an excellent value solution that maximises drive-through width and internal space.

Construction & Design

Unlike insulated roller doors that use individual slats, the Gliderol curtain is formed from a continuous sheet of high-tensile steel. This simple design requires minimal maintenance—just a pair of side guides and supporting brackets for the curtain roll. The door features a durable weather seal on the bottom rail to help prevent leaves and debris from entering the garage.

Key Features

• Space Saving: The door opens vertically and rolls up into a compact drum above the opening. This allows you to park right up to the door and keeps the ceiling space free for storage.
• Maximum Drive-Through Width: Because the door fits behind the brickwork (face fixed), no frame is required within the opening. This gives you the maximum possible width for your vehicle—ideal for older, narrower garages.
• Versatile Fit: The behind-the-opening installation means this door is perfect for arched openings or non-standard structural shapes.
• Security: The unique profile shape and reinforced aluminium bottom rail provide strength against forced entry. Manual doors feature a double-sided locking system operated from a central handle, engaging locking bars on both sides.
• Quiet & Smooth: Designed for minimum friction and noise. On electric models, the motor is housed entirely within the roll, ensuring quiet performance.
• Safety: Automated models are equipped with an auto-reverse safety feature that stops and reverses the door if the downward movement is restricted.

Measuring & Ordering

The ordering size for a Gliderol door is different from many other types. You must calculate the Curtain Width, not just the opening width.

• Width: Measure your structural opening width and add the required overlap for the guides (typically 25-50mm each side, check our guide).
• Height: The ordering height refers to the Guide Height. The curtain roll sits above this height, so you must ensure you have sufficient headroom.

> See our Guide to Measuring for a Gliderol Roller Door

Maintenance & Warranty

The Gliderol ‘A’ Series is designed for low maintenance. It requires no oiling or greasing—just an occasional clean of the guides with white spirit and a wash of the door surface with warm soapy water.

• Door Finish: 10-year manufacturer's guarantee.
• Mechanical Parts: 6-year manufacturer's guarantee.
• Approvals: All Gliderol doors and operators are fully CE approved and marked.

Low to medium security domestic garage door applications.

Specification – Gliderol 'A' Series

Finish & Materials

The Gliderol ‘A’ Series features a continuous steel curtain coated in HP200 Plastisol. This high-performance leathergrain finish is extremely durable, weather-resistant, and requires no painting. A durable weather seal is fitted to the bottom rail as standard to prevent leaves, dust, and draughts from entering the garage.

Colour Options

The door is available in a wide range of industry-standard colours and timber effects:

• White (BS 00E55)
• Goosewing Grey (BS 10A05)
• Merlin Grey (BS 18B25)
• Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016)
• Navy Blue (RAL 5003)
• Ultramarine Blue (RAL 5002)
• Olive Green (BS 12B27)
• Juniper Green (BS 12B29)
• Burgundy (BS 04D45)
• Vandyke Brown (BS 08B29)
• Black (BS 00E53)
• Zincalume (Galvanised finish)
• Chartwell Green
• Golden Oak (Timber Effect)
• Rosewood (Timber Effect)
• Mahogany Woodgrain (Timber Effect)

Glidermatic GRD Automation

Electric operation is provided by the Glidermatic GRD remote control operator. The motor is housed entirely inside the roll of the door, ensuring quiet operation and a clean aesthetic. The system includes a wall-mounted control box with an integrated push button and a courtesy light.

• Glidermatic GRD (Heavy Duty): Standard motor specification for most door sizes.
• Glidermatic GRD (Dual Motor): Specified for doors up to 3400mm x 3055mm (depending on load requirements).

Safety & Security

• Auto-Reverse: The motor detects resistance during the closing cycle. If the door hits an obstruction, it reverses automatically to prevent injury or damage.
• Rolling Code Technology: The remote transmitters use a random code generated from over two billion possibilities after every operation, ensuring the signal cannot be copied or grabbed by potential intruders.

Locking Systems

• Manual Doors: Supplied with a central handle and a double-sided locking system that secures the door from both the inside and outside.
• Automated Doors: Note: Central locks are not supplied on electric doors as standard, as the motor holds the door in the locked position. If you require a physical lock on an electric door, this must be stated at the time of ordering.

Optional Accessories

Remote Transmitters:
Additional handsets are available as optional extras. Up to 10 transmitters can be paired with a single Glidermatic motor. Handset cradles and sun visor clips are also available for convenience.

External Manual Release (Required for Single Entrances):
If your garage has no other access door, an external manual release is essential. In the event of a power failure, this lockable key switch allows you to disengage the motor from the outside via a cable mechanism, enabling you to open the door manually.

External Wireless Keypad:
Allows access without a transmitter. The keypad is weather-resistant and simple to install (no wiring required). You set your own 4-digit PIN code, which can be changed whenever necessary.

Surface Mounted Key Switch:
A hardwired alternative for access control. This single-pole switch comes with three keys and connects directly to the internal control box. Operation is via a single impulse turn to open or close the door.

Installation & Fitting – Gliderol 'A' Series

The Gliderol ‘A’ Series roller door is designed for straightforward installation, but it works differently from standard roller shutters. Please read the following guidelines carefully to ensure you order the correct size and have sufficient space for fitting.

Fitting Method: Behind the Opening Only

This door is engineered exclusively for Internal Face Fixing. It must be installed to the inside face of your garage opening (behind the brickwork piers).

• It cannot be fitted between the opening (reveal fix).
• It cannot be fitted to the external face of the garage.

Headroom Requirements

Because the door rolls up into a large drum without a box enclosure, you need sufficient headroom above the lintel to hide the roll. If you do not have this headroom, the door roll will be visible from the outside and will reduce your drive-through height.

Minimum Headroom Required (Above Guide Height):

• Doors up to 2135mm (7ft) high: 430mm
• Doors up to 2440mm (8ft) high: 450mm
• Doors up to 3000mm (9ft 10in) high: 500mm

Note: If you have limited headroom, the door can still be installed, but the bottom of the roll will hang down into the opening, reducing your clearance.

Sideroom (Clearance) Requirements

You need clear wall space on either side of the opening to mount the brackets and guides. This space must be free of shelving, pipes, or meters.

• Standard Manual Door: Minimum 75mm required on each side (90mm recommended for ease of fit).
• Electric Door (Glidermatic): Minimum 150mm required on the motor side; 75mm on the non-motor side.

Measuring & Ordering

Ordering a Gliderol door is unique because you order the Curtain Width, not the opening width.

1. Width Calculation

To ensure the door overlaps the brickwork correctly and stays in the guides:

• Measure your structural Opening Width.
• Add at least 50mm (25mm each side) to get your Ordering (Curtain) Width.
• Example: If your opening is 2100mm wide, you should order a 2150mm wide door (minimum).
• Recommendation: We advise adding 100mm (50mm each side) for a more secure overlap if you have the wall space available.

2. Height Calculation

• Measure the height from the floor to the underside of the lintel.
• This measurement is your Guide Height (Ordering Height).
• The curtain roll sits above this height, so you must verify you have the headroom listed above.

Structural Fixings

The door is supported entirely by two heavy-duty brackets fixed to the header/lintel area. These brackets take the full weight of the door. Ensure your lintel or wall is structurally sound and capable of holding substantial weight.

Floor Level

The Gliderol door has a durable rubber weather seal on the bottom rail. However, single-skin steel doors are rigid and will not contour to uneven ground as well as insulated slat doors. For the best seal, the floor should be reasonably level.

See our Guide to Measuring for a Gliderol Roller Door >

Warranty Information – Gliderol 'A' Series

When you purchase a Gliderol garage door from Samson Doors, you are protected by a comprehensive manufacturer's warranty. Gliderol is one of the world's leading door manufacturers, and their products are engineered to provide years of reliable service.

Warranty Periods

Gliderol offers the following warranty coverage for the 'A' Series Roller Door, subject to standard terms and conditions:

• 10 Year Warranty (Finish): The Plastisol steel curtain finish is guaranteed for a period of 10 years against rust-through, fading, and peeling (subject to location and maintenance).
• 6 Year Warranty (Mechanical): All mechanical parts, including the spring, drum, and the Glidermatic electric motor operator, are guaranteed for a period of 6 years against manufacturing defects.
• 2 Year Warranty (Electrical Accessories): Remote control handsets, fuses, and bulbs are covered for 2 years.

Conditions of Warranty

To ensure your warranty remains valid, the following conditions apply:

1. Installation: The door must be installed correctly in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.
2. Maintenance: The door must be kept clean and free from corrosive substances (such as bird droppings, salt, or industrial fallout). The guides should be cleaned occasionally with white spirit.
3. Coastal Locations: Standard steel doors fitted within close proximity to the coast (typically within 2 miles) may not be covered by the full finish warranty due to the high salt content in the air. For coastal properties, we recommend discussing material suitability with our team.

What is Not Covered?

The warranty does not cover defects or damage caused by:

• Normal Wear and Tear: This includes the natural rubbing marks that occur on the curtain face as the door rolls up and down. Friction marks are an inherent characteristic of single-skin roller doors and are not considered a fault.
• Impact Damage: Dents or scratches caused by vehicles or objects hitting the door.
• Negligence: Failure to clean the door or follow maintenance guidelines.
• Consumables: Batteries in remote controls.

Making a Claim

In the unlikely event of a warranty claim, please contact Samson Doors in the first instance. We will require proof of purchase (your invoice) and a description of the fault. We will then liaise with Gliderol's technical department to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

 Before you specify and order a Gliderol steel single skin roller garage door you need to understand the dimensions and ordering references used as they do differ from many other types of roller garage doors.

Below is a basic diagram showing the terminology used in the ordering and specifying process:

Ordering Width Dimensions Explained

The Ordering Width when specifying and ordering a Gliderol steel roller door is the Opening Width plus the roller door curtain overlap and is generally therefore the garage Structural Opening Width plus the door curtain overlap on each side which is 25mm each on a roller door up to 3400mm total width or 50mm each side on a door over 3400mm. The side room required for actually installing the roller door is different again as there are quite large supporting steel L brackets at high level which are fitted wider than the roller guides referred to in the ordering width and also fixing lugs on the steel side guides.

Example: A 2300mm wide garage door structural opening requires a further 50mm adding for the 2 no. 25mm guides each side giving an Ordering Width size of 2350mm.

Ordering Height Dimensions Explained

The Guide Height is also the reference for the Ordering Height for a Gliderol continuous curtain steel roller door -

It is the height of the steel side guides that the roller door curtain slides up and down in and if you are ever in doubt about your height (i.e. unfinished floor, etc) you can always order these higher than required and cut the guides on site if necessary from the bottom and the curtain roll will simply take up the slack in adjustments.

Example: A floor to RSJ/lintel height of 2200mm would mean ideally you need 430mm of headroom above this and the ordering measurement would be 2200mm. If you do not have 430mm of headroom the roller door will still fit but you will lose drive through height when open .

In the worst scenario of having no headroom at all then you will require some kind of front mounted fascia cover to cloak the roll from view outside but your order height will be the total height less the curtain roll size required.

The curtain roll size also depends upon the height of the door ordered, see the table below: