Frequently Asked Questions

An industrial curtain is a heavy-duty flexible barrier used to divide, enclose, protect, or separate areas within industrial, manufacturing, warehouse, and commercial facilities. Unlike a household curtain, industrial curtains are made from durable materials such as reinforced vinyl, PVC, coated fabrics, fiberglass, or acoustic composites and are designed to withstand demanding environments.

PVC, reinforced vinyl, polyester fabrics, canvas or treated fabrics, fiberglass fabrics, silica or ceramic fabrics, and polyurethane materials.

Yes, industrial curtains can reduce noise, but the amount depends heavily on their construction.

Yes, industrial curtains can help control temperature, and that’s one of their most common uses. They can keep heated air in a work area during winter, contain cooled air in air-conditioned spaces, separate refrigerated or cold-storage areas, reduce drafts from loading docks and large open spaces, and limit the mixing of air between production zones.

How you clean industrial curtains depends on the material and what they’re exposed to, but most PVC and vinyl industrial curtains are relatively easy to maintain. Vacuum, brush, or wash with non-abrasive tools. For grease, use a mild degreaser made for vinyl. For mold or mildew, use a mild detergent.

Measure the opening, choose a mounting system, install the support structure, hang the curtain panels, secure the edges and bottoms, and test operation.

Measure the width (the total span you want to cover), measure the height (from the mounting point to the floor, in several locations since floors and ceilings are often uneven), identify obstructions (columns, sprinkler pipes, conduit, ductwork, lighting, racking, equipment), decide how the curtain will operate (fixed, sliding, bi-parting, or multiple sections), determine overlap requirements (panel overlap, Velcro edge seals, magnetic closures, floor sweeps), and consider clearance for forklifts, personnel doors, equipment access, and emergency exits.

Go through the manufacturer, use industrial specialty contractors, ask local material-handling or warehouse contractors, or search by application.

Clear (transparent), yellow, blue, gray, white, black, green, red, orange, tan or beige, amber, and bronze.

Pricing varies widely by type: welding curtain panels $100–$1,000+, basic industrial divider curtains $500–$5,000+, warehouse curtain wall systems $2,000–$20,000+, acoustic (noise-control) curtains $1,000–$15,000+, insulated temperature-control curtains $2,000–$25,000+, and large custom enclosures $10,000–$100,000+.

Standard vinyl curtains are typically 13, 18, 22, or 40 oz by weight (roughly 0.014–0.040 in / 0.35–1.0 mm). Clear PVC curtains commonly come in 0.020, 0.040, 0.060, and 0.080 in. Welding curtains run about 0.014–0.040 in. Acoustic curtains are much thicker, often 1–4 in (25–100 mm), and insulated curtains are commonly 1–3 in (25–75 mm).

Space separation, temperature control, dust and contaminant containment, noise reduction, safety and worker protection, lower construction costs, and operational flexibility.

An industrial curtain is a broad category of flexible partition systems, while an insulated curtain is a specific type of industrial curtain designed to provide thermal resistance.

Singer Safety, Goff, AKON, Fabri-Tech, AmCraft, and E.T.C.

Both protect nearby workers from welding hazards (mainly UV/arc flash and sparks), but they differ in structure and installation. A welding screen is a standalone physical frame with a panel attached (rigid or semi-rigid). A welding curtain is a flexible sheet of flame-resistant material hung from a track or frame.

Yes. Welding screens and curtains are specifically designed to filter and reduce welding arc flash, doing so in a controlled, safety-oriented way rather than completely eliminating all light or radiation.

Yes, and the color is not just cosmetic. It directly affects how much arc flash, UV light, and glare is filtered. Dark green, bronze, red, yellow-green, and opaque are common.

They are made from flame-resistant, UV-filtering vinyl or PVC materials designed to block arc flash light, reduce UV exposure, and resist sparks and spatter.

Fiberglass handles around 1000°F (540°C) in fiber form; mineral wool (rockwool) about 1200–1800°F (650–1000°C); silicone rubber about 400–600°F (200–315°C); PTFE (Teflon) about 500°F (260°C) continuous; ceramic fiber over 2000°F (1100°C+); silica-coated high-temperature fiberglass fabrics about 1000–1800°F; and fire-rated aramid fibers (Kevlar/Nomex) about 700–900°F before degradation.

No. Welding screens and curtains are not fireproof, but they are flame-resistant or fire-retardant. That difference matters a lot in industrial safety.

Welding curtains and industrial curtains are considered compliant if they are manufactured and tested to meet specific standards that align with AWS, NFPA, and OSHA requirements.

No, a welding curtain is not Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It’s important to separate the two because they protect different things in very different ways.

Yes, but only to a limited extent and only when properly selected. They are designed for light to moderate spark exposure, not sustained contact with hot molten metal.

Yes, they come in fire-retardant (sometimes called fire-rated) materials. They are not fireproof or fire-resistance-rated building assemblies; rather, they are flame-retardant flexible barriers designed for welding safety.

Laser welding screens (often called laser safety screens or laser curtains) are protective barriers designed to shield people from the hazards of laser processes used in welding, cutting, engraving, and marking. They are similar in concept to welding curtains but engineered for laser radiation instead of arc flash.

Singer Safety, Tillman, and Steiner Industries.

A strip door (also called a PVC strip curtain) is a flexible doorway made of overlapping plastic strips that hang from a mounting track. It’s used to separate spaces while still allowing people, forklifts, air, or light to pass through.

Measure the opening width and height, decide strip overlap, determine strip length (floor contact), measure the mounting space above the opening, check the mounting surface type, note the traffic type, and document any special conditions.

Light-duty / pedestrian traffic: 6″ or 8″ wide strips, 0.06″–0.08″ (60–80 mil). Standard industrial use (most common): 8″ or 12″ wide strips, 0.08″–0.12″ (80–120 mil). Heavy-duty / forklift traffic: 12″ or 16″ wide strips, 0.12″–0.20″ (120–200 mil).

Even if strips are thick, sealing depends on overlap: 25% overlap for easy access and minimal sealing, 50% overlap for standard industrial performance, and 66% overlap for cold storage, dust, or insect control.

For routine dust and dirt, wipe with warm water and mild soap. For grease and oil, use a mild degreaser safe for PVC. For cold storage, use non-freezing, food-safe cleaners if applicable. For mold or mildew, use a diluted disinfectant approved for PVC. Avoid acetone, MEK, lacquer thinner or strong solvents, abrasive pads or steel wool, close-range high-pressure washing, and excessive heat or steam unless manufacturer-approved.

Installing a strip door is fairly simple compared to most industrial partitions. The system usually comes as a pre-assembled header (track) with hanging PVC strips, and the main job is securely mounting the header and then hanging the strips in the correct order.

Replace strip door strips when they stop sealing properly, become damaged, or start creating safety or hygiene issues. They’re designed to be replaced individually, not as a full system.

The difference comes down to durability, scratch resistance, and performance in different environments. Smooth strips offer excellent visibility, low-to-medium scratch resistance, high flexibility, medium durability in traffic, and lower cost. Ribbed (corrugated) strips offer good visibility, high scratch resistance, medium flexibility, high durability in traffic, and higher cost.

Yes. Strip doors can meaningfully improve energy efficiency, especially in warehouses, cold storage, and high-traffic openings. They don’t fully seal a space like a solid door, but they significantly reduce uncontrolled air exchange.

Standard clear (fully transparent PVC, sometimes lightly tinted), amber (reduces glare from bright lights or sunlight, common in manufacturing), blue (reduces visual harshness, common in general industrial partitions), green (zoning or visual separation), red (warning zones or restricted areas), and dark green or bronze tinted (filters harmful UV and arc light from welding).

Yes, but only if you use welding-grade PVC strips designed specifically for that purpose. Standard clear strip curtains are not safe for welding environments.

Yes, though they’re more accurately described as flame-resistant or fire-retardant PVC strip curtains. They don’t make a doorway fireproof, but they slow flame spread, reduce smoke contribution, and meet regulatory requirements in certain environments.

Singer Safety, Aleco, TMI International, Strip-Curtains, and Dyna Flex.

Sound absorption reduces echo and reverberation inside a space. Soundproofing reduces how much sound travels from one space to another.

Sound-absorbing cores include fiberglass, mineral wool/rockwool, polyester fiber (PET felt), and acoustic foam. Outer coverings include fabric-wrapped panels, vinyl or PVC, and perforated metal or wood. Frames and backing can be wood, metal, or plastic/composite. Optional sound-blocking layers include mass-loaded vinyl (MLV), dense rubber, and multi-layer composites.

Rockfon, Acoustical Solutions, Sound Seal, Kinetics Noise Control, and ATS.

They reduce noise in workplaces by either absorbing sound inside a space or blocking sound from traveling between areas. They’re common in factories, warehouses, and heavy equipment environments where machinery noise can be constant and loud.

They can be wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, freestanding, or part of an enclosure system. In every case the goal is the same: position the sound-absorbing or sound-blocking material where it will interrupt noise paths or reduce reflections.

Ceiling baffles are suspended sound-absorbing panels that hang vertically from a ceiling to reduce noise and echo in large spaces.

Quilted fiberglass is a flexible insulation and acoustic material made by layering fiberglass batting and stitching or bonding it between protective outer fabrics.

Yes, but only if they’re specifically designed for exterior conditions (silicone coated, for example). Standard indoor acoustic panels will usually fail quickly outside.

They come in a range of colors, depending on whether they’re architectural acoustic panels (indoors) or industrial noise-control systems (factories/outdoors). Singer Safety offers gray and white.

Cleaning depends mostly on the material (fabric-wrapped fiberglass, PET felt, vinyl-faced, metal outdoor panels, etc.). The key rule is to clean the surface without damaging the sound-absorbing core inside.

They control how sound behaves in a space, either by absorbing sound energy, blocking sound transmission, or both. They don’t cancel noise; they manage how it moves and reflects.

Mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) is a dense, flexible sound-blocking material used in construction and industrial noise control to reduce how much sound passes through walls, ceilings, floors, or enclosures. It’s primarily a sound barrier rather than an absorber like foam or fiberglass.

Yes, though effectiveness depends heavily on the type of noise, the panel design, and how they’re installed. They’re not a complete soundproofing solution on their own, but they can make a noticeable difference in the right setup.

Yes, and they’re very common in commercial and industrial settings where both acoustic control and fire safety compliance are required. They’re designed to reduce noise and meet building code flame and smoke requirements.

They don’t stop noise in an absolute sense; they reduce it in two main ways, by absorbing sound energy and blocking sound transmission. Most real systems use a combination of both.

Define the goal first, measure wall and surface areas, identify noise sources and line-of-sight paths, decide coverage percentage (very important), measure height clearance and mounting points, and for machine enclosures or barriers account for gaps and overlap. Taking photos and sketches helps.

Measure the load first (length × width × height), add an overhang allowance (very important), account for the tarp style, measure the tie-down system points, and determine the tarp drop length (side coverage).

Yes. Truck tarps can often be repaired, and in many cases repair is the normal way to extend their service life rather than replacing them outright. The success of a repair depends on the tarp material, the size of the damage, and where the tear is located.

Truck equipment and upfitter shops (the best option), trailer dealers and truck body manufacturers, hydraulic and roll tarp system specialists, and heavy truck repair shops (a good general option).

Tru North Manufacturing, Mytee Products, US Cargo Control, US Tarp, and Harbor Freight Tools.

Yes, it can rust, but it depends entirely on the material and environment.

It depends on the span length, weight of the system, and mounting structure, less about time and more about spacing and load. For light-duty strip doors, support is typically needed every 4–8 feet (1.2–2.4 m); short doorways may only need end brackets, while wider openings need mid-span support. For heavier industrial curtain tracks, support is typically needed every 6–10 feet (1.8–3 m) depending on load, and heavy vinyl curtains or rolling systems may require closer spacing.

Singer Safety, TMI International, and Aleco.

Yes. Industrial curtain and strip door hardware commonly comes in stainless steel, aluminum, and galvanized steel, and the choice mainly depends on corrosion risk, environment, and load requirements.

Drop ship charges can be applied with distributor approval. Singer Safety provides shipping options specifically for distributors.