How to Design a Stylish and Functional Aluminium Shop Front

How to Design a Stylish and Functional Aluminium Shop Front

Smart aluminium shop fronts from BDC Aluminium give you the best of both worlds when it comes to building a commercial façade. They combine style and functionality, making no compromises on important factors like performance and durability.

In today’s competitive retail landscape, a shop front does more than protect an entrance; it reflects a brand’s identity, attracts customers, and facilitates smooth, efficient operations.

Smart Door Planning for Foot Traffic

When planning what the perfect shop front looks like for certain customers or projects, the front door is probably more important than you think. The right door configuration can influence customer experience and the operational efficiency of the business within.

The choice you make will play a role in the customer volume and the type of business drawn in. As such, the choice between single, double, and sliding doors is one you should weigh up and decide based on what you want to prioritise.

There’s plenty of design flexibility, allowing us to cater to the needs of your clients or customers. Smart systems support swing, hinged and automatic doors.  They also provide a maximum sash width of 1150mm and a maximum sash height of 2500mm, so you know they can handle large openings.

Having such flexible configurations allows you to choose the door type best-suited to your foot traffic volume and accessibility requirements. For example, if you’re looking for hands-free access, our automatic doors are for you. For heavy inbound traffic, the sliding door’s smooth functionality and large openings may suit you best.

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Maximising Display Potential

Our aluminium shop front system accommodates both double and triple-glazed units, offering enhanced design flexibility while maximising display potential.

The larger glazed areas we offer increase natural light, create inviting retail facades, and allow product displays to be visible from outside, which can be important for certain customers who wish to draw in as many passersby as possible.

We boast a wide palette of finishes and colours for your aluminium shop front. Smart offers hundreds of high-quality standard and non-standard colours and finishes to fit almost any requirement. With a wide selection of colours available, our frames can be tailored to reflect brand identity.

As they’re powder-coated, durability will never be an issue. The colour is baked on, providing a lasting finish that won’t peel off or fade, and comes with a 25-year colour guarantee for that added peace of mind.

Security & Durability

Our system meets all necessary security standards, including LPS 1175 Level 2, BS EN 1627 Level 3. They also feature grade 6 locking mechanisms, with locking bolts withstanding side loads of 10 kN.

They feature a sash weight capacity of 80 kg and a robust frame depth of 100 mm, to enable durable, high-traffic use. Aluminium’s strength, added to the engineered locking system and hardware, provides peace of mind to retail spaces.  This is especially important for high-use entrances.

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BDC Aluminium: Commercial Solutions

The Smart Wall Shop Front by BDC Aluminium and Smart is your one-stop solution for retail and commercial facades: visual appeal, accessibility, performance, robust security and durability, all in one system.

Its customisation and design flexibility options mean it can be tailored to any retail brand or layout requirements.

If you’d like to work with BDC on your next project, why not apply for a trade account? Get in touch with our experts today to see how we can help you help your customers.

Newsletter

AluSpace Doors vs Traditional Wooden Doors: Which is Better?
22 days ago News

AluSpace Doors vs Traditional Wooden Doors: Which is Better?

We’ve noticed a debate that’s been hotly debated in recent times – AluSpace aluminium doors versus traditional wooden doors. Both have their perks, so we’re here to discuss which option is superior and should be considered for use in your next project. Sleek Sophistication That Outshines Tradition There is a stark difference in the aesthetics between the two. While both offer the contemporary style and look to recreate some of the doors of years gone by, wooden doors can’t compete with the slim-line profiles offered by aluminium. Wooden doors prove much bulkier, owing mainly to the weakness of the material and, in turn, the frames. They must be made thicker to accommodate heavy glass panels, often resulting in thicker sightlines, taking away from the style’s charm and visual appeal. Thanks to the strength of aluminium, BDC’s Aluspace systems can accommodate the heavier glass panels and achieve a much more refined look. They expertly emulate the old-school design you look for in a contemporary style door. Built to Last: Aluminium Strength vs. Wooden Vulnerability When discussing strength, it’s fair to say there’s no comparison. Wooden doors don’t come close to offering the same level of strength that an Aluspace door from BDC Aluminium does. Wood is prone to warping, cracking and rotting. This means that they can be significantly weakened easily, usually through adverse weather conditions. These are battles that aluminium doesn’t have to face, which means they will last significantly longer without any damage to performance or function. Because of the natural weaknesses and vulnerability of wooden doors, they require frequent upkeep. In truth, owning a wooden door can prove quite the chore with all the extra care they need. Aluminium doors, on the other hand, require very little maintenance and upkeep isn’t required anywhere near as often. Thanks to the natural strength of aluminium, it withstands the test of time and is designed to withstand the harsh conditions often associated with the UK's weather. Most of the maintenance they require is cosmetic. Fortunately, any dirt or stains can be removed from Aluspace doors simply with a damp, lint-free cloth and some warm, soapy water. Efficient Insulation: Aluminium Innovation vs. Wooden Limitations Wooden doors can achieve low u-values and high acoustic performance, but this is highly dependent on the material quality and thickness they’re built to. While they may be high performing, they compromise on visual appeal and can look awfully bulky. Our Aluspace systems can achieve the low u-values and acoustic performance you desire without any aesthetic compromise. You don’t have to pick between high performance and good looks; they provide both. Balancing Upfront Cost with Long-Term Savings and Durability Cost can be a sticking point, but it’s important to keep an open mind and consider longer-term value. Wooden doors may present as cheaper and display a lower up-front cost, but you eventually lose out to poor performance and durability issues. BDC Aluminium’s AluSpace doors are an investment in a property's future. Paying a slightly higher price to begin with will eventually pay dividends, as they withstand the test of time much better than wooden doors. This will mean fewer costly fixes or even replacements. Endless Design Possibilities with Aluminium One of the most notable strengths of aluminium doors and our AluSpace systems is in their design flexibility. We have a variety of colours, finishes and configurations available to suit the needs of your project's specifications. Wooden doors simply cannot match the level of flexibility that aluminium does, and certainly without significant custom work and all the complications that come along side. Experience the Difference with AluSpace Aluminium Doors While wooden doors provide the charm of bygone eras, they simply can’t keep up in any of the other departments that make a good door in the modern day. With BDC Aluminium, you get all the important aspects wrapped up in one system: Aluspace. If you’re interested in what BDC Aluminium have to offer and would like to take a closer look, you can download our brochure now and browse through all of our exciting product offerings.

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