Aluclad Sliding Doors

Stargazers

Hi all,
We’re building on a kitchen and thinking of having 3.5m (total) aluclad sliding doors, centred in middle of room, opening out onto the garden.

This would be our only back door. So they’d be used quite a bit every day. Anyone know of any issue with this? Are they practical enough for having as a sole entrance to garden?

Stargazers

Stargazers wrote: »

Hi all,
We’re building on a kitchen and thinking of having 3.5m (total) aluclad sliding doors, centred in middle of room, opening out onto the garden.

This would be our only back door. So they’d be used quiet a bit every day. Anyone know of any issue with this? Are they practical enough for having as a sole entrance to garden?

Have you considered using aluminium instead of aluclad if it is a one off? Aluminium is lighter than aluclad and may be better if it is in constant use. Plenty of window companies offer very slick and light sliders.

Stargazers

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Have you considered using aluminium instead of aluclad if it is a one off? Aluminium is lighter than aluclad and may be better if it is in constant use. Plenty of window companies offer very slick and light sliders.

Haven’t considered it, just starting the research now. Thank you, will look into it.

JonathonS

One sliding and one fixed pane?

How high will the doors be?

Stargazers

JonathonS wrote: »

One sliding and one fixed pane?

How high will the doors be?

Yes one sliding one fixed, 2m high

metricspaces

Some other options that may help:
* Two fixed panels either side and two sliders in the middle
* Bifold doors - you can open one single panel, or all of them
* Two double doors. There are two particular companies based in Dublin that do nice slim frames which will make your two double doors look like four identical frames

beechwood55

We went with bifold rather than sliding. Really pleased with them.

JonathonS

Bifolds are OK when you use the first pane as a door, or when all the panes are folded back to completely open up the space to the garden (how many times a year will you enjoy that?). Most of the time it will be just the single pane opening, so then its just it's a very expensive door, and a window with a lot of obstructions.

Sliders are the way to go, you get a less obstructed view, and more reliable and airtight doors. I would not however have them as my only door into the garden, especially if I had children. As metricspaces has suggested you should look at other options too.

metricspaces

JonathonS wrote: »

Bifolds are OK when you use the first pane as a door, or when all the panes are folded back to completely open up the space to the garden (how many times a year will you enjoy that?). Most of the time it will be just the single pane opening, so then its just it's a very expensive door, and a window with a lot of obstructions. .

Just to add to this also. I was told by one of the big branded window companies that they stopped producing bifolds due to the number of issues with them. When you think about it too, there are so many moving parts and mechanisms so naturally a greatly probability of failure.

beechwood55

beechwood55 wrote: »

We went with bifold rather than sliding. Really pleased with them.

Tread carefully with bifold. I know at least one person who regrets putting them in. With our climate, you won't get too many chances to open them fully and when they are closed the view is more obstructed. They do tend to cause far more problems than regular sliders. I have spoken to lots of window manufacturers in the last few months and most warned me away from them.

Stargazers

metricspaces wrote: »

Just to add to this also. I was told by one of the big branded window companies that they stopped producing bifolds due to the number of issues with them. When you think about it too, there are so many moving parts and mechanisms so naturally a greatly probability of failure.

I have heard the same. I really want to go with the simplicity of one sliding alu clad door with one fixed pane. I don’t know how practical it will be though without another door.

beechwood55

Deleted User wrote: »

Tread carefully with bifold. I know at least one person who regrets putting them in. With our climate, you won't get too many chances to open them fully and when they are closed the view is more obstructed. They do tend to cause far more problems than regular sliders. I have spoken to lots of window manufacturers in the last few months and most warned me away from them.

We have lots of space so no issues with views being obstructed.
We have also used bifold doors in another property (regularly used them over a 10 year period) and have never had an issue.
However, I do realise that they may not be everyone's cup of tea!
Also, we went to 5 different suppliers and they all had a bifold option.

beechwood55

beechwood55 wrote: »

We have lots of space so no issues with views being obstructed.
We have also used bifold doors in another property (regularly used them over a 10 year period) and have never had an issue.
However, I do realise that they may not be everyone's cup of tea!
Also, we went to 5 different suppliers and they all had a bifold option.

Absolutely. I also realise in the when it comes to windows and doors, that the various companies just promote what they do and talk down other products. So, if they don't do bifold they are the worst thing in the world and if they do them they are the best. We just started ignoring the advice from the companies in the end and spoke to people who had them installed and were using them. That being said, I am not sure bifold is the best option if it is the only access to the back.

metricspaces

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolutely. I also realise in the when it comes to windows and doors, that the various companies just promote what they do and talk down other products. So, if they don't do bifold they are the worst thing in the world and if they do them they are the best. We just started ignoring the advice from the companies in the end and spoke to people who had them installed and were using them. That being said, I am not sure bifold is the best option if it is the only access to the back.

For what it is worth, the high-end window company that was telling me about the issues with bifolds used to produce bifolds and stopped doing so. But as you say, it is hard to distinguish facts from sales pitch - same will be true for someone who spent thousands on a certain door, they are not likely to tell you they are unhappy.

Surely a bifold is more ideal than a slider if it's your only access to back. With a bifold you can open one single panel and use it as a door. With a slider you need to slide across a big pane, much easier to open a door.

All things considered. It is only common sense that bifolds have greater chance of causing issues in comparison to a slider. Way more moving parts, way more seals etc.

Stargazers

metricspaces wrote: »

For what it is worth, the high-end window company that was telling me about the issues with bifolds used to produce bifolds and stopped doing so. But as you say, it is hard to distinguish facts from sales pitch - same will be true for someone who spent thousands on a certain door, they are not likely to tell you they are unhappy.

Surely a bifold is more ideal than a slider if it's your only access to back. With a bifold you can open one single panel and use it as a door. With a slider you need to slide across a big pane, much easier to open a door.

All things considered. It is only common sense that bifolds have greater chance of causing issues in comparison to a slider. Way more moving parts, way more seals etc.

The majority of feedback we’re getting is pro slider rather than bi fold. Won’t have to decide until new year so will look into it further. Thanks all

Nryan82

Stargazers wrote: »

Hi all,
We’re building on a kitchen and thinking of having 3.5m (total) aluclad sliding doors, centred in middle of room, opening out onto the garden.

This would be our only back door. So they’d be used quite a bit every day. Anyone know of any issue with this? Are they practical enough for having as a sole entrance to garden?

Hey, I know this thread is a long time back now, but I’m just wondering if you went for the sliding door after and how you found it , ie - traffic in terms of your only back door.

Thanks a mil. Be great to hear how it’s going.

Stargazers

Nryan82 wrote: »

Hey, I know this thread is a long time back now, but I’m just wondering if you went for the sliding door after and how you found it , ie - traffic in terms of your only back door.

Thanks a mil. Be great to hear how it’s going.

Hi, this was a big decision, researched it so much and gambled... ended up going for the one fixed, one sliding Aluclad with -snip-.
No issues with everyone using this as only back door. If you have kids, running in and out, they can slide it open/shut. They are really heavy doors, but slide easily. The quality is excellent.
Having the sliding one wide open on a nice day is great. No regrets!

Nryan82

Stargazers wrote: »

Hi, this was a big decision, researched it so much and gambled... ended up going for the one fixed, one sliding Aluclad with -snip-. See photo.
No issues with everyone using this as only back door. If you have kids, running in and out, they can slide it open/shut. They are really heavy doors, but slide easily. The quality is excellent.
Having the sliding one wide open on a nice day is great. No regrets!

Super, thanks a million for getting back to me. That’s great to know all is going well with it. It looks fab. Thanks again ����

rje66

Just jumping in here. I got a very similar door from -snip-. It works and looks good. But I get draughts coming from around edges. Is this common and is there a way I can reduce draught??

Ceady

Could you pm me with supplier pls

Ceady

Stargazers wrote: »

Hi, this was a big decision, researched it so much and gambled... ended up going for the one fixed, one sliding Aluclad with -snip-.
No issues with everyone using this as only back door. If you have kids, running in and out, they can slide it open/shut. They are really heavy doors, but slide easily. The quality is excellent.
Having the sliding one wide open on a nice day is great. No regrets!

Could you pm me supplier pls