Strip Door Size Guide
Strip size is another important step in building your custom strip door. Using the correct strip for your door will increase the door's effectiveness for your application.
PVC strip size has 2 aspects: strip width and thickness. Each of these are equally important to finding the perfect strip for your needs.
Strip doors can be purchased in a variety of different ways. You can purchase our complete strip door kits (which include pre-cut strips and hardware), or you can purchase each piece separately. This would be either strip bulk rolls or pre-cut strips and the hardware of your choice.
Take a look at our Strip Door Size Guide below to determine what size strip is right for you.
| Strip Width | Traffic Level | How to Buy | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4" | Personnel | Rolls, Replacement Strips, Hardware | Light, interior pedestrian traffic through small openings or doorways |
| 6" | Personnel/Light Traffic | Rolls, Replacement Strips, Hardware | Pedestrian and light hand truck interior traffic |
| 8" | Light Industrial Traffic | Strip Door Kits, Rolls, Replacement Strips, Hardware | Most versatile strip width for interior and light-wind exterior applications |
| 12" | Medium/Heavy Industrial Traffic | Strip Door Kits, Rolls, Replacement Strips, Hardware | Forklift and other machinery traffic both indoors and outdoors |
| 16" | Heavy Industrial Traffic | Strip Door Kits, Rolls, Replacement Strips, Hardware | Extra large doorways with heavy machinery, non-pedestrian traffic |
*Tip: For heavier traffic strip doors, choose a Ribbed material over a Smooth material.
Material Thickness
The strip thickness is also an important part of picking a strip for your PVC strip door. Consider what will be going through the door when choosing a strip thickness.
- .060" - This light traffic strip is most commonly used for personnel openings and walk-in coolers.
- .080" - Designed for pedestrian and light industrial traffic, this strip is best used on small to mid-sized openings.
- .120" - This heavy-duty strip is used for industrial traffic on interior and exterior doors.
- .160" - This is the heaviest PVC strip, making it great for heavy industrial traffic and exterior doors that experience strong winds.
*Note: Please keep in mind that different strip materials and widths may limit your choices for strip thickness.
How to Choose the Right Strip Size
Still not sure what size strip is right for you? These examples showcase some of the most popular strip door applications.
- Loading Dock - This large exterior door needs wide, dense strips to keep the elements outside. With lots of wind, no pedestrian traffic, and heavy forklift and industrial vehicle traffic, the best strip will be a Standard Ribbed Strip that is 16" wide with a .160" thickness.
- Walk-In Freezer - This interior opening needs to withstand very low temperatures while still keeping the freezer easily accessible. With mostly foot traffic and the occasional cart, the best strip will be a Low Temp Smooth Strip that is 6" wide with a .060" thickness.
- Data Center - In this application, it is important to consider the effect of static shock on sensitive electronics. Needing to reduce the static buildup when passing through the strip door, the best choice will be an Anti-Static Smooth Strip that is 8" wide with a .080" thickness.
- Warehouse - These openings attract a large number of insects and it's essential to keep them at bay. With lots of traffic (especially in warm climates where bugs are more prevalent), the best strip will be an Insect Control Ribbed Strip that is 12" wide with a .120" thickness.
How To Choose Strip Overlap
The first step to selecting the proper strip overlap is to determine the type and volume of traffic your new strip door will be subjected to:
- Pedestrian – Vinyl strip doors with primarily people passing through should utilize smaller width strips with less overlap. Consider using 6" or 8" material with 33% to 67% overlap. 4" PVC strips should be used only on very small openings with pedestrian only traffic. Smaller strips provide lower resistance to wind and will not hold up as well under heavier traffic such as forklifts or other motorized traffic.
- Pallet Jacks/Trucks – If the opening is subjected to frequent, heavier traffic such as pallet jacks or trucks, you need a PVC strip door that will withstand the heavier material but also accommodate the person walking with the truck. Therefore, we typically recommend either 6" material with 67% overlap, or 8" with 25% or 50% overlap.
- Forklift Traffic - In order to endure the abuse of heavier forklift traffic, larger vinyl strip sizes are typically utilized. However, the type of load the forklift typically moves needs to be taken into consideration, as the PVC strips will drag over it. If lighter loads are typically carried, strips that are too large may drag product off of the forklift. We typically recommend either 8" strips with 50% to 100% overlap or 12" strips with 25% to 50% overlap.
Other Considerations: The Opening Size to Load Ratio
If your opening is small in relation to the size of the load being transported you should consider using smaller PVC strips with less overlap as the strips will be more prone to drag over the load. For example, on a 96" high opening with an 84" high typical load, we would recommend using 8" strips versus 12" strips.
Conversely, you should consider going to larger vinyl strips and/or more overlap when placing a strip door in larger openings or those with draft conditions.