A retractable security door, sometimes called a collapsible security door, is a folding gate that stacks to one side when you open it and stretches across the opening when you close it. It is the usual answer for wide sliding doors, stacker doors and patio openings where a hinged door would swing into the way. Send us your opening size and where you are, and installers who fit these doors nearby will quote you directly.
How a retractable door folds
Vertical steel channels are linked by crossing scissor arms, and the whole set rides in a top rail and often a bottom rail or guide. Pull the end channel and the arms fold flat, bunching the channels into a stack about 200 to 400 mm deep. Push it back and the arms extend again to close the opening. Because the arms must travel freely, the opening needs to be reasonably square and the stack space beside it should be clear of curtains and light switches. A good installer also checks that the head of the opening is straight, since a sagging lintel makes the top rail run out of line and the door bind halfway across.
Where retractable doors suit best
- Wide glass sliding doors of 1,800 to 3,600 mm.
- Stacker doors and bi-folds where you want to keep the view.
- Patios, braai rooms and covered stoeps.
- Shopfronts and garages that need a gate you can pull away.
For a tall double-storey entrance, a made-to-measure door will usually be needed, since standard heights stop near 2,400 mm. Compare options with a trellis door if the opening is narrower. Remember that a stack of folded channels takes up wall space, so measure that too.
Lock and track choices
The leading channel usually carries a key lock that bolts into a post on the far side. Cheaper doors use a latch and padlock. Ask for a lock that can be opened from inside by hand in an emergency, and fit a stop so the door cannot be pushed off its rail. A door in a sandy or dusty spot works better with a top-hung rail and a simple wheel at the bottom. Where the floor is uneven, ask the installer to level the guide before the door is made.
Strength and limits
A retractable door is a deterrent and a barrier against casual entry, but its folding arms are lighter than a welded bar door. It is not a substitute for a steel gate where the threat is higher or the door is out of sight. Aluminium versions are lighter and do not rust, while steel versions are stronger. Think about wind too: on an exposed coastal patio, a stack-away gate may rattle and a stiffer steel version is better. For heavier cover, read about security doors.
What to include in your request
- Full width and height of the opening in mm
- Free wall space beside the opening for the stack
- Steel or aluminium, and the colour you want
- Mounting: inside the reveal, on the face or on the ceiling
- Lock type and whether it must open without a key
Retractable Security Doors for different properties
- Houses: a stack-away gate across a patio or sliding door that opens fully in the day
- Townhouses and complexes: a retractable door on the patio slider, in the colour the complex allows
- Flats and apartments: a light retractable gate across a balcony door where a hinged gate cannot swing
- Farms and smallholdings: a wide door across the veranda or the farm kitchen entrance
- Shops and restaurants: a pull-across gate over a back or side opening
- Offices and practices: a stack-away gate for a wide boardroom or reception door
- Factories and warehouses: a light barrier for canteens and offices, with steel gates on the yard
- Schools, clinics and churches: a folding door for halls and clinic waiting rooms, with exit rules checked
Frequently asked questions
How much does a retractable security door cost?
Is a collapsible door the same as a retractable door?
Can a retractable door fit over a sliding glass door?
Why does my collapsible door stick?
Retractable Security Doors by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg