Repair and installation of accordion security doors (folding security gates) for Ottawa storefronts, offices and other openings: gates that drag or jump the track, bent sections, worn rollers and locks that no longer engage.
Fix My Door Now Ottawa repairs and installs accordion security doors across Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley. An accordion door, also called a folding security gate or scissor gate, is a steel or aluminum gate made of vertical posts joined by diagonal lattice bars. It folds into a compact stack at the side of the opening when the business is open, then pulls across and locks at closing.
They are a common choice for storefronts, mall units, pharmacies, offices and service counters because they secure the opening without blocking the view when they are closed, and they get out of the way when they are open. If you are comparing accordion gates with fixed, hinged or rolling grilles, our security grilles overview explains the other types.
Each vertical post is joined to the next by pairs of lattice bars that pivot on rivets or bolts. When you pull the lead post across, the lattice opens out into the familiar diamond pattern; when you push it back, the posts close up into a stack. Most gates hang from a top track on rollers or trolleys. Many also run in a bottom track, while others are top-hung and use drop bolts or floor sockets to keep the bottom from being pushed out.
The gate locks at the lead post, either with a keyed lock that engages a receiver post on the wall or with a padlock hasp. A pair of gates can meet in the middle of a wide opening and lock to each other. How smoothly the gate runs, and how well it resists being pried, depends on the condition of the tracks, rollers, pivot points and anchors as much as on the gate itself.
Most calls are about a gate that has become hard to open or close. The usual causes are worn or seized rollers, a top track that has sagged or pulled away from its anchors, or a bottom track packed with dirt, salt or ice. A gate that is forced along a damaged track will eventually jump out of it.
Other common repairs include bent posts or lattice bars after an impact, loose or broken pivot rivets that let the gate sag, a lock that no longer lines up with its receiver, a stack post or end post that has worked loose from the wall, and corrosion on exterior gates. After a break-in attempt, a pried gate often has damaged lattice near the lock and loosened anchors along the track.
We start by finding out why the gate is binding rather than forcing it free. Depending on what we find, we clean and realign tracks, replace rollers and trolleys, re-anchor tracks and posts into solid material, replace worn pivot hardware, straighten or replace damaged sections and reset or replace the lock so it engages cleanly. We consider repair before replacement, and when a gate is badly corroded or bent we tell you plainly that replacement makes more sense.
If the gate was damaged in a break-in and the opening cannot be secured on the spot, we can make it safe first through emergency door repair or emergency board-up, then complete the gate repair.
A new gate starts with measuring the opening: width, height, the depth the folded stack needs at the side, and how much clear opening is left when the gate is stacked. We also check what the gate will mount to. Concrete, masonry, steel and solid wood framing can carry a gate; aluminum storefront framing and drywall usually need a different mounting plan.
We then confirm how the gate will be used. An interior gate behind the storefront glass stays out of the weather; an exterior gate protects the glass itself but needs tracks that drain and stay clear in winter. A surface-mounted bottom track can be a trip hazard on a busy entrance, so a recessed track or a top-hung gate may suit better. We size the gate to the opening and explain the options before you commit.
A security gate must not block a required exit while the building is in use. If a gate covers a door that serves as an exit, it has to be fully open and secured whenever people are inside. We discuss this before installation and will not install a gate in a way that obstructs a required exit. For exit hardware itself, see panic bar repair and installation.
Send us photos of the gate or the opening, approximate measurements and a short description of the problem. We will give you a flat-rate quote before any work starts, and our work is backed by a written parts and labour warranty. Same-day emergency repair is available when a gate or door will not secure the premises; call to confirm the earliest appointment.
We also cover the rest of Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley; see our service areas.
Not sure what your gate needs? Send us a photo. Include the whole gate or opening, a close-up of the track and lock, and approximate width and height. Call 613-265-3667 or request a free quote online.
Send photos of the gate or opening and we will reply with a flat-rate quote — no obligation.
Common questions about accordion gate repair and installation in Ottawa.
Tell us how the gate is used and what it is doing, and we will recommend a practical repair or a new gate with a flat-rate quote.
Call for repair, installation or a photo-based assessment.
