Repair, refurbish or replace: commercial aluminium doors, windows and shopfronts
For property and facilities managers
Aluminium framing is durable, so a tired shopfront or a door that no longer closes properly does not always need replacing. Many problems sit in the parts that wear: hinges, closers, locks, seals and glazing gaskets.
This guide sets out how the three options usually differ and what information helps a contractor advise on the right one.
Repair
Repair fixes a specific fault: a door that drops or drags, a closer that slams, a lock that fails, a broken pane or a damaged threshold. It is usually the quickest route when the frame itself is sound and the fault is isolated.
Refurbishment
Refurbishment renews a sound frame rather than replacing it. Typical work includes replacing worn ironmongery and seals, re-glazing, adjusting or re-hanging doors and upgrading door operation, for example adding automatic operation to an existing entrance.
It suits buildings where the frontage still works structurally and visually but its moving parts and seals have reached the end of their life.
Replacement
Replacement is normally the better choice when frames are distorted, corroded or damaged, when the layout no longer suits how the building is used, or when a refit or rebrand calls for a different frontage. It is also the point at which thermal, accessibility and security requirements can be reconsidered as a whole.
What to send for advice
The more we can see, the more useful our first answer will be:
- The site address and how the premises are used
- Photographs of the whole door, window or frontage, inside and out, and close-ups of the fault
- A description of what happens and how long it has been happening
- Whether the premises need to stay open during the work
General guidance only. Requirements for a specific project are set by its specification, design team and the applicable regulations.