Types of Automatic Doors: Sliding, Swinging & Revolving Explained
Today, automatic doors are often a given at major public or commercial buildings and it’s not unusual to see them fitted at schools, offices and hospitality venues. However, there are different types of automatic doors, and each serves a unique practical or aesthetic purpose.
We’re going to breakdown some of the most common automatic entrance doors, help you assess which ones are right for your premises and which sectors typically use auto opening doors.
If you’d like to discuss your automatic door requirements with an expert, just call us on 01782 703234.
What are the Types of Automatic Doors?
In reality, there is a huge range of self-opening door types, but we’re going to run through five of the most common and how they work below.
1. Automatic Sliding Doors
Automatic sliding doors are one of the most common types of automatic doors. They work via a mechanism that can be installed either above or below the doors. Sensors will detect movement in front of the doors and a motor will pull the doors sideways, out of the way of the entrance.
Sliding doors are typically quite sleek in their appearance and are fantastic for accessibility, providing a wide entryway free from obstructions.
2. Automatic Swinging Doors
Automatic swinging doors also use sensors and motors like many types of automatic doors. However, in this case, the mechanism is used to swing the doors apart much like a traditional door.
This style of automatic entrance door is common at offices and retail establishments and as internal doors within hospitals and schools. They are a cost-effective and space-efficient solution, enabling greater accessibility.
3. Automatic Revolving Doors
Revolving doors were introduced in 1888 and were originally designed to minimise draughts and street noise inside buildings. Their modern automatic counterparts serve the same purpose today, only without the need to be pushed by hand.
While revolving automatic doors are not ideal for accessibility, they can help you reduce your energy bills and provide a distinctive look for your building. Accessibility issues can be overcome with the installation of an accompanying automatic or semi-automatic swinging door.
4. Automatic Curved Doors
Looking to blend easy entry with novel aesthetics? Curved automatic doors might be the answer. These doors work in a similar way to sliding doors except they use a curved profile for a more distinctive appearance.
Provided they are wide enough, curved automatic doors can even be DDA-compliant, allowing you to have an attractive entryway that’s accessible to all. For more information about DDA compliance, read our blog post.
5. Automatic Folding Doors
Unlike other self-opening doors which operate by sliding or swinging out of the way, automatic folding doors work by folding themselves into sections at the side of the entryway. This can be a highly space-efficient design in situations where the entryway is an odd shape or size, meaning sliding or swinging doors would be impractical.
Which Type of Automatic Door is Right for Your Premises?
Choosing the right automatic entrance doors for your premises will depend on a few key factors. To help you narrow it down, our experts have put together these simple questions.
- What are your accessibility requirements? – Evaluate the accessibility requirements at your premises. If your building is open to the public or you employ people with disabilities, you will need to make sure that whichever automatic doors you choose are accessible.
- How wide is your entrance? – Your choice may be restricted by size. For example, sliding doors are not ideal for smaller entrances and swinging doors may look out of place in wider apertures.
- What’s your budget? – Some automatic systems are more costly than others. Consider how much of your budget you can dedicate to your doors and make an appropriate choice based on cost.
- What are your aesthetic preferences? – Different doors give varying overall looks. Decide how you want your entryway to look and select an auto-opening door that best reflects your preferences.
Which Sectors Do We Install Automatic Doors For?
At DUK Doors, we can install automatic doors for a huge range of sectors, with options available to suit almost any requirement.
- Healthcare
- Hospitality
- Retail
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Office-based businesses
- Entertainment
- Public Sector
FAQs About the Types of Automatic Doors
What automatic door brands do we work with?
DUK Doors is proud to work with some of the world's leading automatic door manufacturers, including DORMA, GEZE, Gilgen, LABEL, Record and Gene.
What’s the difference between swinging and sliding doors?
Do you offer servicing and repair for the different types of automatic doors?
Get a Quote for Automatic Doors
DUK Doors is one of the UK’s leading installers of all types of automatic doors including automatic warehouse doors, school doors, office doors and more. We offer premium products and expert service throughout. From our base in Stoke-on-Trent, we offer national coverage and competitive prices on installation, maintenance and repairs.
To get a free quote for your automatic door upgrade, call us on 01782 703234, email us at info@dukdoors.co.uk or fill out our contact form.
If you’d like to learn more about how automatic doors work or the perks of sliding doors vs swinging doors, head over to our blog for more information.