- Location
- Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Main postcode district
- OX14
- Nearby (straight line)
- Didcot (5 miles), Cowley (5 miles) and Oxford (6 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 Abingdon choose this?
Food and packaging businesses in Abingdon can choose strip grades suited to regular cleaning, helping to separate dispatch areas from production. In a warehouse in Abingdon where doors stay open for much of the shift, strip curtains offer a practical first step before considering a high-speed door.
Goods-in areas in Abingdon that leave the main door open during long unloading sessions can use a strip curtain to hold back draughts and dust.
The survey is free, the quote is written and the price is fixed: that is how every installation in Abingdon begins. We then manage the work from start to finish. Fitting is carried out by specialist installers under our management, phased so the operation keeps moving, and nights or weekends can be booked by arrangement. On the final day we test the equipment with you and hand over the operating and maintenance information.
Do strip curtains count towards building energy rules?
A strip curtain does not replace the need for a compliant door: where a new or replacement external loading bay door is fitted, it is the door that has to meet the energy rules.
- England: Approved Document L (2021) Volume 2 sets a limiting U-value of 1.3 W/m²K for vehicle access and similar large doors in new and replacement work.
- Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: each nation has its own energy rules, through Approved Document L for Wales, Section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbook, and Technical Booklet F2 in Northern Ireland. We confirm what applies to your nation and project.
What a strip curtain does well is reduce the air moving through an opening while the door is open for loading. That helps a heated or chilled building, even though the curtain is not the door.
Workplace safety still applies around the curtain: strips should stay clear enough for drivers and pedestrians to see each other. HSE is the regulator in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.
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.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
Options to discuss
Standard clear strips
Clear flexible PVC for ambient warehouses and goods-in areas, giving good visibility and draught control at pedestrian and forklift openings.
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.
Which rules apply in England?
Workplace safety in England is regulated by HSE. For a loading bay in Abingdon, that means doors meeting regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, equipment maintained under PUWER and suitable safeguards against vehicles driving away too early. We check what applies at survey and design the bay accordingly.
Questions about PVC strip curtains in Abingdon
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Abingdon site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
What details do you need from us to quote for PVC strip curtains?
To get started, send the site address in Abingdon, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
How do you price PVC strip curtains for a site in Abingdon?
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.
Are strip curtains a good alternative to a high-speed door?
Strip curtains are a good low-cost option for moderate traffic, but at very busy openings a high-speed door often performs better because it clears fully for each vehicle and closes behind it. The right choice depends on traffic volume, visibility needs and budget.
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.
PVC strip curtains near Abingdon
Looking beyond Abingdon? Our pages for Didcot (5 miles), Cowley (5 miles) and Oxford (6 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Abingdon
Full guide to PVC strip curtains · Everything we do in Abingdon
For a written price on loading bay work in Abingdon, request a quote and include photos of the bay if you can.