Louvres

Operable Louvres

Operable Aluminium Louvres

Features

Overview

Operable aluminium louvres are angled blades that pivot on a linked mechanism, so the blade angle can be changed after installation rather than being set at manufacture. Knotwood operable louvres adjust through a control bar that moves every blade in a panel together, letting one elevation go from open to closed as the sun, wind or privacy requirement changes through the day.

Where It Fits

Built to Perform

Sizes & Options

Take a Closer Look

The Control Bar

The control bar fixes into each end of the blades once they are all in and rotating freely. That is what turns a stack of independent blades into a single panel: after this step, one movement of the bar drives every blade together.

Complete System

Profiles

Suite

Shutter - Blade
88mm

KELB

Shutter
Operable Control Bar

KELOC

Shutter
Operable H Section

KELOH

Shutter - Operable Rail
Adjustable

KELORAM

Shutter - Operable Rail
Mid

KELORM

Shutter - Operable Rail
Side

KELOS

Shutter - Operable Rail
Bottom

KELOR

Shutter - Operable Rail (LRG)
Bottom

KELORAFL

Shutter - Operable Rail (SML)
Bottom

KELORAFS

Shutter - Operable Track
Bottom

KELOTB

Shutter - Operable Track
Top

KELOTT

Shutter - Blade - 88mm

KELB

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DWG

Customisation

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Specification

Product Details.

Material

Tempered Extruded Aluminium Alloy.
*See individual profile specification sheets for exact alloy and temper.

Country of Origin

Australia

Length

6500mm

Finish

Sublimated Timber Grain and Powder Coat Base.

Availability

Lead times can vary between 2–4 weeks, depending on the time of year. Contact us for an accurate estimate.

Warranty Life

Backed by a standard 15 year warranty and up to 25 years on selected finishes.
See our warranty page for the terms.

Maintenance

Periodic washing with water and a pH neutral detergent.

Sustainability

Recyclable Aluminium
Non-Chromate Pre-Treatment
VOC free Powder Coat

Performance Requirements

Performance Standards

AS/NZS 1866 - Aluminium alloy extrusions.

AS 3715-2002 - Metal Finishing Surface Coating.

Fire Standards

AS 1530.1-1994 - Combustibility testing for materials.

AS/NZS 1530.3-1999 - Methods of fire testing on materials.

AS 3959 (BAL40) - Building construction in bushfire prone areas.

FAQs

What is the difference between operable aluminium louvres and fixed louvres?

Operable aluminium louvres have adjustable blades that rotate to vary airflow, light and privacy on demand. Fixed Louvres have permanently set blades and cannot be adjusted once installed. Operable Louvres are the right choice where conditions change throughout the day or season, Fixed Louvres are better suited where a consistent, low-maintenance privacy and shade solution is preferred. Both sit within the Knotwood aluminium louvres range.

How do operable aluminium louvres work?

Knotwood operable aluminium louvres use 88mm blades mounted in a framed system and linked by a control bar. Tilting the control bar simultaneously adjusts the angle of all blades, allowing you to control the amount of light, airflow and privacy passing through the screen.

Can operable louvres be motorised for remote operation?

Knotwood operable aluminium louvres are designed for manual operation via the control bar as standard, confirmed against the QSG. For motorisation options on larger or hard-to-reach installations, contact Knotwood’s technical team to discuss compatible solutions for your project.

Can operable louvres be installed vertically or horizontally?

Both orientations are used. Horizontal blades are the more common arrangement, where the blade angle is adjusted to intercept the sun through the day. Vertical blades suit an elevation where low morning or afternoon sun is the problem, or where the design calls for a vertical rhythm. The frame and control bar system works the same way in both cases. Send us your elevation and orientation and our technical team will confirm the setout.

How much airflow do operable louvres provide?

Fully open, the blades sit close to parallel with the airflow and let air move through the opening with little obstruction. Tilted to a mid-position, airflow is partially restricted while the sightline through the screen closes down, which is the setting most spaces sit at through the day. Fully closed, airflow is reduced to what passes between the blade joints. That range is the practical difference from a fixed screen, where the balance between airflow and privacy is set once at fabrication and never changes. It is what makes the system suited to outdoor living areas, pergolas and balconies, where conditions shift through the day and through the year.

Do operable aluminium louvres keep rain out when closed?

Closed blades shed water and will keep light rain off the space beneath, which is why operable systems are common over alfresco areas and balconies. They are a shading system rather than a sealed roof, though, so in heavy or wind-driven rain some water will pass through the blade joints. Two things follow from that. Water shed off a closed run has to go somewhere, so guttering and fall need designing in rather than added later. And if the space underneath has to stay dry in all conditions, a solid roof is the right answer and the louvres become a screen rather than the cover. Tell us how you want to use the space through the year and our technical team will confirm whether an operable system suits it or whether you need a combination.

What structural standards apply to operable aluminium louvres?

Operable louvre systems are designed against the AS/NZS 1170 series for structural actions, including AS/NZS 1170.2 for wind actions, with AS/NZS 1664.1 for aluminium structures. Blade span, blade profile and frame sizing depend on the wind region and the opening, and an operable system carries additional load through the blade pivots and control linkage. Send us your elevations and site address and our technical team will confirm the sizing.

What structural preparation do operable louvres require?

Operable Louvres require a pre-prepared structural opening or frame into which the louvre assembly is fixed. The frame is assembled first, squared, then fixed into the opening using fixing plates or approved concealed fixing methods, with each blade taking a pivot cap at both ends before it goes in. Because the opening has to be square and the fixing is structural, this is installer work rather than a DIY job. Send us your opening dimensions and our technical team will confirm the frame configuration.

Are operable louvres non-combustible and suitable for bushfire zones?

Knotwood aluminium is not deemed combustible when tested to AS 1530.1, and achieves a Spread of Flame Index of 0 to AS/NZS 1530.3. The profiles also hold a Group Number 1 classification under AS 5637.1, the highest of the four classifications for wall and ceiling linings. Bushfire construction is assessed against AS 3959 using the Bushfire Attack Level for the site, and compliance is determined by the assembly rather than the material alone. Louvre systems have not been assessed as a standalone bushfire element, so send us your BAL rating and the application and our technical team will confirm what we can supply.

What warranty do Knotwood operable louvres come with?

Knotwood operable louvres carry a powder coat warranty to AS 3715, and the term depends on the finish you specify. Woodgrain finishes use Interpon D STF and carry up to 15 years. Standard colours carry 10 years on Interpon D1000, or 25 years on Interpon D2525, the ultra-durable coating used on prestigious commercial and high-rise projects. All warranties must be registered to take effect. Full terms and the registration form are on our warranty page.

How much do operable aluminium louvres cost?

Knotwood does not publish fixed pricing, because louvre systems are quoted on specification. The main variables are the finish, the blade profile, the span and the number of panels. Operable systems also carry the control mechanism, and motorisation adds actuators and wiring, so the specification affects the figure more than it does on a fixed system. Send us your elevations and we will quote it.

What maintenance do operable aluminium louvres need?

Periodic washing with water and a pH-neutral detergent is all that is required, and more often on coastal installations to clear salt deposits. The difference from a fixed system is the moving parts: check the pivot caps and control bar annually to confirm the blades still rotate freely through their full range, and clear leaves and debris from between the blades, since debris caught in the linkage is what causes uneven movement.

Why Knotwood?

Locally Made.
Reliable Service

Free Estimations
& Support

Extensive Range of
Wood Grain Finishes

CPDs & Educational Support

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Louvres

Operable Louvres

Operable Aluminium Louvres

Features

Take a Closer Look

Profiles

Customisation

Operable

Orientation

Downloads

Specification

Product Details.

Performance Requirements

FAQs

What is the difference between operable aluminium louvres and fixed louvres?

How do operable aluminium louvres work?

Can operable louvres be motorised for remote operation?

Can operable louvres be installed vertically or horizontally?

How much airflow do operable louvres provide?

Do operable aluminium louvres keep rain out when closed?

What structural standards apply to operable aluminium louvres?

What structural preparation do operable louvres require?

Are operable louvres non-combustible and suitable for bushfire zones?

What warranty do Knotwood operable louvres come with?

How much do operable aluminium louvres cost?

What maintenance do operable aluminium louvres need?

Why Knotwood?

Locally Made. Reliable Service

Free Estimations & Support

Extensive Range of Wood Grain Finishes

CPDs & Educational Support

More on Louvres

Why More Australian Designers, Developers, and Contractors Are Choosing Knotwood.

Is All Aluminium the Same?

Queensland Small Business Month Spotlight: Knotwood

Need More Help?

Want some samples?

Speak with a Knotwood Expert

Need more technical info?

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Fixed Louvres