Vinyl Strip Doors vs. Traditional Doors: Which is Right for Your Facility?

When making a choice between vinyl strip doors and traditional doors, you’ll want to look at the benefits of each type of door as well as the specific needs of your facility. Generally, strip doors work best in environments that require easy access, temperature control, and visibility, while traditional doors offer better security. 

In this article, we’ll discuss what vinyl doors are used for, the benefits of vinyl vs. traditional doors, and how to decide which option is best for your facility. 

What Are Vinyl Doors Used For? 

In order to make the choice between vinyl doors and traditional facility doors, it can be helpful to understand how vinyl doors are most commonly used. 

Regulate Temperature 

Vinyl strip doors and strip rolls work by separating areas with different temperatures, such as those found in cold storage facilities, blocking cold air from escaping and heat from entering. 

Contain Dust and Debris

Dust and debris can be a hazard in manufacturing plants, workshops, warehouses, and more. Vinyl facility doors can be hung to block contaminants from spilling into unwanted areas of a facility. 

Reduce Noise

Not only does noise make it hard for workers to communicate, but it can also cause hearing loss. At Singer Safety, our vinyl doors are designed to dampen sound, which can help contain loud noises generated by machines or equipment.

Manage Light 

Transparent vinyl doors create a barrier between areas of a facility while still allowing light to pass through, allowing businesses to enclose warehouses or workstations without blocking natural light. 

Improve Privacy and Security

Vinyl strip doors can block certain areas from view and stop unauthorized people from entering off-limit locations. 

Control Insects and Pests

Vinyl doors can be used to keep insects and other pests out of warehouses while still allowing people and equipment to pass through the curtain. At Singer Safety, our vinyl strip doors can be used as pest barriers in food processing areas, storage facilities, and more.

Manage Traffic 

In high-risk environments like warehouses, congestion of people and equipment can lead to accidents. Vinyl strip doors can be used to segment facilities, improving traffic flow for people, vehicles, and materials. 

Weather Protection

Vinyl strip doors can be hung in entrances to block elements like wind, rain, and snow.

Strip Door Benefits vs. Traditional Door Benefits 

When comparing vinyl vs. traditional doors, it can be helpful to look at how strip door benefits compare to traditional door benefits. Here, we break down the differences and similarities between both types of doors. 

Strip Door Benefits

Strip doors have the benefit of energy efficiency, helping keep temperatures the same in climate-controlled zones and reducing energy costs. They can also be used to separate areas with large temperature differences, such as between a refrigerated space and a warmer area. 

Another strip door benefit is that they allow people, machinery, and vehicles to pass by easily without needing to open and close a door. This makes it possible to have a hands-free operation, which is often beneficial in busy environments.

Strip doors are generally less expensive to install and maintain compared to traditional doors. They also have a longer lifespan and don’t require much maintenance.

The transparentness of strip doors makes it possible to see through doorways, which can improve safety by reducing collisions. This visibility is also useful in high-traffic areas where people want to be able to see what’s happening on the opposite side of the curtain before they pass through. 

Finally, strip doors are flexible and can be customized to fit many door sizes. They work well in a wide range of industries, from warehouses and factories to retail and food service areas.

Traditional Door Benefits

When compared to strip doors, the main benefit of traditional doors is that they allow for better security. This is because traditional doors can be closed and locked, which allows businesses to physically block restricted areas.

Benefits of Both 

When looking at vinyl vs. traditional doors, it’s important to note that they share some benefits. For example, both options are durable. Though they are made of different materials, each of these doors can resist daily wear and tear, as well as harsh weather.

Both strip doors and traditional doors provide temperature and sound insulation. Similarly, they both can be installed on exterior openings to keep out pests, dust, and weather. 

Both types of doors offer privacy and can stop unwanted access to certain areas.

Finally, both vinyl doors and traditional doors can be fire resistant, providing a layer of protection in case of a fire. This is especially important in buildings with strict fire safety regulations.

Choosing Vinyl vs. Traditional Doors

When choosing between vinyl vs. traditional doors, you can start by thinking about the specific needs of your facility. 

Vinyl strip doors work best in high-traffic areas that require frequent access, temperature control, and visibility. This is because they offer benefits like energy efficiency and easy passage. They are especially useful in settings like warehouses, manufacturing plants, and food service areas where it’s important to separate different work zones while reducing dust, fumes, and noise. Finally, strip doors tend to be more cost-effective than traditional doors, and they are also more flexible, meaning they can be moved around as a project evolves. 

On the other hand, traditional doors provide more security, since they can be closed and locked. When looking at durability and insulation, both doors are good options. 

Ultimately, your decision on strip doors vs. traditional doors should be based on your needs, safety requirements, and budget.

Learn More about Singer Safety’s Facility Doors 

Singer Safety is proud to offer a wide variety of vinyl strip doors and strip door mounting hardware. Our vinyl strip doors are designed to withstand the wear and tear of daily use and come in a range of sizes to fit your space. Whether you’re looking to improve energy efficiency, keep out dust and pests, or section off areas of your facility, our vinyl strip doors are an excellent option.