Doors to Consider When Building New or Upgrading Your Current Carwash
By Bob Kowalski
Two main door types have taken over the industry and each offers unique features to best fit the carwash environment. The strong polycarbonate Alaska overhead door and the high speed XRS vinyl rollup door have provided many carwash owners with a product they have come to depend on. Eliminating downtime for an owner/operator is one of the keys to operating a successful carwash business. Furthermore, choosing a door package that is very low maintenance will allow operators more time to focus on other aspects of the business or ideally spend more time away from the wash.
The Alaska overhead door is constructed of shatter-proof multiwall polycarbonate, with 200 times the strength of glass. The extruded aluminum frame comes standard with a clear, anodized, finish that protects against the elements and offers hardware options that include components constructed of galvanized steel, plastic, and stainless steel. This type of door is a great option for all carwashes. Not only does it withstand the most extreme of climate changes, it also allows natural light to pass through the sections brightening up the inside of your carwash bay. The Alaska polycarbonate door is a low maintenance product that is designed for high cycle applications and corrosive environments. For bays requiring security, this type of door is a good option as it provides security equivalent to that of a steel door.
The XRS vinyl rollup door is constructed of 22-ounce vinyl material and comes standard with multiple 40-ounce, clear sections depending on your door size. This highspeed door can also run up to 34 inches per second, making it a very popular option for busy carwash bays. The door is designed to flex and breakaway from the tracks if impacted and will reset itself on the next wash cycle leaving little to no damage to the door. While this door offers many conveniences, it is not designed to provide any level of security. Many carwash owners like that the vinyl is offered in many different colors allowing them to match the color scheme of their building and can create a unique and inviting look to their carwash bays.
If speed and security are a concern; both doors can be utilized for one application. The Alaska polycarbonate door can be mounted inside the building and utilized for security at night or when the bay is closed. The XRS vinyl door can then be added to open and close between cars. A nice feature of the XRS door is that it can be mounted inside an existing overhead door or it can be mounted independently on the outside of the building.
When choosing a door, the manufacturer should also be considered. Product quality, experience, lead times, and warranties are important. Airlift Doors offers a unique insight to manufacturing carwash doors and openers as we also service and install our doors locally; giving us an innovative edge to create dependable products with low maintenance patented designs. Customer support should also be a priority when choosing a manufacturer. Offering 24/7 technical support as well as many online guides to troubleshoot, maintain and operate your doors and openers makes Airlift Doors a top choice all over the United States, Canada and overseas.
Bob joined the Airlift sales team about three years ago and has worked for Airlift Doors for 21 years. He can be reached at
bkowalski@airliftdoors.com 612-529-1000 # 114.
