- Location
- Runcorn, Cheshire
- Main postcode district
- WA7
- Nearby (straight line)
- Widnes (1 mile), Halewood (4 miles) and Speke (5 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A PVC strip curtain is a row of flexible, overlapping plastic strips hung from a rail across a doorway, so that people and vehicles can pass through while the strips fall back to close the gap behind them. At loading bays they hang behind the main door or across internal openings, reducing draughts, dust and temperature loss for much less than the cost of a powered door.
What should sites in Runcorn consider?
Chilled rooms off a dock in Runcorn can lose temperature through internal doorways, and a low-temperature strip curtain is a quick, inexpensive fix. Measuring an opening in Runcorn for a strip curtain takes only a short visit, and we note traffic, temperature and fixings at the same time.
Goods-in areas in Runcorn that leave the main door open during long unloading sessions can use a strip curtain to hold back draughts and dust.
Our part of the job in Runcorn is to survey, quote and manage; the fitting itself is done by specialist installation engineers working under our management. The survey and the written quote are free. Once the fixed price is accepted, we agree dates that work around your deliveries and shifts, including out-of-hours working where needed. Every installation is tested before handover, and you receive the documentation for each item fitted.
How are strip curtains fitted to a loading bay opening?
Strip curtains are fitted by fixing a rail across the head of the opening and hanging the strips from it, a job that usually takes an hour or two per opening and needs no power supply.
- Fixed rails: bolted to the lintel or wall above the opening, with strips hooked or clamped on.
- Sliding rails: let the whole curtain be pushed to one side for wide loads or warmer months.
- Swing-away rails: hinge back against the wall, useful where a door track runs close to the head of the opening.
At a dock the curtain usually sits just inside the main door, so we check it will not snag the door's bottom edge, the leveller lip or any tracks. From you we need the opening clear for the visit and agreement on whether strips should reach the floor or stop just above it. Strips that drag on the floor wear quickly and can catch on pallet trucks.
Which strip width, thickness and grade should I choose?
Choose the strip size by the size of the opening and the traffic through it, and the grade by temperature and use. Wider, thicker strips seal better and resist forklifts, but are heavier to push through on foot.
- Pedestrian doorways: typically 200 mm wide by 2 mm thick strips with a modest overlap.
- Forklift openings: typically 300 mm wide by 3 mm thick, with a larger overlap.
- Large dock openings: typically 400 mm wide by 4 mm thick, which hang well in draughts.
- Low-temperature grade: stays flexible in chillers and freezers, where standard PVC would stiffen and crack.
- Ribbed strips: raised ribs take the wear from forklifts and keep the strips clearer for longer.
- Specialist grades: anti-static, tinted or opaque, or welding grade for screening.
Overlap matters as much as thickness. A full overlap gives a better seal in cold or dusty areas, while a partial overlap is easier to walk through.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
Options to discuss
Low-temperature strips
A grade formulated to stay flexible in chillers and freezers, where standard strips would stiffen, crack and stop falling back into place.
Ribbed strips
Strips with raised ribs that take the abrasion from forklifts and pallets, helping them stay clearer for longer at busy openings.
Regulations and approvals in England
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Runcorn. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about PVC strip curtains in Runcorn
Is VAT included in your guide prices for PVC strip curtains?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Cheshire as everywhere else: for PVC strip curtains, it is £180 to £1,100 per opening, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
How do you price PVC strip curtains for a site in Runcorn?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £180 to £1,100 per opening, excluding VAT. The figure moves with size, insulation, the operator, electrics, access, any pit or groundworks and out-of-hours working. Where levellers are involved, the guide assumes an existing, sound pit. After the free survey you receive a fixed written quote, and that is the price for the agreed scope.
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Runcorn?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
How do I clean PVC strip curtains?
Clean strips with warm water and a mild detergent, then wipe them dry. Avoid solvents and abrasive pads, which damage the surface and make strips cloud faster. In food areas, follow your site's hygiene schedule and choose a grade suited to regular cleaning.
Should the strips touch the floor?
Strips usually stop just above the floor so they do not drag, wear or catch on pallet trucks. Where draughts or pests are a concern they can be set closer to the floor, and we agree the finished height with you before fitting so it suits the traffic through the opening.
PVC strip curtains near Runcorn
Looking beyond Runcorn? Our pages for Widnes (1 mile), Halewood (4 miles) and Speke (5 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Runcorn
Full guide to PVC strip curtains · Everything we do in Runcorn
For a written price on loading bay work in Runcorn, request a quote and include photos of the bay if you can.