Aluminium shop fronts thatpresent your business andkeep it secure.

Modern aluminium shop front systems use extruded box-section framing, often with a thermally broken construction that separates the internal and external aluminium sections to reduce cold bridging and condensation. This matters particularly on heated retail units where a thermally poor frame can lead to persistent condensation on the inside face of the glazing during colder months. Powder-coated finishes are available in a wide range of colours, allowing the frame to match brand guidelines or blend with a period high street elevation where planning constraints apply.

Frame depth and mullion spacing are chosen based on glazing size and wind loading for the location, and larger glazed panels on exposed elevations need a more substantial framing specification than a sheltered unit in an arcade. We check these factors at survey stage rather than defaulting to a standard specification, because an undersized frame on a large glazed opening can flex and eventually fail at the seals.

Toughened safety glass is the minimum standard for ground floor glazing in most shop front applications, and building regulations generally require it in areas at risk of impact. Laminated glazing offers additional security benefits because it holds together even when cracked, making forced entry through the glazing significantly harder and slower, which matters on units without a rolling shutter for extra protection out of hours.

Double glazed units improve thermal performance and reduce noise transfer from the street, which is increasingly requested for hospitality units where internal comfort matters as much as street presence. We also fit manifestation film or etching where required for accessibility regulations, ensuring large glazed areas are clearly visible to pedestrians and compliant with relevant standards.

Shop front doors range from simple single leaf pedestrian doors to automatic sliding or swing entrances for higher footfall retail and hospitality units. We install and service both, and where a shop front includes automatic doors we work with leading brands including Geze, Record, Dormakaba and Assa Abloy, alongside general servicing of other makes already on site.

Access considerations extend to threshold detailing for step-free entry, door width for wheelchair accessibility, and closer specification suited to footfall levels, all of which we discuss during the survey so the finished shop front is compliant and practical for day to day trading.

Many shop fronts are specified alongside a security shutter or grille, and coordinating these as one project avoids the compromises that come from retrofitting security hardware to an already-fitted frame. We can integrate shutter boxes, guide channels and grille tracks into the shop front framing at the design stage, giving a cleaner finish and stronger fixing than an afterthought installation.

For units without a full shutter, laminated glazing, multi-point locking on doors, and internal security bars or roller grilles fitted behind the glazing line are common alternatives that maintain a fully glazed appearance during trading hours while adding meaningful resistance to forced entry overnight.

Shop fronts sit almost exclusively within commercial and mixed-use buildings, but the requirements differ significantly between a standalone retail unit, a franchise fit-out with strict brand guidelines, and a ground floor commercial unit beneath residential flats. Mixed-use buildings often bring additional fire safety and means of escape considerations that affect door width, glazing fire rating near escape routes, and how the shop front interacts with the building's overall fire strategy.

Franchise and multi-site retailers typically need consistent branding, colour matching and hardware specification across locations, which we can maintain across a rolling programme of installations, while independent traders often prioritise cost-effective security and durability over exact brand replication. We tailor our recommendation to the actual client rather than applying a single approach to every job.