Guide
The parts of a shopfront explained
A traditional shopfront has a fascia at the top, a pilaster at each side, a stall riser along the bottom, and glazing and a door in the middle. A cornice and corbels finish the top. Modern fronts use the same layout in aluminium and glass. Knowing the names helps you brief a contractor and read planning drawings.
Last updated 3 November 2026. General guidance only: confirm anything legal with your council or adviser.
- Fascia and signNew signSign repair
- Projecting signNew sign
- Shutter box and curtainNew shutterShutter repair
- GlassReplace glassMisted units
- Frame and mullionsNew frameFrame repair
- DoorNew doorDoor repair
- Door closerCloser repair
- LocksLock repair
- Floor springFloor spring repair
- Stall riserRiser repair
- Threshold and accessLevel access
What are the parts at the top?
The fascia is the flat band that carries the shop name. Above it, a projecting cornice throws rain clear of the sign. At each end, a corbel or console closes off the fascia and sits over the pilaster. Older fronts may hide a blind box here, holding a retractable awning, and some still keep the original fascia behind later panels.
What are the parts at the sides?
Pilasters are the flat columns that frame the shop and separate it from the next unit. They usually stand on a plinth, which takes the knocks at pavement level. On modern fronts the same job is done by aluminium box sections, stone cladding or tiled piers, which should still line up with the structure above.
What are the parts in the middle?
The glazed area is divided by mullions, which run vertically, and transoms, which run horizontally. Slim glazing bars split large windows into smaller panes on traditional fronts. A fanlight may sit above the transom, and the door is often set back in a recess. A sightline is the visible width of any of these frames.
Modern glazing brings a few more terms. A sealed unit is a pair of panes joined around the edge, a spacer bar holds them apart, and a thermal break stops the cold passing through an aluminium frame. On frameless doors, patch fittings at the corners do the job of the frame.
What are the parts at the bottom?
The stall riser is the solid panel below the window, traditionally timber, tile, brick or stone. It lifts the glass away from the pavement and takes bumps from trolleys and feet. A cill on top sheds water away from the glazing, and the threshold at the door is the point that matters most for step-free access.
Why do these names matter?
Planning drawings and council guides use these terms, so the names help you see what is being proposed. Councils often set out how deep a fascia should be or how high a stall riser should sit. Quotes use the same words, so you can check what is being kept, repaired or replaced. Our glossary has the rest.