Find out how rolling steel doors can make a difference for your loading dock.

You have a few options when it comes to doors for your loading dock. You can choose from sectional dock doors, commercial roll-up doors, or swinging dock doors. Each of these options comes with pros and cons. Rolling steel doors, however, are a top choice for elevating loading dock operations and driving efficiency.

Reliable rolling steel doors can save your business time, money, and hassle. Learn more about these advantages and how to choose a steel rolling door that meets your needs and priorities.  

The different types of loading docks.

Since warehousing is critical to the increasingly complex modern supply chain, the right dock design directly impacts operational flow. Loading docks vary based on functional needs, industry, and local compliance codes. 

Here are the most common types of loading docks and how they compare:

• Flush loading docks: These are a popular option, offering seamless loading and unloading due to their simple and effective design. Flush docks are built outside of a building's wall and share its foundation. While flush docks provide fast and direct movement of goods, the design exposes them to the weather.
  
  
• Enclosed loading docks: An enclosed dock is similar to the flush dock system except for a shelter built around it that can make it more secure. This design is ideal when product safety and weather conditions impact overall operations. The shelter makes an enclosed dock more expensive, but it also enhances security.
  
  
• Cantilever loading docks: These docks are similar to flush docks, except for a platform that projects from the wall. The design allows secure docking for trucks and other equipment, simplifying the loading and unloading processes.
  
  
• Sawtooth loading docks: The sawtooth system is designed to improve loading dock efficiency and maximize space. The dock angles, which look like sawteeth, make maneuvering trucks in and out of the loading area especially easy.
  
  
• Elevated loading docks: Elevated docks are designed to accommodate vehicles with varying bed heights. The configuration utilizes dock levelers for compatibility with different types of vehicles.

Important attributes for loading dock doors.

Each loading dock system offers unique advantages and suits different operational needs. Choosing the right door system is a critical factor for ensuring efficiency and productivity. 

When selecting a loading dock door, there are a few features you’ll want to pay attention to.

Fast opening speeds.

Lagging dock doors will slow down the movement of goods, creating unnecessary congestion that slows your entire operation. Since loading docks are designed with speed and efficiency in mind, pairing them with fast-opening doors helps you maximize their functionality. Fast-opening doors will open up to 100 inches per second, which improves traffic flow. Remember, the higher the speed, the better your warehouse productivity.

Durable for accidental impacts.

It’s important to have a loading dock door that minimizes accidental impact. Trucks and load-handling equipment can fail to stop in time or make correct maneuvers, which may result in your door taking an accidental hit. A high-performance door will lessen the effects of an impact by detaching from the door tracks, allowing more flexibility with minimal damage.

Low maintenance, easy repairs.

Managing commercial loading dock doors can be challenging, especially when they sustain damage over time. That's not the case with top-quality, high-performance doors, which require less upkeep. 

A lot of steel rolling doors are engineered to complete an impressive number of cycles with minimal maintenance requirements. When choosing your dock door, you want to make sure that the quality minimizes the need for repairs. And, when you need repairs, they can be completed quickly.  

Secure for workers.

Select high-grade doors engineered with features to help protect workers. Consider fire-rated doors for their many benefits, like the ability to mitigate the spread of smoke and fire, and automatically activate when temperatures reach a specific point. Other features to consider are photo eye sensors that detect movement and automatic reversal, which causes the door to roll back up when it comes into contact with an object.

Highly secure.

Doors that protect your inventory, particularly in freight terminals and not indoor areas, should deliver maximum security. The best loading dock doors are robust and long-lasting, making them a reliable solution for securing the entrance to your facility. 

The benefits of steel rolling doors.

The right door materials can improve the functionality of your loading dock and benefit your overall operation. High-performance commercial rolling doors are among the top additions to loading dock systems for many reasons. With robust construction, exceptional speeds, low maintenance, and unmatched life cycles, rolling doors deliver outstanding performance, durability, and security compared to traditional rolling doors.

Cornell's industrial-grade doors are some of the best and most reliable high-performance rolling doors on the market. These steel rolling doors are divided into two unique categories with high-performance capabilities. 

Extreme^® 300 Door

Our Extreme^® 300 Door features a springless and compact design, meaning you won’t need replacement chains. Its built to last, with a trusted 2-year 300,000-cycle warranty. A huge advantage of these doors is smooth start and stop operation, which reduces wear and tear on the door and operator. The Extreme 300 series requires little maintenance besides routine inspections, and you can find a large selection of options to suit your facility's requirements. 

Extreme^® 1024 Door

Cornell Extreme® 1024 Doors deliver unmatched performance, with the lowest lifetime cost for industrial high-speed rolling doors. These doors operate at 1 million operating cycles, opening at speeds up to 24 inches per second. Extreme 1024 Doors are also compact and have the lowest lifetime costs compared to other industrial high-speed rolling doors on the market today. 

Custom Rolling Doors

At Cornell, we also offer customizable options for commercial doors and grilles, so you can find doors that align with what you need for your facility.