IS 6248:1979 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for metal rolling shutters and rolling grills. This standard specifies the requirements for materials, dimensions, construction, and finish of metal rolling shutters and rolling grills. It applies to both manually and mechanically operated shutters and grills used for closing external and internal openings in buildings.
Metal Rolling Shutters and Rolling Grills
Key reference values — verify against the current code edition / project specification.
| Reference | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Lath gauge | Specified sheet thickness by size/duty (verify) | Critical |
| Operation | Self-coiling (small) / gear / motorised (large/frequent) | Selection |
| Counterbalance | Spring barrel sized for shutter weight (No.1 failure) | Critical |
| Wind | Large external shutters must resist wind in guides | Design |
| Finish | Galvanized for external/industrial exposure | Finish |
| Escape route | Restricted on means of escape (NBC Part 4) | Safety |
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
IS 6248:1979 is the specification for metal rolling shutters and rolling grills — the coiling steel shutters used for shop fronts, garages, warehouses, godowns, service entries and security closures. It is the product code behind the 'rolling shutter' line item in fit-out and industrial-building packages.
It is read with the openings / steel-product stack:
A rolling shutter is a load-and-duty-rated assembly, so IS 6248 fixes:
The engineering point: it is bought by area + appearance but fails by under-gauge laths and a mis-tensioned counterbalance — the spec exists to pin gauge, duty type and barrel design.
Scenario: a large external warehouse rolling shutter, frequent daily use, exposed elevation.
Step 1 — size & wind: take the opening size and the design wind (IS 875 Part 3) — large external shutters must resist wind without pulling out of the guides.
Step 2 — duty & operation: frequent large opening → gear-operated or motorised (self-coiling only suits small light shutters); motorised needs limit switches + manual override (power-fail/fire).
Step 3 — gauge & laths: specify the IS 6248 lath section and sheet gauge for that size/duty — and verify on delivery; under-gauge laths buckle.
Step 4 — counterbalance: the spring barrel sized/tensioned for the shutter weight so it is operable by the rated effort — a wrongly-tensioned barrel is the No.1 service complaint.
Step 5 — finish & accept: galvanized for external exposure; acceptance on operation test + gauge check + wind adequacy. Verify NBC Part 4 if it's on/near an escape route (rolling shutters are restricted there).
1. Under-gauge laths. The universal cost-cut — thin laths buckle under wind/handling; specify and verify the IS 6248 gauge for the size/duty.
2. Wrong operation type for the duty. Self-coiling on a large/frequent shutter → unworkable and short-lived; match self-coiling/gear/motorised to size & use.
3. Mis-sized/mis-tensioned counterbalance barrel. The commonest in-service failure — a shutter that won't stay up or is impossible to lift; the barrel must be designed for the shutter weight.
4. Ignoring wind on large external shutters. Big shutters pull out of the guides under wind unless designed for it.
5. Rolling shutter on an escape route. NBC restricts shutters on means of escape — coordinate fire/exit requirements; don't block egress.
IS 6248 is old (1979) and reaffirmed; rolling shutters are ubiquitous on shops, godowns and industrial buildings, and the recurring failures are entirely predictable: under-gauge laths, the wrong operation type for the duty, and a mis-tensioned counterbalance barrel — none of which are visible at handover but all of which surface within months as buckled, jamming or non-staying shutters.
The practitioner contract: specify lath section + gauge + duty/operation type for the size and frequency, design large external shutters for wind, ensure the counterbalance barrel is sized for the shutter weight, galvanize for exposed/industrial use, and acceptance-test operation + verify gauge on delivery. And critically — do not place rolling shutters on means of escape without checking NBC Part 4; a security shutter that blocks egress is a life-safety failure, not just a procurement one.
| Parameter | IS Value | International | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slat Thickness (Typical Steel) | Prescribed as 1.25 mm (18 SWG) for openings up to 5.5 m. | Performance-based; typically 0.6 mm to 1.9 mm (24 to 14 gauge) depending on required wind load and door size. | DASMA 209-2022 |
| Wind Load Specification | Calculated via formula P = 0.0006 V^2, with V from IS 875. | Product is classified into Wind Load Classes (e.g., Class 2 = 300 Pa, Class 3 = 450 Pa) after testing. | EN 13241:2003+A2:2016 |
| Guide Channel Depth | Prescribed as 65 mm deep for openings up to 5.5 m width. | Not prescribed; engineered based on curtain size and wind load, typically ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm. | DASMA 209-2022 |
| Anti-Drop Safety Device | Recommended ('desirable') for geared shutters. | Mandatory for power-operated doors where a risk of uncontrolled drop exists. | EN 13241:2003+A2:2016 |
| Galvanizing Zinc Coating | Minimum 180 g/m² zinc coating, conforming to IS 277. | References ASTM A653; common classes are G60 (~183 g/m²) or G90 (~275 g/m²). | DASMA 209-2022 |
| Barrel Deflection | Maximum deflection should not exceed 1/400 of the span. | A common design limit is L/360 or L/480 of the span, but it's performance-based to ensure operability. | DASMA 209-2022 |