What a roller door is made of
Most roller door curtains are coated steel. Steel-Line says its roller doors are made from BlueScope Colorbond and Zincalume steel, and Gliderol says its doors come in a wide range of Colorbond colours. COLORBOND steel has a local story: BlueScope says it was invented at Port Kembla in 1966 and is still made at the Port Kembla Steelworks.
Plain colours are not the only choice. B&D sells timber-look finishes on its roller doors under the name Timber Coat, which can soften a brick or weatherboard front without moving to a sectional door.
Seals that keep out leaves, dust and rain
A roller door is never perfectly airtight, so seals do the work. Steel-Line fits a PVC weather seal in the aluminium bottom rail and offers a brush seal for the side guides. If wind-blown leaves or water get under your door, worn or missing seals are the first thing to look at.
Keep the guides clean and dry. B&D's New Zealand care page warns against grease or oil in roller door guides, and says a silicon spray may be used after cleaning.
Roller door or sectional door?
B&D says it invented the first roller garage door, the Roll-A-Door, in 1956, and roller doors are still the simple choice for a low ceiling, a carport or a shed. A sectional door rises up and runs back under the ceiling on tracks, so it needs ceiling space instead of room above the opening.
Wind is one difference to weigh. After Cyclone Yasi, the Cyclone Testing Station found that sectional doors failed at a significantly lower rate than roller doors in similar homes.
Around Wollongong
Near the sea
BlueScope says the top of a garage door is one of the spots rain does not wash, and should be hosed with fresh water at least every six months, more often where sea spray is common.
Warranties and the coast
Gliderol limits the corrosion cover on its roller door curtains for homes within 800 metres of a high salt concentration. Ask how your chosen brand treats a beachside address.
Bush fire prone land
Wollongong and Shellharbour councils map bush fire prone land with the NSW Rural Fire Service. On that land the BAL assessment sets the rules for the door, and B&D says its BAL-40 seal system is not made for roller doors.
Roller door springs stay with the professionals
The helical springs that balance the curtain are wound under tension. Steel-Line warns against tensioning a roller door yourself because of the risk of serious injury or death, and says a door that rolls up loosely or slams down needs its tension set by a professional.
What we would do
Before you choose a colour, stand across the street and look at the roof, gutters and fence together. Ask the door specialist for the Colorbond colour names, so the door can match what is already there or contrast on purpose.