What is a collapsible gate?

A collapsible gate, also called a scissor gate, is a folding metal closure made of vertical bars joined by crossed flat bars. It does not go up like a roller shutter: when you open it, it folds to one side like an accordion and runs along a track on the floor, at the top or in both places.

You see it on many older shops, building entrances and shop windows in Torrevieja and the Vega Baja, because it protects the premises without hiding the inside. It lasts for many years, but it has its weak points:

• The floor track fills with sand or dirt and the gate sticks or moves in jerks.
• The wheels or runners that move along the track wear out or rust in the salty air.
• If it is forced while jammed, one of the flat bars bends and the gate no longer folds or closes fully.
• The side lock or the padlock stops lining up because the gate has sagged.

Often the gate does not need replacing: cleaning the track, changing the wheels, straightening the flat bars and adjusting the lock gets it working well again. We cover it in roller shutter door repair.