Automatic glass doors for commercial entrances
Automatic glass doors are the clean, bright entrance most commercial buildings want: a wall of glass that opens as people approach, shows off the interior and locks tight at night. We supply, install and service automatic glass doors across Gauteng and South Africa, from frameless shopfronts to framed hospital entrances.
This guide covers the types of automatic glass doors, the glass itself, sensors and locks, safety rules, what they cost and how to keep them working. We do commercial pedestrian entrances only: no garage doors, gates, roller shutters or private homes. See also automatic sliding doors and commercial automatic doors.
Types of automatic glass doors
Frameless glass sliding doors
All-glass leaves held by slim rails top and bottom. The most transparent option, chosen for showrooms, restaurants, boutiques and premium lobbies. See frameless automatic sliding doors.
Framed glass sliding doors
Glass set in slim aluminium frames. Tougher against knocks and easier to repair, so they suit malls, supermarkets, hospitals and offices.
Telescopic glass doors
Two glass leaves a side that stack, giving a wide opening where the wall beside the door is short. See telescopic sliding doors.
Glass swing doors
Single or double glass swing doors driven by a swing operator, for corridors, smaller fronts and existing doors. See automatic swing doors.
Glass revolving doors
Curved glass wings in a glass drum, for tall, windy lobbies. Always paired with a swing door for wheelchairs and goods. See automatic revolving doors.
Hermetic glass doors
Sealed sliding leaves, partly glazed, for theatres and laboratories. See hermetic doors.
| Entrance | Best automatic glass door |
|---|---|
| Showroom or boutique | Frameless glass sliding |
| Mall or supermarket | Framed bi-parting glass sliding |
| Hospital or clinic | Framed sliding with battery backup |
| Narrow shopfront | Telescopic glass sliding |
| Tall office lobby | Glass revolving plus swing door |
| Corridor or existing door | Glass swing door |
The glass in automatic glass doors
Automatic glass doors are glazed with safety glass, toughened or laminated, as SANS 10400-N requires for doors and glazing near floors. Toughened glass is strong and breaks into small, blunt pieces; laminated glass holds together if it cracks, which adds security on shopfronts and banks. Glass is manifested with markings at eye level so people can see it, as the regulations require. See automatic door glass and automatic door signage.
Sensors on automatic glass doors
Activation sensors above the door, usually microwave radar, open it when someone approaches and can be set to ignore people walking past. Safety sensors, usually active infrared, watch the threshold so the glass cannot close on someone standing still. On busy or sensitive entrances, light curtains in the posts add a vertical safety field. All sensors on automatic glass doors are set on site and tested on every service. See automatic door sensors.
Locking automatic glass doors
Automatic glass doors lock with an electromechanical lock in the header, often with a floor lock as well, released by key switch, access card, keypad or timer. Frameless doors use locks that are hidden as far as possible, so the glass still reads as one clean surface at night. See automatic door lock.
Automatic glass door price
The drive for automatic glass doors starts from R27 590 excluding VAT for the MC-125 sliding operator and R15 900 excluding VAT for the MCW-100 swing operator. Frameless glass costs more than framed glass, and the finished price depends on the leaves, glass type, header, sensors, locking and access control. Every site is quoted in writing after a survey. See automatic door prices.
Opening systems for automatic glass doors
The opening system is the drive in the header: motor, gearbox, belt, carriages, track and controller. Our MC-125 drives single, bi-parting and many custom glass sliding entrances; see how an automatic sliding door mechanism works.
Repairs and servicing for automatic glass doors
Glass doors need the same care as any automatic door: a service every six months, more often on busy entrances, with the track, rollers, belt, sensors, lock and battery checked. Cracked or broken glass is replaced with the right safety glass and the leaves re-hung and re-aligned. See automatic door repairs and automatic door servicing.
Frameless or framed?
Frameless leaves give the most transparent front and suit showrooms, restaurants and premium lobbies, but they cost more and need careful handling. Framed leaves protect the edges of the glass, resist knocks from trolleys and are cheaper to repair, so they suit malls, supermarkets, hospitals and busy offices. Many buildings use frameless on the main front and framed on side and service entrances.
Cleaning and care
Clean the glass with a soft cloth and a mild cleaner, never abrasive pads that scratch. Keep the floor guide and threshold clear of grit, and do not spray water or cleaner onto the sensors or into the header. Report chips or cracks straight away, because a damaged pane can fail suddenly, and the leaf must be taken out of service until it is replaced.
Wind, sun and weather on glass fronts
Large glass fronts catch wind, which can push on the leaves and trigger the safety sensors. Sensors are set to ignore wind-blown debris, and on very exposed fronts an airlock or a revolving door may be the better choice. Solar film or tinted glass reduces glare and heat on west-facing fronts, and seals and brushes keep dust and rain out.
Security options for glass entrances
Laminated glass holds together if it is struck, which makes a forced entry slower and noisier. Header locks, floor locks and access control secure the leaves at night, and the door can be linked to the alarm so it locks down on an alarm while still opening for escape.
Sliding, swing or revolving?
Sliding doors move the most people and never swing into anyone, so they suit most main entrances. Swing doors suit narrow openings, corridors and existing hinged doors. Revolving doors keep wind and heat loss out of tall lobbies but always need a swing door beside them for wheelchairs and goods. For automatic glass doors, the main entrance is usually sliding and the internal doors swing. See sliding vs swing door.
Safety sensors explained
Activation sensors, usually microwave radar, open the door when someone approaches. Safety sensors, usually active infrared, watch the threshold and the path of the leaves so the door cannot close on someone standing still. Light curtains in the posts add a vertical safety field on busy or sensitive entrances. All of them are set on site and tested with a test body on every service.
The first year after installation
In the first months the building learns how the door behaves, and we often fine-tune speeds and sensor fields after the first busy weeks. The first service, normally at six months, records the cycle count so the service interval for automatic glass doors can be set from real use rather than guesswork.
Three common myths
“Automatic doors waste energy”: a well-set door closes faster than people close a manual one. “They are only for big buildings”: a single swing operator can automate a small practice door. “Any electrician can fix them”: safety settings, forces and sensors need a trained technician and the right parts.
Gauteng conditions
Gauteng brings its own challenges for automatic glass doors: summer afternoon storms with hail, wind and driving rain; dry, dusty winters that grind into tracks and rollers; lightning that can damage electronics; and load shedding that can stop a door at the worst moment. We answer each one with the specification: laminated or toughened safety glass, sensors set to ignore wind-blown debris, brushes and seals against dust, surge protection where lightning is common and battery backup on every entrance that must keep working. The service interval is then set from the conditions at each site, not from a fixed calendar.
A typical project, step by step
The client sends photographs of the entrance and tells us how busy it is. A technician surveys the opening, the header, the floor and the power and access-control connections. We confirm the door type, leaves, glass, sensors and locking in writing with a price and lead time. On the agreed day our team installs the operator and leaves, commissions the speeds, sensors and lock, tests the power-failure and fire behaviour with the building and hands over a written record. The first service is booked six months later. This is how every project for automatic glass doors runs, large or small.
Access control and security
Doors can be linked to card, tag, biometric, keypad or intercom readers, to timers for trading hours and to the alarm. Two doors can be interlocked where screening is needed, and the lock is set to release on the fire signal where the door is an escape route. See automatic door access control.
Accessible entrances
An automatic door is the simplest way to make an entrance usable for wheelchair users, parents with prams and people carrying goods. Clear width, opening and closing speeds, hold-open time and push buttons are set on site for the people who use the door. See automatic doors for disabled access.
Energy and comfort
A door that closes promptly keeps air-conditioning and heating inside. Hold-open times and sensor fields are set so the door opens for people coming in and out, not for passers-by or wind-blown leaves, and an airlock or revolving door is considered where wind is a problem.
Working in occupied buildings
Most of our work happens in buildings that stay open. We barricade the doorway, keep an alternative entrance open, work outside peak hours where possible and leave the site clean. Every visit starts with a safe-work method for that building.
What you receive after every visit
A written report of what was found and done, the parts used, the settings left on the door, the cycle count, anything that still needs attention and the date of the next visit.
Planning your budget
Budget for three things: the installation or repair itself, any parts or new equipment, and an ongoing service plan. Where several entrances need work, it can be phased over months, starting with the doors that matter most to safety and security. Planned servicing of automatic glass doors costs far less over their life than emergency call-outs.
Spare parts we hold
We keep the parts that wear first at our Laser Park workshop: belts, rollers and carriages, sensors, locks, batteries and controllers for the MC-125 and MCW-100, and common parts for other makes, so most faults are fixed on the first visit. See automatic door spare parts.
Modernising older entrances
When an old operator keeps failing or its parts are no longer made, a new MC-125 or MCW-100 can usually be fitted to the existing leaves, glass and frame. This costs a fraction of a new entrance and comes with 24 months on the new operator. See automatic door modernisation.
Why choose MC Automations
- Our own operators: the MC-125 and MCW-100 are imported and assembled at Laser Park.
- Our own technicians: we never sub-contract installation, servicing or repairs.
- Any brand: we service and repair other manufacturers’ doors too.
- Spares in Gauteng: common parts are held at our Laser Park workshop.
- Written records: every visit ends with a report.
- Warranty: 24 months on new MC operators.
Getting the best from your entrance
Keep the floor guide and the area in front of the sensors clear, do not prop the door open or block it with stock, and ask cleaners not to spray water onto the sensors and header. Report noises, hesitation and doors that reopen for no reason early, because these are the first signs of wear. Know where the program switch is and what each mode does, so staff can set the door to open, closed, exit-only or night mode when needed.
A typical entrance upgrade
A shopping centre has an old bi-parting entrance that hesitates and is noisy, with parts no longer made. We survey it, confirm the leaves and glass are sound, and quote a new MC-125 operator with new sensors, lock and battery backup on the existing leaves. The work is done before trading hours in one morning, the door is commissioned for the centre’s traffic and the settings are recorded. The centre gets a quieter, faster, more reliable entrance at a fraction of the cost of a new front, with 24 months on the new operator. This is an example of how we work, not a specific client.
Health and safety on site
Every job starts with a site induction where the building requires one and a safe-work method that covers barricading the doorway, working at height on the header, isolating the power and keeping an alternative route open. Our technicians carry their own protective equipment and leave the site clean, and in hospitals, food production and laboratories we follow the building’s own hygiene rules as well.
Terms you will hear
Operator
The motor, gearbox and controller in the header that drive the door.
Leaves
The moving panels of the door.
Activation sensor
Opens the door when someone approaches.
Safety sensor
Stops or reverses the door if someone is in the way.
Hold-open time
How long the door stays open before closing.
Night mode
Locked and opened only by card, keypad or key switch.
Interlock
Two doors linked so only one opens at a time.
Cycle count
How many times the door has opened, used to plan servicing.
Automatic glass doors across South Africa
We supply, install and service automatic glass doors across Gauteng from our Laser Park base and across South Africa on planned visits. See automatic doors near me and automatic door service areas.
What to send for an automatic glass doors quote
- The address and the number of entrances.
- A photograph of each doorway and the header above it.
- The clear opening width and height.
- Framed or frameless, and any glass preference.
- How busy the door gets, and any access-control needs.
Request a quote or call 010 412 0062.
Automatic glass doors: frequently asked
How much do automatic glass doors cost?
Drives start from R27 590 excluding VAT for the MC-125 sliding operator and R15 900 excluding VAT for the MCW-100 swing operator. Each site is quoted in writing.
Are automatic glass doors safe?
Yes, when they are glazed with safety glass, manifested so people can see them, and fitted with safety sensors that are tested on every service.
Can automatic glass doors be frameless?
Yes. Frameless glass sliding doors suit showrooms, restaurants and premium lobbies.
Do automatic glass doors work during load shedding?
Yes, with battery backup. The power-failure behaviour is agreed in advance.
Can you repair automatic glass doors of any brand?
Yes. Our technicians repair and service other manufacturers’ doors as well as our own.
Do you install automatic glass doors in homes?
No. We do commercial pedestrian entrances only.
Automatic glass doors at a glance
- Automatic glass doors can be frameless, framed, telescopic, swing, revolving or hermetic.
- Automatic glass doors use toughened or laminated safety glass.
- Automatic glass doors lock at night with header and floor locks.
- Automatic glass doors are installed and serviced by our own team.
See the South African Bureau of Standards for the glazing standard.