Trade words, explained

Quotes and council letters are full of trade words. Here is what they mean, in a sentence or two each.

A

Advertisement consent: Separate permission from the council to display a sign. Most new shop signs need it, especially illuminated ones, even when the shopfront itself does not need planning permission.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts
Anodised finish: A metallic finish made by thickening the natural oxide layer on aluminium. It looks like brushed metal rather than paint, and is an alternative to powder coating.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

Bi-parting doors: Automatic sliding doors that open from the middle, one leaf going left and one right. The usual choice for busy shop and supermarket entrances.; See: Automatic Doors

Conservation area: An area the council protects for its historic or architectural character. Shopfront, sign and shutter changes there face stricter planning rules, and solid external shutters are often refused.
Curtain (shutter): The part of a roller shutter that rolls up and down, made from interlocking laths. It can be solid, perforated, punched or insulated.; See: Roller Shutters

Fanlight: A glazed panel above a door or above the main shopfront glass. It can be fixed or hinged to let air in.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts
Fascia: The flat band above the shop window that carries the shop sign. On many fronts it also hides the shutter box.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts
FD30 and FD60: Fire door ratings. FD30 means the complete doorset held back fire for 30 minutes in a test; FD60 means 60 minutes. The rating covers the whole set, not just the door leaf.; See: Fire Doors
FD30S: A fire door that also has smoke seals, which limit cold smoke passing around the edges. The S stands for smoke.; See: Fire Doors
Floor spring: A closer hidden in a box in the floor under a door, common on glass and aluminium shop doors. It controls how the door swings and closes, and can hold it open.; See: Shopfront Repairs

Guide rails: The vertical channels either side of a roller shutter that the curtain runs in. Bent or loose guides are a common reason a shutter sticks.; See: Shutter Repair

Headbox: The box at the top of a roller shutter that hides the rolled-up curtain and the barrel it winds onto.; See: Roller Shutters

Intumescent strip: A strip set into the edge of a fire door or frame that swells up in heat and seals the gap. Fitting the wrong size or leaving gaps in it can stop the door working.; See: Fire Doors

Laminated glass: Two or more sheets of glass bonded with a plastic layer. When hit, it cracks but stays in one piece, which makes it a strong choice for shop windows facing the street.; See: Glass Replacement
Lath: One of the interlocking strips that make up a roller shutter curtain. A damaged lath can often be replaced on its own.; See: Shutter Repair
Listed building consent: Permission needed for changes to a listed building that affect its character, inside or out. It is separate from planning permission and often needed for shopfront work.
LPS 1175: A security standard that rates doors, shutters and screens by how long they resist attack and with which tools. Higher ratings stand up to longer attacks with heavier tools.; See: Security Doors
Low-energy operator: A gentle automatic opener for a swing door. It moves slowly, so it needs fewer sensors, and suits clinics, offices and accessible toilets.; See: Automatic Doors

Mullion: An upright bar in a shopfront frame that divides the glass into panels and carries wind load to the floor and lintel.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

Panic bar: A bar across a fire exit door that opens it with one push from inside, while the outside stays locked.; See: Security Doors
PAS 24: A British security test for doors and windows, checking they resist being forced, levered or having glass removed. Some landlords and insurers ask for it.; See: Aluminium Doors
Powder coating: A paint finish applied as a dry powder and baked hard in an oven. It is the normal finish for aluminium frames and is available in any RAL colour.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

RAL colour: A numbered colour system used across Europe, for example RAL 7016 (anthracite grey) or RAL 9005 (black). Quoting the number avoids colour mix-ups.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

Safety edge: A pressure-sensitive strip on the bottom of a motorised shutter or door that stops or reverses it if it touches something.; See: Roller Shutters
Stallriser: The solid panel below the shop window, between the glass and the pavement. It protects the glass from kicks and trolleys and is often required in traditional designs.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

Thermal break: An insulating plastic strip built into an aluminium frame so cold does not travel straight through the metal. It keeps the inside warmer and stops condensation on the frame.; See: Aluminium Windows
Toughened glass: Glass heat-treated to be much stronger than ordinary glass. If it breaks, it falls into small blunt pieces. It cannot be cut after toughening, so it is always made to size.; See: Glass Replacement
Transom: A horizontal bar in a shopfront frame, often above the door, separating the main glass from a fanlight.; See: Aluminium Shopfronts

U-value: A number showing how much heat passes through a window, door or wall. The lower it is, the better it keeps heat in.; See: Aluminium Windows

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