- Location
- Thamesmead, Greater London
- Main postcode districts
- SE2 and SE28
- Nearby (straight line)
- Barking (3 miles), Beckton (3 miles) and Erith (3 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.
Why do sites in Thamesmead choose this?
Where strips at a site in Thamesmead have turned cloudy and scratched, replacing them restores visibility for drivers and pedestrians sharing the opening. Wind-driven rain and leaves blowing into an open dock are a familiar nuisance, and a heavy-duty strip curtain is one simple response for sites in Thamesmead.
Smaller trade units in Thamesmead with a single goods door may find a strip curtain the most economical way to keep the working area warmer in winter.
We never ask you to commit before you have a fixed price. A free survey at your Thamesmead site comes first, followed by a written quote. When the order goes ahead, we plan the installation around your operation, book any out-of-hours working you need and manage the specialist installation engineers on site. The job ends with a full test, a run-through for the people who will use the equipment and a set of handover documents.
Are strip curtains safe where forklifts and pedestrians share an opening?
Strip curtains can be used where forklifts and pedestrians share an opening, but only if the strips stay clear enough for both to see through and the route is managed. Visibility is the main risk.
- Clear strips scratch and cloud with use, so a driver may not see a person on the other side.
- Ribbed strips and regular replacement keep visibility better for longer.
- A separate pedestrian door beside the vehicle opening is the safer arrangement.
- Floor markings and mirrors help where a separate door is not possible.
At very busy openings, a high-speed dock door with vision panels and safety sensors may be the better long-term answer, because it opens fully for each vehicle and closes again behind it. We can price both so you can compare the cost and the practical difference for your traffic.
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.
What does the free survey cover?
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Dock height and the mix of trailers you load
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
Options to discuss
Sliding or swing-away rail
A rail that lets the whole curtain be moved clear of the opening for wide loads, cleaning or seasonal removal without taking the strips down.
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 Thamesmead. 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 Thamesmead
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Thamesmead?
Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.
How do you price PVC strip curtains for a site in Thamesmead?
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.
Is the site survey in Thamesmead free?
Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
Which grade should we use in a freezer?
Use a low-temperature or polar grade in a freezer. Standard PVC stiffens in the cold, so it cracks and stops falling back into place, leaving gaps. Low-temperature grades are formulated to stay flexible in chilled and frozen conditions, so they keep sealing after each vehicle passes.
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 Thamesmead
The same survey, quote and repair service is available in towns around Thamesmead, such as Barking (3 miles), Beckton (3 miles) and Erith (3 miles).
Other loading bay services in Thamesmead
Full guide to PVC strip curtains · Everything we do in Thamesmead
Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Thamesmead site.