Security Cage Doors: Hinged, Sliding, Dutch, Tunnel & Automated

Single and double hinged, sliding, tunnel and powered doors for wire mesh security cages — with padlock, cylinder, ADA lever, push-bar, keypad and card-reader access. Some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation.

Get a Free Quote Call Now: (800) 326-4403

Wire Crafters wire mesh cage with a self-closing sliding door enclosing a flammable materials storage area

6

Door families

3′–10′

Standard door widths

10′

Full-height sliding openings

8

Lock & access options

Shop Pre-Configured Wire Mesh Cage Kits Online

Standard-size welded wire cage kits, priced online, for smaller storage needs. Every kit still needs to be anchored to sound concrete — for tall, braced or engineered enclosures, request a quote with your building location and floor details.

Vestil Hinged Door No Ceiling Cage 4 Sided 8X8 wire mesh security cage kit

Hinged Door Cage Kits3- and 4-sided 8×8 and 12×12 kits, with or without a mesh ceilingFrom $3,060.99 · 4 kitsPopular: Vestil Hinged Door No Ceiling Cage 4 Sided 8X8 ($4,008.25)Shop Hinged Door Cage KitsCompare door types →

Vestil Sliding Door W/Ceiling Cage 4 Side 10X10 wire mesh security cage kit

Sliding Door Cage Kits10×10 kits with a sliding door that needs no swing spaceFrom $4,314.19 · 3 kitsPopular: Vestil Sliding Door W/Ceiling Cage 4 Side 10X10 ($6,076.45)Shop Sliding Door Cage KitsSliding vs hinged doors →

Vestil Driver/Trucker Access Cage 3 Sided 4X8 wire mesh security cage kit

Driver Access Cages3-sided 4×4, 4×6 and 4×8 dock and lobby cagesFrom $4,275.64 · 3 kitsPopular: Vestil Driver/Trucker Access Cage 3 Sided 4X8 ($5,153.53)Shop Driver Access CagesDriver access cage guide →

Prices are the current online prices. See all security cage kits · Need a custom size? Request a security cage quote.

The Door Makes or Breaks the Cage

Interior of a wire mesh cage showing a pass-through service window and door post — Service window and door post detail inside a wire mesh enclosure

A security cage is only as secure as its access points. The mesh panels are the easy part — every real decision on a partition project happens at the opening: how wide it has to be, whether a leaf can swing into the aisle, who is allowed through, and how people get out in an emergency. For a worked example of choosing between keyed, keypad and credentialed hardware, see our cage door access control case study.

Material Handling USA supplies and installs the full range of security cage doors from our manufacturing partners: single and double hinged, sliding, sliding tunnel, universal hinged in a 14-gauge box frame, and powered sliding doors. Every door ships as a complete assembly with its own door posts, transom panel and hardware, and integrates with standard woven-wire and welded-wire partition systems, so you can add or change an opening on a cage that is already standing.

Below you will find the standard sizes, the lock and access-control options, and the door we normally specify for each type of application. If you already know the opening you need, send us the dimensions and we will quote the door, the posts and the installation together.

Security Cage Door Types

Six standard door families cover almost every opening. Custom sizes and finishes are available on all of them.

Single hinged wire mesh door with a lock box on a black security cage

Single Hinged DoorsStandard 3′ or 4′ wide by 7′ 3-1/4″ high opening. Universal construction works left or right hand, inside or outside swing, on three 4″ × 4″ 10-gauge tight-pin hinges. Supplied with two door posts, a transom panel sized to match partition height, padlock lug and all hardware. The most common choice for tool cribs and storage cages.

Double hinged wire mesh partition door with two leaves and center lock in a Wire Crafters cage

Double Hinged Doors6′ or 8′ wide by 7′ 3-1/4″ high openings for pallets, carts and oversized equipment. The inactive leaf is secured by a cane bolt at the base and a chain bolt at the top, so the opening can be run as a single 3′/4′ leaf day to day and opened wide when you need it. Padlock lugs standard, cylinder locks available.

Wire mesh security cage sliding door suspended from an overhead steel track

Sliding DoorsStandard widths of 3′, 4′, 5′, 6′, 8′ and 10′ with full-height openings of 8′ and 10′. Each door ships with two door posts, two 4-wheel trolley trucks, 16-gauge track and hardware, and uses a patented tamper-resistant sliding-door receiver (U.S. Patent 6,196,034 B1). Ideal where a swinging leaf would block an aisle.

Sliding tunnel door on a wire mesh cage rolling on floor casters with no overhead track

Sliding Tunnel DoorsFor openings with no overhead structure to hang a track from. The leading edge rolls on floor casters instead of hanging from an overhead track, so the door works under crane bays and low headroom. Common in manufacturing cells and high forklift-traffic aisles.

Universal hinged door on a welded wire mesh security cage in a 14 gauge steel box frame

Universal Hinged DoorsPremium door contained in a 14-gauge steel box frame, hinged left or right and swinging in or out. Standard 3′ and 4′ widths with ADA-compliant lever handles, optional push-bar exit and alarm push bar. The usual specification for DEA controlled-substance cages and any enclosure that needs code-compliant egress.

Electric slide door opener with chain drive mounted above a security cage door

Automated Door SystemsElectric openers for sliding doors run on a standard 110V single-phase motor and are supplied with radio-frequency remotes, a self-closing timer, anti-crush safety switch, photo-eye safety switch and a stationary push-button control. Recommended for sliding doors over 80 sq ft. Electro-magnetic locks optional; hydraulic closers are available for self-closing hinged doors.

Dutch Doors, Vertical Rise Doors and Door Operators

Two door styles solve problems a standard hinged or sliding door cannot, and powered operators take the effort out of large or busy openings. These are part of the Wire Crafters door line we supply as an authorized dealer:

Wire Crafters Dutch door with separate top and bottom mesh leaves and a steel transaction shelf

Dutch doorsBuilt like a hinged door but split into two leaves. The bottom leaf locks with a padlock or cylinder lock; the top leaf locks to the bottom with a spring bolt. A 10 ga steel shelf about 18 in. deep is fixed to the bottom leaf, so the top can open as a counter while the bottom stays locked — a simple issue point for tool cribs, parts cages and evidence rooms. Hand and swing must be specified when ordering.

Wire Crafters vertical rise mesh doors on vertical lift storage openings in an industrial facility

Vertical rise doorsSized to the opening and lifted up and out of the way, with counterbalanced, pneumatic or electric operators. Common in front of vertical lifts and automated storage and retrieval systems, where a swinging or sliding leaf has no room to move.

Pneumatic cylinder opener on a vertical wire mesh cage door

Openers and closersElectric openers for sliding doors use a chain drive with remote controls, a self-closing timer, an anti-crush switch and a photo eye. Pneumatic openers run on plant air for sliding or vertical doors, hydraulic closers make hinged doors close and latch, and a self-closing slide door uses a hydraulic arm on the track with no external power.

Product photos courtesy of Wire Crafters, the Louisville, Kentucky manufacturer; MH-USA is an authorized Wire Crafters dealer.

Need people served without opening the cage at all? A service window or pass-through is usually cheaper than a Dutch door when the cage already has a door elsewhere. Self-closing doors are also a requirement in some storage uses — see aerosol storage cages.

Sliding vs. Hinged Security Cage Doors: How to Choose

The decision is almost always about floor space and traffic, not about security — both door families use the same mesh, frame and lock hardware.

Consideration	Hinged door	Sliding door
Floor space needed	A 3′–4′ swing arc must stay clear inside or outside the cage	None — the leaf travels along the panel line
Widest practical opening	8′ using a double door	10′ standard, wider on custom runs
Forklift traffic	Workable, but leaves get struck and posts go out of plumb	Preferred; pair with an electric opener so drivers stay seated
Code-required egress	Standard choice — side-hinged swinging leaf with push-bar exit	Only where the code’s sliding-door exceptions apply
Access control	Electric strike with card reader	Electro-magnetic lock with card reader
Automation	Hydraulic closer up to 5′W × 10′H	Electric opener, remotes and timer
Installed cost	Lowest for a single 3′–4′ opening	Higher — track, trolleys and posts — but no lost floor space

Not sure which door your layout needs?

Lay the cage out yourself in our free Security Cage Configurator — pick the footprint, door type and access hardware, and send the configuration straight to our team. Or call and we will size the opening with you in a few minutes.

Open the Security Cage Configurator Request a Quote Call (800) 326-4403

Door Specifications at a Glance

Door type	Standard widths	Opening height	Lock options	Best for
Single hinged	3′, 4′	7′ 3-1/4″	Padlock lug, cylinder, electric strike	Tool cribs, storage cages, service rooms
Double hinged	6′, 8′	7′ 3-1/4″	Padlock lug, cylinder	Pallet and forklift access, wide openings
Sliding	3′–10′	8′ or 10′ (full height)	Padlock lug, cylinder, electric strike, mag lock	Tight aisles, automation, high traffic
Sliding tunnel	Custom	Custom	Padlock lug, cylinder	No overhead structure, crane bays
Universal hinged	3′, 4′ (custom available)	7′ 3-1/4″	ADA lever handle, push bar, alarm push bar, coded entry	DEA cages, egress-critical enclosures

Standard Sliding Door Sizes

Representative standard sliding doors. Each includes two door posts, two 4-wheel trolley trucks, 16-gauge track and hardware. Additional widths, 12′ overall heights and custom sizes are available.

Part number	Opening (W × H)	Overall height	Weight (lbs)
SD-38-8	3′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	124
SD-48-8	4′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	137
SD-58-8	5′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	149
SD-68-8	6′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	196
SD-88-8	8′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	230
SD-108-8	10′-0″ × 8′-0 1/4″	8′-5 1/4″	279
SD-310-10	3′-0″ × 10′-0 1/4″	10′-5 1/4″	149
SD-610-10	6′-0″ × 10′-0 1/4″	10′-5 1/4″	234
SD-1010-10	10′-0″ × 10′-0 1/4″	10′-5 1/4″	334

Send us your opening dimensions

Give us the clear width and height you need, the partition height, and how the opening is used. We will come back with the exact door, posts and hardware — and the installed price.

Request a Security Cage Quote Call (800) 326-4403

Measuring an opening

Gauge a hinged-door opening by the width of the transom panel, and a sliding-door opening by the door width — for example 48″ between posts for a 4′ wide slide door. Slide-door openings can be narrowed by adjusting the length of the adjacent panel run. Send us your panel layout and we will mark the door posts before anything ships.

Locks & Access Control Options

The door body rarely changes; the hardware does. These are the options we specify most often, and all of them can be quoted on a standard door. Some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation.

Option	Available on	Why you would choose it
Padlock lug	Standard on hinged, double and sliding doors	Lowest cost, keyed to your existing padlock program
Cylinder lock	Optional on all standard doors	Keyed access without a hanging padlock; storeroom function standard
ADA lever handle	Universal hinged doors	Meets ADA operable-hardware requirements; alternative to a knob
Push bar exit	Universal hinged doors	Free egress from inside the enclosure; pairs with a lever handle outside
Alarm push bar	Hinged doors only	Battery-powered local alarm sounds when the door is opened
Coded / keypad entry	Universal hinged doors	Five-button coded access where you do not want to issue keys
Electric strike	Hinged and sliding doors	Compatible with most card-reader and access-control systems
Electro-magnetic lock	Sliding doors	Fail-safe holding force with access control and audit trail

Staff working at a wire partition service window beside a cage access door — Wire partition service window in use next to a cage access door

Service Windows Keep Doors Closed

On tool cribs, parts rooms and pharmacy cages, most traffic through the door is a hand-off, not a person. A padlockable, sash-balanced slide-up service window solves that: a 24″ wide × 21″ high opening with a 24″ × 16″ 11-gauge shelf at 42-1/4″ off the floor, built into a 3′-10″ wide panel.

Parts go out and paperwork comes back without unlocking the enclosure, which is both faster and easier to audit. Learn more about security cage service windows.

Which Door Fits Your Application?

The same cage panel gets a different door depending on what moves through the opening and who is allowed to move it.

Tool crib security cage with a hinged service door in a maintenance shop

Tool Cribs & Parts RoomsSingle hinged door with a padlockable, sash-balanced slide-up service window (24″ W × 21″ H opening, 11-gauge shelf at 42-1/4″ off the floor) so parts move without opening the cage.

Driver access cage with a service shelf, mesh walls and a secured entry door

Driver & Trucker Access CagesSelf-closing hinged door with a push-bar exit and an electric strike tied to your card reader — drivers stay in a controlled vestibule and can always get out without help.

Controlled substance storage room with locking mesh cabinets and a secured vault door

DEA / Controlled SubstancesSelf-closing, self-locking universal hinged door in the 14-gauge box frame, alarm push bar, full ceiling enclosure and tamper-proof hardware accessible only from inside the cage.

Full-height wire mesh security enclosure with wide access doors in a distribution warehouse

Warehouse & DistributionDouble hinged or 8′–10′ sliding doors for forklift traffic, with electric openers on the larger leaves so drivers never dismount to open a cage.

Wire mesh data center cage door with a lock box in front of server racks

Data Centers & ColocationSliding door with electro-magnetic lock and proximity reader, giving you an auditable access trail on every cage without changing the cage footprint.

Open Wire Crafters tunnel door rolling on floor casters in a warehouse wire partition with no overhead header

Manufacturing & Crane BaysTunnel doors where an overhead crane rules out a track, and powered sliding doors on cells that are opened dozens of times a shift.

Security Cage Door Engineering & Selection

Frame and mesh construction

Standard doors are built from 10-gauge steel wire woven into 2″ × 1″ rectangular mesh, welded to a 1-1/4″ × 1-1/4″ × 1/8″ steel angle frame, with two horizontal and one vertical 1/4″ × 3/4″ steel flat stiffeners welded behind the mesh. That stiffening is why a 10′ sliding leaf does not rack or sag in service — and it is the first thing to compare when someone quotes you a cheaper door.

Hinges, tracks and trolleys

Hinged doors ride on three 4″ × 4″ 10-gauge tight-pin hinges. Sliding doors hang from 16-gauge track on two 4-wheel trolley trucks and latch into a patented tamper-resistant receiver (U.S. Patent 6,196,034 B1) whose overlapping tubular guards close off the gap a bolt cutter would normally reach through. Tunnel doors trade the overhead track for floor casters, which is the only practical answer under a crane rail.

Egress and code review

Any enclosure people work inside needs an egress plan, not just a lock. IBC Chapter 10 generally requires egress doors to be side-hinged swinging doors, with narrow exceptions for storage and factory areas with an occupant load of 10 or fewer and for horizontal sliding doors that meet the code’s breakout and operating-force provisions. In practice we specify a hinged door with push-bar exit hardware wherever staff are inside the cage, keep the swing out of the egress path, and confirm the layout with your local authority having jurisdiction before release.

Maintenance and adjustment

Doors are the only moving part of a partition, so they are the only part with a maintenance interval. Check hinge and trolley fasteners, latch alignment and floor-caster wear each quarter; on powered doors, test the photo eye and the anti-crush switch on the same schedule. Most “the door will not latch” calls we get are a door post pushed out of plumb by a forklift, which is why we recommend guarding every opening that sees powered traffic.

Confirm the clear opening you actually need — not the panel spacing you have
Decide whether a leaf can swing into the aisle or into the cage
Match the lock to how access is managed today (padlock program, keys, badges)
Specify push-bar egress on any enclosure staff work inside
Add an electric opener on sliding doors over 80 sq ft or in constant use
Guard the opening against forklift impact before it knocks the posts out of plumb

Security Cage Door FAQs

What is the standard opening size for a hinged security cage door?

Standard single hinged doors give a 3′ or 4′ wide by 7′ 3-1/4″ high opening, and double hinged doors give 6′ or 8′ wide by the same 7′ 3-1/4″ height. A transom panel sized to your partition height fills the space above the door, so the opening stays the same whether the cage is 8′ or 20′ tall. Custom sizes are available.

Can I add a door to a cage that is already installed?

Yes. Doors ship as complete assemblies with their own door posts, so an installer can cut a run of panels and set the door posts into the existing partition line. Hydraulic closers and electric strikes are also retrofittable to doors already in service. Send us photos and the panel dimensions and we will confirm what is needed before you order.

Which door should I use where a forklift drives through the opening?

Either a double hinged door or a sliding door in the 8′–10′ widths. Sliding doors are usually the better choice because the leaf never swings into the aisle or into the cage, and an electric opener lets the driver stay seated. Add corner guards or bollards at the opening — impact is the most common cause of door misalignment.

Do security cage doors satisfy building-code egress requirements?

It depends on the occupancy and the occupant load inside the enclosure, so the authority having jurisdiction has the final call. IBC Chapter 10 generally requires egress doors to be side-hinged swinging doors, with exceptions that include storage and factory areas with an occupant load of 10 or fewer and horizontal sliding doors that meet the code’s breakout and operating-force provisions. For any cage people work inside, we specify a hinged door with push-bar exit hardware and route the layout past your local code official.

When do I need an electric door opener?

Our manufacturing partners recommend a powered opener for sliding doors larger than 80 sq ft, and we recommend one on any door opened more than a few dozen times a shift. Openers use a standard 110V single-phase circuit and include a self-closing timer, anti-crush switch and photo eye, so the door closes behind traffic instead of being propped open.

Can doors be locked into our existing access-control system?

Yes. Electric strikes on hinged doors and electro-magnetic locks on sliding doors are compatible with most card-reader and credential systems, which is how data center and pharmacy cages get an auditable entry record. Tell us the reader manufacturer and we will confirm the strike and power requirements with the factory before release.

Need a Security Cage Door?

Send us the opening dimensions and how the door will be used. We will quote the door, posts, hardware and installation — and flag anything a code official will ask about before you buy.

Request a Quote Call (800) 326-4403