How to specify roller shutters
What a roller shutter clause has to cover, from curtain, wind load and powered safety to fire shutters and their alarm release, and how to write it in CAWS and in Uniclass.
Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
How do you specify roller shutters?
To specify roller shutters, name the curtain type and opening size, then state the performance BS EN 13241 lets the manufacturer declare: resistance to wind load to BS EN 12424, thermal transmittance for insulated shutters, and safety in use to BS EN 12453 if the shutter is powered. For a fire shutter, add the fire resistance and any smoke control classification to BS EN 13501-2 with evidence to BS EN 16034, the tested fixings and seals, and how it closes on fire alarm to BS 7273-4.
A roller shutter looks like the simplest door on a project: a curtain of slats on a barrel, two guides and a motor. The specification is not simple, because the same product can be a loading bay door, a security screen over a shopfront, a servery shutter or a fire shutter in a compartment wall, and each of those has a different standard behind it. Powered shutters are machinery, and fire shutters only work if they close when the alarm sounds and the curtain, guides, seals and fixings are the ones that were tested.
This guide covers Uniclass Pr_30_59_84_73 Roller shutters. Fire shutters have their own code, Pr_30_59_84_30 Fire-resisting roller shutters, and open-mesh versions are Pr_30_59_84_72 Roller grilles. The older doorset code Pr_30_59_24_73 Roller shutter sets is no longer in use. Domestic roller garage doors are covered in the garage doors guide.
What does a roller shutter clause need to cover?
Some properties are specific to roller shutters. Others belong in every product clause. A clause that leaves either out gives the contractor room to substitute.
Properties of roller shutters
- Mounting typeFace fixed, between reveals or under lintel.
- Weather resistanceWind load class to BS EN 12424 for external shutters.
- Product typeRoller shutter, insulated shutter, security or fire shutter.
- Perimeter sealsNever guessBrush or rubber seals; smoke seals only as tested.
- FixingsNever guessGuide and bracket fixings into each wall type.
- Thermal performanceDeclared U-value for insulated shutters to heated spaces.
- Fire alarm releaseNever guessClosure on fire alarm with fail-safe descent.
- Security ratingLPS 1175 rating where the security brief sets one.
- Operation methodManual spring balanced, chain, or motorised.
- Coat build-upZinc coating plus organic coat for the exposure.
- Powered operation safetyNever guessSafety edges and photocells to BS EN 12453.
- Track and support systemGuide depth and wind locks for large openings.
- Smoke controlNever guessS-class where a shutter closes off an escape route.
- HousingHood over barrel and motor, or concealed in bulkhead.
- Curtain profileSolid, insulated, perforated or vision laths.
- Acoustic performanceRarely needed; servery or plant enclosures.
- Fire resistanceNever guessE or EI period from the fire strategy.
What every product clause needs
- Manufacturer and product referenceNamed shutter range and curtain type, or submit proposals.
- Product standardBS EN 13241, with BS EN 16034 for fire shutters.
- Installation methodGuides, barrel and drive fixed as the manufacturer's tested method.
- Technical submittalsDoP, wind calculation, fire evidence and wiring diagram.
- Operation and maintenance informationService intervals, drop tests for fire shutters, manual override.
- MaterialGalvanised steel or aluminium laths.
- FinishPolyester powder coat or plastisol, with colour reference.
Uniclass Pr_30_59_84_73 Roller shutters. Not every property applies to every project; where one does not, say so rather than leaving it blank.
Fields marked Never guess depend on the project and should never be filled from a default or a previous job. If the information is not available yet, the clause should say so with a TBC and a reason.
Which decisions does the clause depend on?
Most properties follow from the product you choose. These depend on the project, so they need a decision from the designer before the clause is written.
- 01
Curtain type and wind load
CurtainThe curtain decides most of what the shutter can do. Single-skin steel laths are cheap and strong; double-skin laths with foam infill give a declared U-value; perforated or vision laths let light and air through for shopfronts. External shutters also have to resist wind, and a wide curtain deflects and can pull out of its guides in a gale. BS EN 12424 classifies resistance to wind load, and the manufacturer declares the class under BS EN 13241. Wind locks on the lath ends and deeper guides are the usual answer for large openings.
How to decide
- External loading bay or yard door: double-skin insulated laths if the space is heated, single-skin if not.
- Shopfront or security screen: perforated laths where visibility matters, solid laths where security comes first.
- Ask the manufacturer to calculate the wind load class for the opening size and site exposure.
- For wide openings, ask for wind locks and the guide depth they need.
Write it asResistance to wind load: Class to BS EN 12424 from manufacturer's calculation for the opening size and site exposure. Wind locks to all laths. - 02
Powered operation and safety
Never guessA motorised shutter is machinery, and BS EN 12453 sets the safety requirements for powered industrial, commercial and garage doors: force limits, safety edges, photocells and the control modes allowed for different users. A hold-to-run control in sight of the door needs fewer safeguards than an impulse button or a remote, because the operator can see the curtain. Approved Document K asks upward-opening doors to have a device that stops them falling and powered doors to have safety features, a stop switch and a way to open on power failure, outside dwellings. The installer who puts it into service has to show it is safe.
How to decide
- Decide the control mode: hold-to-run key switch, push button, remote or automatic. Each changes the safeguards needed.
- Ask for a safety edge on the bottom rail and photocells wherever the shutter can close unattended.
- Require a fall arrest or anti-drop device on the barrel.
- Ask for a manual override for power failure, and say whether a chain or crank is acceptable.
Write it asPowered operation safety: To BS EN 12453. Hold-to-run internal key switch, safety edge to bottom rail, photocells, and anti-drop device. Manual override by chain. - 03
Fire shutters
Never guessFire shutters fill openings in compartment walls: kitchen serveries, conveyor openings, large openings between warehouse compartments. Many are classified for integrity only, E, not for insulation, so the fire strategy has to accept an uninsulated shutter in that wall. The classification to BS EN 13501-2 comes from testing to BS EN 1634-1, and for UKCA or CE marking BS EN 16034 applies alongside BS EN 13241. Smoke control, where needed, is a separate S classification. The evidence only holds for the curtain, guides, perimeter seals and fixings into the wall type that were tested.
How to decide
- Take the period and whether insulation is needed from the fire strategy, opening by opening.
- Check the shutter's classification report covers the opening size and the wall construction around it.
- Ask for smoke control classification only where the strategy needs it, and check the seals that give it.
- Require fixings and guide packing exactly as the test or assessment.
Write it asFire resistance: E 120 to BS EN 13501-2, tested to BS EN 1634-1, for opening size and supporting construction as installed. Fixings and seals as tested. - 04
Closing on fire alarm
Never guessA fire shutter usually stays open in normal use and has to close when the fire alarm operates, including when power is lost. Most do this with a fail-safe gravity descent controlled by a governor, so the curtain comes down at a controlled speed with no power. BS 7273-4 sets how the fire detection system triggers the release and grades the reliability of that interface, and the category has to come from the fire strategy. A shutter that closes over an escape route or a kitchen counter where people stand needs an obstruction warning and a controlled descent speed.
How to decide
- Ask the fire engineer for the BS 7273-4 category for each fire shutter.
- Specify fail-safe closure on alarm and on loss of power, with controlled descent.
- Name who provides the alarm interface and wiring: shutter supplier, electrician or alarm contractor.
- Include periodic drop tests in the maintenance information.
Write it asFire alarm release: Closes on fire alarm and on power failure by fail-safe gravity descent with governor. Interface to BS 7273-4, category as fire strategy. - 05
Security and smoke control
SecuritySecurity shutters are often bought on a claimed rating that the product never achieved in the size supplied. LPS 1175 gives a tested and certificated security rating, and the certificate lists the sizes and options it covers. Smoke control is the other property often claimed loosely: a smoke-rated shutter has a smoke leakage classification from testing with its seals, and an ordinary brush seal does not give it.
How to decide
- Take any security rating from the security brief or insurer, and ask for the LPS 1175 certificate covering the size.
- Check the certificate covers locks, motors and any vision laths you want.
- Ask for smoke control only where the fire strategy needs it, and get the classification report.
- Confirm the security shutter and any fire rating are not on the same opening unless one product has both.
Write it asSecurity rating: LPS 1175, rating as security brief, certificate covering the opening size and options supplied.
The values under "Write it as" are examples. The right value depends on the location, the use and the fire strategy.
Which standards should the clause cite?
Cite the product standard the declaration of performance refers to, the code of practice for installation, and the test method behind each value you set. A value without its test method cannot be checked against a submittal.
- BS EN 13241:2003+A2:2016
- Industrial, commercial, garage doors and gates. Product standard, performance characteristics
The product standard for roller shutters and other vehicle and industrial doors, listing the characteristics a manufacturer declares, from wind load to thermal transmittance.
In the clause "Product standard: BS EN 13241. Submit declaration of performance."
- BS EN 12453:2017+A1:2021
- Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates. Safety in use of power operated doors. Requirements and test methods
Safety of motorised shutters: force limits, safety edges, presence detection and control modes.
In the clause "Powered operation safety: To BS EN 12453."
- BS EN 12604:2017+A1:2020
- Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates. Mechanical aspects. Requirements and test methods
Mechanical safety of manual and powered shutters, including protection against falling and failure of suspension.
In the clause "Mechanical safety: To BS EN 12604."
- BS EN 12424:2000
- Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates. Resistance to wind load. Classification
The wind load classes a shutter is declared against.
In the clause "Resistance to wind load: Class to BS EN 12424 from manufacturer's calculation."
- BS EN 16034:2014
- Pedestrian doorsets, industrial, commercial, garage doors and openable windows. Product standard, performance characteristics. Fire resisting and/or smoke control characteristics
The product standard for the fire and smoke characteristics of fire shutters, used together with BS EN 13241.
In the clause "Fire shutter: To BS EN 16034 with BS EN 13241."
- BS EN 13501-2
- Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Classification using data from fire resistance and/or smoke control tests, excluding ventilation services
Classification of fire shutters by integrity (E), insulation (I) and smoke control (S).
In the clause "Fire resistance: E 120 to BS EN 13501-2."
- BS EN 1634-1
- Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware. Fire resistance test for door and shutter assemblies and openable windows
The fire test behind the classification. The test report or field of application sets the sizes and supporting constructions covered.
In the clause "Tested to BS EN 1634-1 for the size and supporting construction installed."
- BS 7273-4
- Code of practice for the operation of fire protection measures. Actuation of release mechanisms for doors
How the fire detection system releases a fire shutter, and the category of reliability for the interface.
In the clause "Fire alarm release: to BS 7273-4, category as fire strategy."
- LPS 1175
- Requirements and testing procedures for the LPCB certification and listing of intruder resistant building components, strongpoints, security enclosures and free-standing barriers
Tested security ratings for shutters and grilles, with a certificate listing the sizes and options covered.
In the clause "Security rating: LPS 1175, rating as security brief."
Confirm the current edition of each standard at every issue. Avoice's State of UK Specifications 2026 found a withdrawn standard cited in 40% of specifications at contract issue.
For the regulations behind these choices, see Approved Document B explained, Approved Document K explained, or search the Avoice Regulations library.
How do you write it in CAWS?
In CAWS, roller shutters are written in L20, under 610 Roller shutters/ curtains. It is a product clause: one per shutter type, with the curtain, guides, drive, controls and performance in one place. A loading bay shutter and a servery fire shutter on the same project are two clauses, 610 and 611, because their standards and evidence differ.
The general clauses at the front of L20 set out the evidence of performance and the site dimension procedure, and the execution clauses at the back cover installation of fire resisting doors and shutters. The fire shutter clause relies on those for installation by a competent firm to the certified instructions, so it does not need to repeat them. Power supply and fire alarm wiring usually come from the electrical sections, so cross-refer and say who connects what.
- Manufacturer
- Submit proposals
- Product reference
- Submit proposals
- Product standard
- BS EN 13241; submit declaration of performance
- Curtain
- Double-skin galvanised steel laths with foam infill, wind locks to all laths
- Opening size
- 4000 mm wide x 4500 mm high, structural opening
- Mounting
- Face fixed internally to steel frame
- Resistance to wind load
- Class to BS EN 12424 from manufacturer's calculation for site exposure
- Thermal transmittance
- Declared value to BS EN 13241; submit
- Guides
- Galvanised steel with brush seals
- Bottom rail
- Aluminium with rubber weather seal and safety edge
- Operation
- Motorised, hold-to-run internal key switch; manual chain override
- Powered operation safety
- To BS EN 12453 and BS EN 12604; photocells; anti-drop device
- Housing
- Galvanised steel hood over barrel and motor
- Finish
- Polyester powder coated externally
- Colour
- TBC Planning condition on external colours not yet discharged. Resolve before ordering.
- Power supply
- Isolator by electrical contractor; final connection by shutter installer
- Handover
- Commissioning record, user instructions and maintenance schedule
Illustrative, not from a real project. One property is left as a TBC with a reason so it can be tracked and closed before issue.
Clauses the type clause relies on
- L20/110
- Evidence of performance Certified evidence, including fire evidence where required, for each shutter supplied.
- L20/150
- Site dimensions Openings measured and recorded on shop drawings before the curtain is made.
- L20/809
- Fire resisting/ smoke control doors/ doorsets/ roller shutters/ curtains Installation of fire shutters by a third-party registered installer to the certified instructions.
Clause numbers vary between NBS versions and practice masters. 610 Roller shutters/ curtains is the number NBS Source gives for roller shutters, and 110, 150 and 809 were taken from published NBS-format L20 specifications; check them against your own L20.
Photo: Anthony Parkes, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted to WebP.
How do you write it in Uniclass?
In Uniclass the installed shutter is a system, Ss_25_30_20_74 Roller shutter doorset systems, and the shutter itself a product. The system clause states the opening, its location, wind exposure, controls, power and any fire or alarm interface. The product clause holds the curtain, guides, drive and declared performance.
Fire shutters use the same system code with the product Pr_30_59_84_30 Fire-resisting roller shutters, and the fire alarm interface belongs in the system clause, since it depends on the building's alarm design rather than on the shutter.
- Description
- Insulated motorised roller shutter to service yard opening
- Shutter
- Pr_30_59_84_73 Roller shutters (RS01)
- Opening size
- 4000 mm wide x 4500 mm high
- Resistance to wind load
- BS EN 12424 class from manufacturer's calculation
- Powered operation safety
- BS EN 12453; hold-to-run internal key switch
- Power supply
- Isolator by electrical contractor
- Fixings
- To steel opening frame, as manufacturer's instructions
- Manufacturer
- Submit proposals
- Product reference
- Submit proposals
- Product standard
- BS EN 13241
- Curtain profile
- Double-skin insulated laths, wind locks
- Material
- Galvanised steel
- Thermal transmittance
- Declared value; submit
- Track and support system
- Galvanised steel guides with brush seals
- Operation method
- Motorised with manual chain override
- Housing
- Galvanised steel hood
- Colour
- TBC Planning condition on external colours not yet discharged. Resolve before ordering.
Illustrative. Performance of the finished system sits in the system clause; properties of the product sit in the product clause.
In NBS Chorus, Uniclass product clauses also carry an NBS reference (for roller shutters, 45-25-28/414). Use whichever your practice's masters use, but keep CAWS and Uniclass references out of the same specification.
What goes in the spec, and what goes in the schedule?
The specification defines each type once. The schedule and drawings say where each type goes.
In the specification
What the product is and how it performs and is installed. Written once per type.
In the schedule or drawings
Where each type goes and how much of it. Changes with every plan revision.
Sizes, fire ratings and control positions vary by opening, so keep them on the door and shutter schedule. The clause sets the standards and the behaviour that apply to every shutter of that type.
What are the common mistakes?
Most problems are a missing property, a property filled with the wrong kind of value, or a decision left silently open.
- A fire shutter with no release interface. If nobody specifies how it closes on alarm, it stays open in a fire. Specify the release and who wires it.
- An EI period on an E-only product. Many fire shutters give integrity only. Check the strategy accepts it, or find a product classified for insulation.
- Wind load left to the brochure. Standard curtains suit standard sizes. Wide external openings need a calculated class and wind locks.
- Impulse controls with no safeguards. A shutter that closes unattended needs a safety edge and photocells. State the control mode.
- Guides fixed into a wall that was not tested. Fire evidence covers specific supporting constructions. A plasterboard wall may not be one of them.
- No allowance for the hood. The barrel and motor need headroom above the opening. Check it before the lintel is set.
How Avoice helps
Avoice drafts roller shutter clauses from your door and shutter schedule, elevations and fire strategy, and shows what is still undecided.
- Drafts from your schedule
It reads each shutter type, opening size and fire rating from the schedule and writes a clause per type, with the fire and alarm lines included only where the strategy needs them.
- Leaves a reasoned TBC
If the colour waits on a planning condition, or the BS 7273-4 category has not been given, the line says TBC with the reason and joins the project TBC register.
- Uses your masters
CAWS L20 or Uniclass, adapted from your practice's own master clauses.
- Checks the set
QA/QC flags a fire shutter on the fire strategy drawings with no fire resistance line, a size that differs between schedule and clause, or a withdrawn standard.
- Keeps evidence linked
Declarations of performance, fire classification reports and LPS 1175 certificates sit in the Product Room against the clause, so a substitute can be checked against the same evidence.
Related guides: How to specify garage doors, How to specify fire curtains, How to specify steel doors.
Software can draft and check. The designer still chooses the product and is responsible for the specification.
Draft your roller shutter clause in Avoice
Upload your drawings and schedules. Avoice drafts the clause in CAWS or Uniclass, cites the standards and flags anything your information does not settle.
This guide is for general education and is not professional advice. Check current editions of standards and Approved Documents, the manufacturer's data, and the requirements of your project before relying on any clause.