Sliding doors, also known as patio doors, are a stylish door system that’s popular with many homeowners. Unlike alternatives such as bifold or French doors, sliding doors do not open with hinges, but simply glide open along a track.
A key benefit of sliding patio doors is their potential to offer floor-to-ceiling glazed panels. To make the most of this feature, Origin aluminium Sliding Doors boast incredibly slim sightlines, meaning you can enjoy less frame and more glass. This article will cover the benefits of our slim frame design, as well as the main considerations when deciding if sliding doors are the right choice for you.
- What are sightlines?
- Benefits of slim frame sliding doors
- Considerations when buying slim frame sliding doors
- Frequently asked questions
What are sightlines?
With sliding doors, sightlines refer to the width of profile of a door or window in between panels of glass. When a door has slim sightlines, it means that more glass and less profile will be visible, so your view is more enhanced. When considering a sliding door, most people want to fill a large expanse with as much glass as possible, so opt for the slimmest frame/sightline possible to offer the most striking effect.
Origin Sliding Doors have strong, high-quality aluminium frames which can be much narrower than alternatives made from other materials, without compromising on the strength or security of the door. Our OS-20 Artisan Slider model boasts an incredibly thin 20mm sightline, and our OS-44 and OS-77 Patio Sliders offer slim sightlines of just 44mm and 77mm each.
Benefits of slim frame sliding doors
Our slimline aluminium sliding doors offer a wide range of benefits to make your home a more inviting living space.
Let more light in
The main benefit of slim sightlines is that the larger glazed panels allow more light to come in. The slimline aluminium frame blocks out very little sunlight, so natural light can flood into the room. Whether you use these external doors in your kitchen, lounge or anywhere else, they can instantly make any space seem brighter, more spacious and more welcoming.
Stylish door designs
Our aluminium patio doors boast a beautiful, modern finish that will complement any home. The slim frame creates a sleek look which won’t compromise the interior design of your home. You won’t have to endure bulky, unsightly frames when you choose a door from our range.
The frame is also available in a range of colours—over 150 RAL colours to be precise. This means you could match the finish to your other windows and doors, or even your wallpaper. The wall-to-wall glass effect created by these slim sliding doors offers a universally stylish look that would equally suit a contemporary townhouse and a rural farmhouse.
Open up your home
A slimline aluminium sliding door can make a space feel larger. The glazing allows an abundance of natural light to flood the room, creating the effect of a glass wall that offers an open, airy feel. When the doors are open, they create a smooth flow from your home to your garden and expand your living area. Even when the doors are closed, the floor-to-ceiling glass reveals the view outside, drawing your eye out into the open space and giving the illusion of a larger room.
Our sliding door systems also have bottom tracks that can be recessed into the floor, which provides a seamless transition from the home to the garden and reduces the risk of trips and falls.
Strong, high-quality materials
The inherent strength and durability of our aluminium means that our slimmest frames can comfortably support huge glass panels without compromise on security. You can enjoy stunning aesthetics and gain fantastic natural light benefits with complete peace of mind.
Considerations when buying slim frame sliding doors
Although sliding doors offer a number of benefits, there are some considerations to bear in mind when deciding if these are the right doors for you.
Are patio doors secure?
Choosing doors that look beautiful and keep you and your loved ones safe is essential, which is why we’ve ensured our aluminium sliding doors reach strict security standards.
Origin Sliding Doors are of the highest standard. From the strong aluminium frame to the secure multi-point locking systems, you’re in safe hands.
The greenhouse effect?
You may think the expanse of glass and natural light could mean these doors leave your home feeling like a greenhouse in the summer. However, our designs ensure that is not the case. All of our doors feature a polyamide thermal break which limits heat transfer from one environment to the other side. In real terms, this means that in winter when you have heating on, the doors will limit how much heat escapes, whilst in summer, they will keep the cooler air in, leaving your home feeling comfortable all year round.
How long does installation take?
Depending on the size, external patio doors can take slightly longer than standard swing doors to install. However, the exact time depends on whether you are starting from scratch or replacing an existing set of doors. It will also depend on the configuration and number of doors you choose. Fortunately for our nationwide network of installers, our premium aluminium doors are designed to be installed quickly and easily, with minimal construction required on site. As a result, you can enjoy your new doors sooner and with less disruption to your day-to-day life. To find your local installer, click here.
Will sliding doors suit your style?
Style is a highly personal matter, which is why we offer a range of custom and bespoke features. As well as the colour of the frame and the style of the handle, you can pick the size, number and configuration of door panels.
The sleek, modern finish of slim frame sliding glass doors is a perfect addition to a contemporary home. The design takes up minimal floor space, so is ideal for urban homes where living space can often be limited. These door systems are equally suitable for rural homes, as they enable you to fully embrace and enjoy your surroundings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the thermal performance of sliding patio doors?
Patio doors offer fantastic thermal efficiency, to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. All of our sliding doors meet the British Building Regulation standard for thermal efficiency. The OS-44 and OS-77 even reach an impressively low U-Value of 1.3 when using triple glazing.
How do you fix a draughty sliding door?
If your patio door is letting in a draught, it usually means that the weatherproofing has shrunk, stopped working efficiently, or come out of place. You can try and rectify this by adding additional weather strips where the door panels meet the fixed outer frame.
However, if you’re after a new door, our sliding aluminium doors feature durable weatherproofing such as gaskets and seals, and are guaranteed for up to 20 years depending on your system and location. If any of our doors don’t maintain these standards, your chosen installer will work with us for parts to replace the relevant part for you.
How do you clean aluminium sliding door tracks?
Keeping patio door tracks clean is simple. Just hoover or sweep up any large bits of debris, wash the track with some diluted soap and water, then dry it off thoroughly with a cloth. These simple steps will reduce build-up gathering on the tracks and keep your door gliding open with ease. Period lubrication of the running gear will also keep it moving nice and smoothly, too.
How long do sliding glass doors last?
Our aluminium patio doors are built using the highest-quality materials to ensure they look and work well for years to come. We are so confident in their quality, we provide an industry-leading guarantee of up to 20 years dependent on location.
If aluminium sliding doors sound like the right option for you, find your local installer today to start your journey.
