A trellis door is a folding gate of steel strips crossed in a diamond pattern. It slides along a track and folds into a tidy stack against one side of the opening, so the doorway is clear when you want it open. It is one of the most common security doors on South African houses because it suits both narrow and wide openings. Send us your sizes and area, and manufacturers and installers near you will quote you directly.
How a trellis door works
The lattice is made of flat steel strips riveted where they cross, so the whole panel can shrink and stretch like a concertina. The top of the lattice runs in a channel fixed under the lintel, and the bottom either runs in a floor track or glides on small wheels. A stile with a lock at the leading edge meets a receiving post on the other side. When you open it, the lattice compresses into a stack of 150 to 250 mm, depending on the opening width.
Top and bottom tracks
The track decides how smoothly the door runs for years. A top-hung door hangs from the head track and has only a small guide at the bottom, which suits a tiled floor and leaves no groove to clog with dust. A bottom-track door is more stable on wide openings but the groove collects sand and leaves. Ask which track is quoted and make sure the lintel or ceiling above can take the screws. A sagging door usually points to a loose head track, which is fixed far more cheaply than a new door. Also check that the floor is level where the guide sits, because a slope makes the door creep open or shut by itself.
Trellis door locks
- Key lock in the stile: a cylinder lock that works from inside with a thumb turn or key.
- Padlock hasp: cheap, but a padlock outdoors rusts and can jam.
- Slam-action latch: locks when pushed shut, which is handy but needs a key inside in case of fire.
Whatever the lock, keep a key where the family can find it in an emergency. Read more at security door locks.
Is a trellis door the right choice?
Trellis doors are lighter and cheaper than solid steel, and they show the door behind them. They are less rigid than a heavy bar door, so they are best on covered entrances such as a front door or a patio, and less suited to remote outbuildings. Compare with steel security doors if the door will be exposed or on a back yard. Lattice strip width also matters: wider strips and a tighter diamond are harder to bend and keep small hands out, though they let through a little less air. If you are measuring a wide sliding door, ask about a retractable door too.
What to include in your request
- Opening width and height in mm, measured at three points
- Single leaf or two leaves meeting in the middle
- Top-hung with a guide or full bottom track
- Lock type and whether you want a key inside
- Colour and whether an old gate must come out
Trellis Doors for different properties
- Houses: a trellis door on the front and kitchen doors that folds clear for light and air
- Townhouses and complexes: a folding door across a patio opening, in a colour the complex approves
- Flats and apartments: a slim trellis gate at the front door that stacks away in a narrow passage
- Farms and smallholdings: a trellis door on the farmhouse veranda and the kitchen entrance
- Shops and restaurants: a lattice gate over a back door or a staff entrance
- Offices and practices: a light trellis gate for a reception door or a stationery room
- Factories and warehouses: occasional use on office doors, with steel doors elsewhere
- Schools, clinics and churches: trellis doors for classroom and church entrances, with exit keys at hand
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trellis door cost?
Why does my trellis door jam?
Can I paint a trellis door?
How wide can a trellis door be?
Trellis 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