What to Look for in a Quality Glazed Sliding Door

Over the past decade, the popularity of sliding doors has grown rapidly. Slender framed systems have become the go-to option for many people undertaking a self build or renovation project, surging ahead of bifolds. Offering large glazed panels and minimal framing to interrupt the view out, sliders look great when closed – which glazed doors tend to be, more often than not, given the British climate. This has been a key factor in their meteoric rise.

As this style of door has grown more popular, so system choice has increased. This can make it harder to gauge quality and make the best choice for your home. To help make that process easier, here are some key features to look for.

Slim Sightlines Done Properly

Sightlines are the visible elements of frame between the glass. For sliding doors, they can be as slim as 20mm, meaning a span of up to 9m could be broken up by just 4cm of frame.

When it comes to identifying a high-quality sliding door frame with good sightlines, depth matters just as much as width. There’s no point opting for a really narrow frame if the door then requires a chunky reinforcing profile or fin on the leading edge.

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A stylish modern kitchen extension has completely transformed this 16th century home in Suffolk. Photo: Chris Taylor Photography

Not only does this spoil the aesthetic of the door, it also means the frame is anything but narrow when viewed from an angle. Instead, look for a system where the frame finishes flush to the glass. This means it will look slim from any aspect, not just from face on.

Good Choice of Configuration Options

Whatever the width and height of the aperture, getting the right configuration of door panels is crucial to create the best possible look and make the most of the opening. Many sliding door systems have limitations on how many panels can slide behind a fixed frame, which reduces your options. So, look for a sliding door system that has a wide range of configuration options to best suit your project, rather than to meet manufacturing limitations.

Three panels sliding behind a fourth fixed frame is great for creating a three-quarter wide opening, for instance. Or for real wow factor, opting for a pocket door setup where the panels slide into the wall will always turn heads.

Glazing Method

Can a sliding door system really be classed as a premium product (regardless of how much it costs or how well engineered it is) if you would need to replace an entire door panel should a sealed unit accidentally break in years to come?

This contemporary extension features theEDGE2.0 sliding doors from IDSystems across the entire elevation, delivering a stunning connection between inside and out. Photo: Chris Taylor Photography

This is the risk homeowners face with fully bonded sliding doors, where the sealed glazed unit is permanently glued to all four sides of the frame to achieve the required rigidity. Whilst your home insurance policy probably covers replacing the glass, it’s unlikely to stretch to changing the entire panel or the labour required to remove it from the outer frame once plaster and finished floors are installed.

High-Performance Running Gear

This is hard to judge just by looking at the door (ask to see the hardware itself) but the quality of the running carriages the doors slide on can make a massive difference to how easy they are to open and close.

For a premium quality system, you should definitely be looking at stainless steel running gear. Over time, nylon wheels risk buckling or bending under the weight of large, glazed panels. High-performance quad-wheel stainless steel carriages offer the ultimate in effortless sliding.

Edward Stobart Edward Stobart is technical sales manager at IDSystems, which is a multiple Build It award-winning glazing specialist. The company has over 25 years’ experience delivering wow-factor glazing for self builds, home extensions and renovations. Edward works closely with self builders to offer advice and support on all aspects of glazing. For more information visit the IDSystems website or speak with one of IDSystems’ technical sales team on 01603 408804.