Select The Right Aluminium Sliding Doors

Recently, aluminium sliding doors have become very popular in interior design. They add a modern and practical look to your home. The reason they are so popular is because they are much cheaper than a wooden or metal door and take are very affordable to maintain. An aluminium sliding door is a door with an aluminium frame and usually two glass panels.

Other types of panels, including metal and hardwood, are also found but they are not readily available in the market. This type of aluminium doors serve very well as a patio door as well as interior doors and dividers. As sliding doors move along a groove, they consume less space and offer a wider way than traditional doors. This means you can use them instead of hinge doors to make room for your furniture or just use them in the middle of a room to provide a little privacy.

Things to know

Basic aluminium sliding doors have two glass panels. One panel remains fixed while the other slides when the door handle is pushed open or pulled closed. Aluminium French sliding doors are double-sliding and both doors are moveable.

Many sliding doors move along the grooves with the help of little rollers. This type of grooves need to cleaned regularly otherwise dust may clog the grooves thus jamming the doors.

While many aluminium sliding doors have clear glass panels, some may feature metal openwork patterns inside the glass or they may have an etched or frosted pattern. Some sliding commercial doors for businesses are made of glass panels with an aluminium trim. Sometimes patio doors use textured openwork metal panels instead of glass. This way, the door allows light and air to enter the house yet maintains a classy look.

Buying an aluminium sliding door

Shopping for an aluminium sliding door can be a little overwhelming. You will find hundreds of different aluminium frames and even more glass and other panels. So, when you are purchasing a sliding door where do you begin and what do you look for?

The first thing to pay attention to is the frame. Aluminium frames are cheaper but they do come in a large variety of shapes and sizes with an equally elaborate price range. For the most economical of sliding doors you are likely to be looking at basic aluminium frames. Single part hollow aluminium extrusion is usually the frame of choice for lower priced models. As wood is really high-priced and aluminium is the more practical choice you may be looking for a frame what is known as a wood clad frame. This is an aluminium frame with a fitted outer wood cover. This reduces the price yet conserves the natural feel of a wooden frame. Another thing you might want to look for is a thermo-brake aluminium frame. These are essentially constructed in two pieces so that in very cold weather, you won’t get frost on the aluminium inside panel.

The type of the panel is the second biggest concern while buying a sliding door. There are two major types of glass panels – single and double pane. Double pane glasses also known as IG unit can be tempered. This means that if they break they will not shatter or create a safety hazard. Therefore double pane glasses are more advisable. One of the newest trends in sliding doors is Low-E, or low emissivity glass. Low-E glasses are used to create energy efficient doors and windows. They reflect heat back to its source rather than absorbing and transmitting it inside your home. The other benefit to Low-E glasses is that it will help reduce ultraviolet light transmission preventing your carpet furniture, and door coverings from fading and discoloring.

The last thing to concern yourself with is the type of hardware used. Most sliding doors use a single point lock which is usually a hook style latch that locks by hooking into the door frame. Single point locks are not secure because the door can easily be lifted up right out of the frame even if the door’s handle is in lock position. Double point locks are better alternative. They use two hooks, each on the opposite direction locking the door firmly with the frame thus zeroing the possibility of lifting out the door.

There are plenty of aftermarket products available for a sliding door that can be added. Blocking bars can be added for security. They extend across the stationary side of the sliding door blocking the door from being opened. If the blocking bar is made of a substantial metal it will provide a good degree of security. Another add-on security option is a security pin. These devices are usually installed at the very bottom or top of the inside of the door, to prevent the door from opening when pinned.

Top 3 recommendations

The price of an aluminium sliding door ranges from $300 to $600. There are many features of these sliding doors to be considered. This may hamper your judgment so following are the top three recommendations to help you.

West Palm 72″W Clear Aluminium Sliding Patio Door Unit W PALM SDCE 33045 WH

At $390 this minimalistic white colored aluminium sliding glass door is a perfect choice to add a practical flavor to your patio. It requires very low maintenance and is fully weather-stripped for a tight seal. It comes with a clear glass panel and a 1-year warranty.

Croft LLC F85396 Aluminium Reversible Sliding Glass Patio Door Kit

This double sliding door features a new type of hardware providing maximum security. It comes with a double pane tempered glass so safety issues should be greatly reduced. The aluminium frame can be found in two color finishes – bronze and white. This great door is priced at $460.

Silver Line 57WA60LMMN 6/0 X 6/8 Series 5700 White Vinyl Patio Door, With 15 Lite Internal Grids

If you are looking for a modern look for your patio door then this surprisingly well designed sliding door is meant for you. The modern yet classy square grid on the panel instantly grabs the everybody’s attention. It features a thermo-brake aluminium sill and a 1” tempered IG glass pane. It comes with a limited life time warranty which explains its high price of $575.

Conclusion

An aluminium sliding door may be in your home for years. So before you jump to conclusions weigh your options and go for the best buy. Otherwise you may regret your decision for a long time.

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Interior Sliding Doors – Choices and Factors to Consider

An interior sliding door is a door that slides along a track and provides door access from room to room or the outdoors. Interior sliding doors open horizontally by sliding along a track. They are mounted on or suspended from the track and slide in either direction on roller wheels. There are many different types of sliding doors available to consumers today. They can be broken down into the following four categories:

  1. Pocket doors – They are most commonly in areas where there is no room for a hinged door. A pocket door will slide into a space or pocket, designed inside the adjacent wall. The rollers are commonly located on an overhead track although floor tracks are also available.
  2. Arcadia doors – These doors are made of glass and are rectangular shaped. An Arcadia sliding door is mounted on rollers parallel to a fixed glass panel of similar shape. One side remains stationary while the other can move along the track. These doors are used most frequently as a barrier between the interior and exterior of a home usually leading to a backyard or patio area. When used like this an Arcadia door is normally referred to as a patio door.
  3. Bypass doors – They are set on tracks and designed to open the full width of the frame. They slide past and behind one another when open. When closed they stand adjacent to one another and effectively block the opening or entrance. Common uses for bypass doors are closets and pantries.
  4. French doors – French doors although, typically swinging are now available in sliding variations to save space. They have the look of traditional French doors but are modified to slide instead of swing forward into a room.

There are some basic factors to consider before installing an interior sliding door. These factors can be looked at from the point view of the merits and demerits accrued from installation of the appliance and how suitable it is to your needs. Let us first look at the advantages:

  • Space Saving – As compared to standard doors, interior sliding doors offer a lot of space savings. For example a 3ft wide door requires three sq ft on the opening side for it to open entirely and requires that no obstructions be in those 3 sq ft of space. Items can occupy the space on either side of a sliding door without causing any obstructions in its operation.
  • Choices – There are many choices in the design of interior sliding doors. There are a variety of types of sliding doors and the materials used to make them. For example wooden sliding doors are available in many wood tones and mirrored doors can create the illusion of a much larger space.
  • Wide openings – Sliding doors generally have a larger opening than a hinged door. This provides easy access from room to room. For example, some large items require disassembly to enter through a hinged door which adds time and extra work in moving items but this will not be the case while using a sliding door.

The disadvantages of interior sliding doors:

  • Installation – The installation process is not easy as compared to standard hinged doors. The installation involves putting tracks on both the top and bottom of the door frame and positioning them perfectly so that the door won’t be crooked or difficult to slide. The bottom of the sliding door may also have wheels that you must align to the tracks.
  • Sensitivity to dust and grime – Since the track is made up of a series of grooves it can accumulate large amounts of debris. It then becomes  an ideal place for mold and mildew to form especially on sliding doors for showers, since the door sits on top of the track for long periods of time and is constantly exposed to moisture.
  • Door jams – Over time, a sliding door can eventually develop jamming issues due to dirt or rust from the metal parts. In the case of a door jam the sliding door becomes difficult to move and may not close completely. The door might even jump off of the track which would then require a whole new installation. Therefore you may have to grease the tracks regularly in order to keep the sliding door moving properly but eventually you will probably have to reinstall the entire door if jamming becomes an issue. This is more common in aluminum and glass sliding doors, which are heavy and can be very difficult to move.

Therefore having looked at the above factors it would be best to first consider your needs budget and commitment to maintenance of the interior sliding doors before installing one.

 

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