Replacing an old shopfront: modern aluminium doors, sliding doors and security glass

An old shopfront gives itself away: a door that drops and drags, a frame that's out of square, glass that's cracked or years out of date, and an entry that was never designed for how the shop trades today. Sometimes a repair is the right call. Sometimes it's cheaper over time to rebuild the front.

Repair or replace?

Repair usually makes sense when the frame is sound and the problem is a door closer, a lock, a seal or a single pane. We repair closers, pivots, patch fittings and locks on aluminium and frameless shop doors.

Replacement is worth a look when:

• the frame is worn, bent or out of square, so doors won't hang or seal properly;
• doors drop, stick or won't lock, and repairs keep coming back;
• the glass is old, scratched or cracked, or you want to upgrade it for security;
• you want a different entry, such as a sliding or automatic door;
• the shop is changing hands, or a fit-out is changing the front.

Our shopfront cost guide explains what moves the price either way.

A modern aluminium door system

A modern aluminium shopfront is a framed system: slim, powder-coated aluminium frames hold the glass panels and the doors, with hardware chosen for the entry.

• Frames. Aluminium resists rust and rot, takes a range of colours, and can be made to match the building.
• Doors. A single or pair of swing doors, with closers, pivots and locks suited to how many people use them each day.
• Glass. Safety glass in and around the doors and low down, selected for each opening.
• Fit. The frame is measured to your opening and sealed to the building, so it stays tight.

Sliding and automatic doors

Where an entry is busy, narrow or used with trolleys and prams, a sliding door can suit better than a swing door, because it doesn't need clear space to swing into. An automatic sliding door opens with a sensor, which helps customers and anyone with limited mobility.

• What decides it: the width of the opening, the space either side, how the entry is used, and the building.
• Exits: doors on a required exit have their own rules, so the building surveyor reviews them.
• After the install: automatic doors need regular servicing to keep sensors, tracks and rollers working.

We supply, install, service and repair automatic sliding doors; see automatic sliding doors.

Replacing old glass with security glass

Old shopfront glass is often ordinary annealed glass that breaks into large, sharp pieces. When it goes, the whole front is open.

Rebuilding a shopfront is the best time to change that. Choosing glass and framing that are harder to get through is what people usually mean by anti-theft glass:

• Laminated glass has an interlayer that holds fragments in place after breakage, so a cracked pane tends to stay in the frame. It can improve resistance to penetration, but a damaged pane or frame may still fail and must be assessed and made safe.
• Toughened glass is stronger than ordinary glass but breaks into small pieces, so the whole pane can fall out.
• The frame and fixings matter as much as the glass. Strong glass in a weak frame is still a weak front.

Glass must be selected for each opening and its safety requirements, including AS 1288, so a glazier assesses the location, size, framing and human-impact risk before specifying it. Nothing makes a shopfront impossible to break into. For how laminated glass, film, grilles, shutters and bollards compare, see our shopfront security guide.

How a shopfront replacement runs

1. 

   1

   Step 1 of 3

   Measure and plan

   The old front is measured and the new frame, doors and glass are specified for the opening, with the work planned around your trading hours.

2. 

   2

   Step 2 of 3

   Strip out and install

   The old front is taken out, the opening is made safe, and the new aluminium frame and doors are fitted and sealed to the building.

3. 

   3

   Step 3 of 3

   Glaze and finish

   The glass is fitted, the doors are adjusted and checked, and the front is cleaned and handed over.

Before any work starts you get a written quote that names the frame, the doors, the hardware and the glass for each opening.

Permits and the lease

Replacing a front can need a building permit, and in a heritage area a planning permit as well. Many leases need the landlord's written consent first. See shopfront permits in Victoria, and check your lease before you order.

Talk to us about your shopfront

We build and replace shopfronts, entry doors and automatic doors across Melbourne, and make broken fronts safe 24/7 on 0410 107 794. See shopfronts and entry doors, safety glass replacement or ask for a shopfront quote.