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If you’re thinking of installing new external glass doors into your home, your first decision will often come down to whether you want bifolding or sliding doors. The current demand for slim sightlines and maximum glass panels is seeing more and more homeowners choose sliding patio doors, but with so many options available, which patio door is right for you?
To help you make an informed decision, we always recommend heading down to one of our showrooms and speaking with our experts. However, in the meantime, we’ve created this in-depth sliding door buying guide to cover everything you need to know.
WHAT ARE SLIDING PATIO DOORS?
As the name implies, sliding doors slide, while other doors, including bifolding doors, swing outwards or inwards on hinges. Sliding patio doors open and close by sliding horizontally along a track.
Traditional patio doors before 2010 were simple PVC doors with two panels—one sliding and one fixed in place. Today, the concept goes much further with options including 2, 3, 4, and 6 panel sliding doors, plus lift-and-slide doors and structurally bonded patio doors with minimal frames. This evolution of patio doors is driving their increased popularity, and we’ll cover everything in this comprehensive sliding doors buying guide.
HOW DO SLIDING DOORS WORK?
One of the benefits of sliding doors is that they are simple to operate and can’t be used incorrectly like bifolding doors can. Each sliding door panel has rollers in the bottom, which roll when opened and closed across a guide rail that sits in the bottom track of the doors’ outer frame.
Two-panel doors usually have one panel fixed and one sliding door that slides along the track. Triple track doors essentially have a deeper outer frame that allows for a second guide rail for two panels to slide behind the third fixed panel. Four and six-panel sliding doors operate using the same principles, with four panels typically installed onto a twin-track system and six-panel doors installed onto a triple-track system to allow a wider 66% clear opening.
How do lift and slide doors work?
Lift and slide doors are still patio doors, but rather than all the weight of the glass sitting directly on the rollers, a simple rotation of the ‘lift and slide’ handle elevates the glass away from the rollers making each panel much lighter to slide.
The same gearing also drops down to secure the rollers in place, meaning that lift and slide doors can be locked in an open position to allow ventilation into a property. Lift and slide doors are extremely popular with families with young children as locking them open means no worries about kids trapping their fingers. he lift and slide options is also popular with elderly homeowners as the doors are very light to slide, even with huge glass panels.
We have an operations and maintenance page with videos such as this one that shows how to properly operate our products, including sliding and lift and slide doors.
WHAT MATERIALS ARE SLIDING DOORS MADE FROM?
As with any type of bespoke window or door, the frames of sliding doors can be constructed using a variety of materials that cater to different aesthetics. The following are the most common:
- Aluminium
- Timber
- PVC
- Composite
All of these have their pros and cons as construction materials. However, it’s important to note that, here at Express, we exclusively produce our sliding doors from aluminium in order to give our customers a product that’s long-lasting, looks great and performs well for many years.
ALUMINIUM
In most cases, aluminium is the best material for constructing sliding doors, mainly due to its versatility and strength.
Aluminium is both strong and light, which ensures that aluminium sliding doors can contain slim profiles and sightlines while being durable enough to support large panes of glass that provide truly panoramic views. The slender nature of the profiles makes it ideal for creating triple-track sliding doors, something that isn’t really possible with other materials.
Plus, aluminium offers the added benefit that it doesn’t expand and contract in harsh weather making, it ideal for any climate and for the huge palette of colours and finishes that is available with aluminium.
TIMBER
With its classic and warm appearance, it’s clear why timber is another favourite for those interested in getting sliding doors. And if the wood is used alongside aluminium, it can help to reinforce the strength of the doors themselves, meaning they will ultimately last longer.
However, timber tends to require more maintenance than other materials and requires chunkier and heavier profiles to avoid warping and to operate correctly. Timber patio doors manufactured and installed by a specialist company can provide a well-insulated and stylish alternative to aluminium, but are best suited to traditional properties as they don’t provide the slim sightlines or clean lines that can be achieved with aluminium.
PVC
PVC might be the cheapest material option, but it’s also perhaps the least practical when looking for a door set wider than two metres. PVC often expands and contracts as a result of temperature change, making it impractical in dark colours and making opening and closing doors more difficult, which may become a security issue if improperly closed.
PVC is also much weaker than other materials and is less able to hold large panes of glass, so has much smaller maximum sizes than other materials and much bigger sightlines.
COMPOSITE
For something that seamlessly combines a traditional appearance with the practicality and performance of aluminium, composite patio doors are sometimes a popular choice.
Offering a traditional timber-clad finish with all the benefits of an aluminium on the outside of a property, composite is a strong candidate for period properties where homeowners don’t want a modern aluminium aesthetic. Composite bifolding doors, like their timber counterparts, are expensive, heavy to operate and don’t offer slim sightlines.
Can I have all panels sliding?
In principle, all panels can slide, but there are drawbacks to this method. More hardware and locks mean higher costs and can detract from the sleek look of the door in some installations, as well as doubling the risk of trapping fingers. The second set of hardware means that stoppers are required to prevent panels from smashing into handles, so they won’t stack flush or as neatly.
Having all panels sliding also means that the sliding door tracks must be exposed. Our XP Glide uses tread plates which box in the system, look neat, and reduce maintenance as nothing can get into the track when it’s closed, but these cannot be installed if all panels are sliding.
It’s very easy to simply answer “yes, all panels can slide”, but this will mean that you will see water in your bottom track, and leaves could get into the track and block drainage holes, adding to the required maintenance.
Once your home is furnished, you will create zones and get used to the flow and walk-through. There is rarely a real need to have all panels sliding — you just need to think about how you’ll use the doors in the space you’re creating. This is why it’s always worth visiting our showrooms and talking to our experts. With twenty years’ experience, we can give you honest and constructive advice, because while the easier answer may be “yes”, it might not be the best answer.
What does structurally bonded mean?
Traditional door manufacturing and installation methods involve making the door and then inserting the glass once it is installed. Structurally bonded refers to where the glass is actually bonded to the door frame to help give the door its structural integrity.
This method is required to achieve the slimmest sightlines, as rather than beading the glass into a door, the door and glass are combined as part of the manufacturing process, where the glass is essentially glued to the door frame.
This is a specialist type of manufacturing and requires specific lifting equipment, as well as careful consideration of how to get the heavy, fully glazed glass doors to site and installed safely. Our XP Slide Panoramic + is a fully structurally bonded system, but our XP Glide is a hybrid of the two. We manufacture the doors and install the glass, but then apply the structural bond on site between the interlock and the glass. This is why we can offer such a premium quality sliding door at a reasonable price, while still providing industry-leading slim sightlines of just 20mm.
What are virtually frameless sliding doors?
The term ’virtually frameless sliding doors’ refers to structurally bonded sliding doors that have an outer frame that is designed to be concealed and built into the fabric of the building. Our XP Slide Panoramic + falls into this category. The door’s outer frame conceals all of the profiles of the patio door and after it is installed, that same outer frame is concealed externally by cladding or render and internally by the floor and internal finishing, so all that is visible is the slender vertical sightline.
This is the most expensive type of sliding door as there is barely any tolerance, and the system needs to be designed into the extension or new build, so we need to be involved at the design stage with the architect and construction team to ensure the ‘virtually frameless’ aesthetic is achieved.
SLIDING DOOR GLAZING OPTIONS
A fundamental element of any patio door is the glass that’s used. A large sliding door can effectively become a glass wall, so it’s crucial that the correct glass specification is chosen.
There is a wide range of options available to homeowners when it comes to door glazing, as sliding doors can accommodate any type of glazing specification. However, one thing to bear in mind is that the thickness of each pane of glass increases as the panels get larger.
Below are some of the terms you need to look out for:
- Soft coat, thermal performance, and U values – A ‘soft coat’ is applied to modern glazing units, and this is what prevents heat from escaping from your sliding doors and windows. This soft coat will have a U value rating, the lower the U value, the better the glass is at keeping the heat in. Low E glass is another common term used.
There are some naughty companies in the glazing industry and some will give you the U value of the glass only. When talking about U values or thermal performance, it’s the overall U value of the sliding door and glass combined that is needed for building regulations, so make sure you always ask for the overall U value.
- Triple glazing – There is a debate in the industry about whether this offers good value or not. Triple glazing is heavy and can become very expensive in large sliding door panels, so the focus needs to be on those all-important overall U values.
The thermal performance of sliding door products varies greatly, so a really efficient double-glazed patio door system might achieve a better overall U value than a less efficient patio door system that is triple-glazed.
Here at Express, all our sliding doors surpass building regulations when double glazed with a good quality softcoat Low E glass, but if you want to push down your U values further, then triple glazing is available across our full range. With triple-glazing you need to bear in mind that if 6mm glass is required due to the size of the panel, then that 6mm thickness is needed in all three panes of glass, as is the case if 8mm glass is required – so the cost will increase dramatically if the panels are large.
- Laminated glass – This is another common word you might hear as it is stipulated by building regulations from a security point of view. Laminated glass is essentially two pieces of glass bonded together, and this central bond layer ensures that the glass cracks rather than shatters if it is attacked. Similar to a car windscreen or commercial shopfronts, laminated glass is definitely worth considering if you are concerned about security if if you need your new build or extension signed off by building control. Laminated glass does come with size limitations, though 6.8mm thickness can soon jump to 8.8mm thickness, and with that comes a huge increase in weight and cost. Similar to triple glazing, the glass specification in your sliding door will have a huge impact on the price, so glass spec, door size and number of panels are definitely worth discussing with our team.
What about keeping the heat out?
Living in the UK and potentially adding a wall of glass automatically makes you concerned about keeping the heat in your home, but glass enhances solar heat gain into a building, so if you’re south facing a solar control coating can be added to the external pane of glass to reduce the sun’s heat when it comes into your property.
Integral blinds
A great and contemporary option that works wonderfully well with bi-folding doors, but size limitations do affect how they integrate with sliding doors. The blinds are sealed within the glass and never need cleaning so when the patio doors are opened the blinds just sweep to one side along with the door with no curtain rails or external blinds blowing in the wind as they are sealed and protected within the glass units.
Integral blinds are available in all our patio doors, but once widths of 2400mm are exceeded, large commercial blinds are required, which are only suitable in our twin-track lift and slide doors. The blinds are available in a range of colours, and we can install remote operation blinds in two and four-panel lift and slide doors, which is a terrific way to add privacy and light control.
Visit the glazing section of our website to learn more about glass ranges and technologies, all of which can be installed into our patio doors.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF SLIDING DOORS?
As you might expect, there are plenty of benefits of sliding doors. Not only do they keep your home warm and secure, they also provide a huge source of natural light throughout the year.
THE BENEFITS OF PATIO DOORS
The following are just some of the major benefits associated with sliding doors:
- Security – our sliding doors are extremely secure thanks to multi-point locking systems on the master door, interlocking panels and anti-lift blocks in the head of all the panels. Because aluminium is a form of metal, it takes serious force to manipulate it, plus our aluminium profiles can also be combined with shatterproof laminated glass for enhanced security measures.
- Natural light – huge panes of floor-to-ceiling glass mean plenty of natural light can be welcomed into your home all year round.
- Air circulation – fully opening large sliding doors allows you to quickly freshen up the room and welcome in clean air.
- Easy maintenance – thanks to their aluminium construction and commercial grade power coating, our sliding doors are exceptionally dirt resistant and easy to maintain.
- Eco-friendly properties – unlike other materials aluminium is 100% recyclable.
- Easy to use – Whether a large patio door or a small two-panel set-up, patio doors are easy to use with a simple slide to one side for quick and easy access out to the garden.
- Indoor and outdoor living – Because sliding doors don’t have a rebated bottom track, it’s extremely easy to create the same floor level both inside and out. Our expert teams will advise your construction teams on site how to do this, but consistent floor levels will help to ensure a seamless transition from inside to out.
- Make your home desirable – flexible and open spaces are common requirements in today’s housing market, so sliding doors will increase your homes desirability and value should you sell it.
- Slim sightlines – a main driver for the popularity of sliding doors is slim sightlines. Vertical aluminium profiles as narrow as 20mm ensure that external views are maximised.
- Flexible opening configurations – sliding doors can span huge widths and heights, plus configurations ranging 2,3,4 and 6 panels mean that you can still create wide and clear openings, particularly when installing a triple track system, which allows for a 66% clear opening.
- Luxury views – with reduced frame sizes and huge panes, you get fantastically wide views over your garden.
THE DRAWBACKS OF SLIDING DOORS
The great benefits listed above also come with what some will consider drawbacks, of which the main ones include:
- Always a closed element – The biggest drawback when comparing sliding doors to bi-fold doors is that bifolding doors completely open up a space, whereas sliding doors will always have a closed element as the doors slide along but never leave the track. This means that while bifolding doors can offer a 90% clear opening two-panel patio doors can only ever offer a 50% clear opening or a 66% clear opening with triple-track sliding doors. Two other potentially negative considerations are:
Deep tracks
Typical doors and windows in the UK have a depth of around 70mm, whereas sliding doors are much deeper. This means that sliding doors aren’t ideal for rip-out and replacement installations as preparation work is needed for the property to house the sliding doors. Consideration also needs to be given to the drainage of the door,s as triple tracks in particular can hold water until it drains away.
- Property preparation –The depth of the tracks and weight of the glass mean that aluminium sliding doors can not be installed using traditional UPVC methods. The doors need to sit on a solid base and have solid fixing points all the way around so it can be secured in a structurally sound position. The doors also need to sit on a waterproof membrane that runs up the back of the bottom track and the water in the track needs an escape route. Large sliding doors are complex products so it’s important to work with an industry expert to ensure there will be no issues with the sliding door installation over time.
This video explains the property preparation in more detail.
COMMON PATIO DOOR FAQs
To ensure you get all the information you need to help make your decision on purchasing sliding doors, the following are our most frequently asked questions. Be sure to reach out to our team if your question isn’t answered below.
Are all sliding doors the same?
Most definitely not. The principles on how they open might be the same but there are huge differences in the quality of varied sliding door systems.
When should I start looking for patio doors?
When carrying out any home improvement project, it’s best to start looking as early as possible. The internet is the perfect way to start, and then inevitably your phone will start feeding you company adverts. This can be the start of your journey as you can start looking at company websites and learning about what products are available. Exhibitions are a fantastic way to check out various products in a short space of time and then of course you should always visit a showroom to see the quality of the doors first hand.
What should I look out for when buying patio doors?
There are lots of things to look out for. A sliding door will play such a key role in your property that it’s important to find an excellent product that will keep your home secure, keep your home warm, and of course, operate effortlessly for years. The quality of glass is crucial because tit makes up so much of the door, and in some case even makes up the structural integrity of the door, so an established company with quality suppliers is crucial, plus the hardware and the rollers is important. Data sheets will give you the thermal performance of the door, but it’s important that you look into where the product will be manufactured because you don’t want to buy from a third party who will put a mark-up on your doors and have no control over its quality. When purchasing sliding doors, it’s also important that it will be fully installed and guaranteed. Sliding doors need to be installed into a properly prepared opening, and due to the large glass and structural bonding requirements, it really does need to be carried out by a skilled industry professional.
From an aesthetic point of view, the sightline is often important, as is the maximum weight per panel because that gives an idea of the strength of the rollers. However, but the biggest sizes aren’t always better because of the increased glass cost and the need to install the doors safely.
Cheaper is definitely not better. You want quality hardware and lock cylinders, quality rollers and sliding doors that feels light and easy to use.
Weather ratings and IX values – ‘I want slim sightlines’ is a common request when looking at sliding doors, but you don’t want sightlines that compromise security or weather ratings. The vertical sightline in a door is rated by an IX value. This IX value lets you know what strength winds the system can cope with. There is no point have a slim sightline that bows and lets in drafts.
Here at Express, we will calculate your IX value based on your site postcode and can provide a 20mm sightline that is reinforced if required. We can also offer our lift and slide doors which are suitable for the most exposed locations in the UK, including coastal, cliff top and valley locations.
Can I have a flush threshold?
Yes, it is possible to have a flush threshold. Most patio door systems offer a completely level threshold so your internal floor can be set against the top of the track. The same can be achieved externally as long as proper site and drainage preparation is in place, which is something we can help with.
When should I ask for a survey?
Your finished floor level is crucial because no one wants a large step or trip hazard. Your finished floor level is determined by your choice of floor, style, underfloor heating etc, but once that is set, we can measure your doors to ensure the top of the patio door track hits your finished floor level perfectly.
Can patio doors replace existing doors and windows?
They can but a builder is then needed to prepare the opening for sliding doors. The depth of most patio door systems is deeper than PVC doors and windows, so replacing existing French doors, sidelights and other window systems will need structural work to the opening before the replacement sliding doors can be installed. Bi-folding doors are better suited to replacement installations.
HOW SECURE ARE SLIDING DOORS?
At Express, we take security very seriously. All of our patio doors are made using a multi-point locking system, interlocking profiles, and anti-lift blocks. This prevents intruders from lifting the door or prying it open.
All our doors also feature anti-snap and half-lock cylinders to maximise lock security, and our sturdy double-glazing prevents panes from being easily breached.
HOW CAN I STYLE SLIDING DOORS?
Like with every aspect of your home, we know you’ll want it to complement your personal tastes with your new doors. And when it comes to the aesthetical extras for sliding doors, there are many options to choose from with Express for both our doors and aluminium windows, we provide over 200 RAL colour options, as well as metallic and textured finishes, each of which uses a powder-coat paint that is baked onto the frames to prevent peeling and fading for up to 10 years.
We also have a range of handles including subtle lever and lift, and slide handles in various colours. We also offer steel bar feature handles which are available in stainless steel or textured black in a curved radius or clean square edge style.
HOW MUCH ARE SLIDING DOORS?
The price of your patio doors will depend on several factors, including how many panels you want to install, the type of glazing you choose, and the size of the doors themselves. For an idea of how much your new set of doors might cost, it’s best to get in touch with us for a quote.
Are express sliding doors bespoke?
Yes, all our patio doors are completely bespoke to each individual order.
What is the guarantee like?
The guarantee from Express is the most comprehensive in the industry. Five-year guarantee on any integral blinds because we don’t manufacture them, and then ten years on everything else except glass breakages. We can offer ten years on everything because our products are so good that if there is an issue when they’re installed, it’s usually just a small adjustment or a ten-minute job on site to rectify.
The difference between our ten-year guarantee and even twenty-year guarantees that some companies mention is that ours is fully comprehensive. As we survey, manufacture and install the product, there is no grey area, it’s all covered by Express. And as a family company that’s been trading since 2007 and with more than 300 employees nationwide, we have the infrastructure to back this up thanks to our dedicated aftersales team and field engineers. If your sliding door is catching, a handle is loose, or there is a slight draft as it needs adjusting all you need to do is e-mail [email protected] and within a week or so one of our engineers will attend site to rectify the issue and this service is in place for ten years from the day we complete your installation.
Is there much maintenance with sliding doors?
Aluminium patio doors are not far from being maintenance-free, they just need the odd clean down and the parts need to be lubricated frequently. The track also needs to be kept clear of dirt and debris, so cleaning out the bottom tracks once a month is the only real maintenance.
Why should I buy sliding doors from express bi-folding doors?
There are lots of reasons to buy from Express Bi-Folding Doors. We’re a family-owned company who have been manufacturing aluminium bi-folding doors since 2007. In fact, we were the first in the UK to offer bi-folding doors with a quick lead time – hence our name.
Our lead times are not our USP now; instead the fact that we have a world-class 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility making solely aluminium products is. We have the world’s leading CNC machinery and what we believe is the most skilled workforce in the industry, many of whom have been with us for nearly two decades.
Our guarantees are second to none, as are our showrooms where all our products can be explored, but one of the best things about Express is that we offer various sliding door systems, all of which are manufactured in-house and come with the same guarantees. We can simply talk through your requirements and your budget, and you can choose the product that is perfect for you and complement it with our wider range of window and door products.
Take a closer look
We know that there’s a lot to take into consideration when making any modifications to your home, but we hope that the information provided in this buying guide gives you a better idea as to whether our aluminium patio doors will suit your home.
Of course, if you want to learn more about your sliding door options, you can always request a brochure from us. To see each of our doors in person, it’s always a good idea to visit your nearest showroom. Finally, don’t forget to explore our blog for more detailed articles and buying guides like this one!
OUR SLIDING DOOR RANGE
ENGINEERED FOR LIGHT, BUILT FOR LIFE
From the slimmest sightlines through to heavy duty sliding patio doors ideally suited for installation in heavily exposed locations we have every option covered. Whether you’re looking for slim grey aluminium patio doors that are perfect to small homes to large sliding doors in black overlooking wide gardens our range of sliding doors is available in more than 300 colours and in 2,3,4 and 6 panel opening configurations.
Our most popular patio door systems boasts a sightline of just 20mm and is perfect for installations into new homes, extensions and even replacement installations. Available on a twin or triple track with a range of handle options this sliding door can enhance any space.
Heavy duty lift and slide doors are perfect for large doors and installations into exposed locations. The sightlines are thicker creating a bold appearance but the lift and slide mechanism makes these heavy doors effortless to slide, open and close.
Heavy duty lift and slide doors are perfect for large doors and installations into exposed locations. The sightlines are thicker creating a bold appearance but the lift and slide mechanism makes these heavy doors effortless to slide, open and close.
Our lightweight lift and slide offering that combines a 25mm sightline with lift and slide functionality, available on a twin track only.
creating beautiful homes since 2007
Sliding patio doors have become increasingly popular since our inception in 2007. The growing demand for more glass and thinner frames has seen homeowners preference shift from bi-folding doors over to the large format glazing achieved with sliding doors.
Thanks to our huge manufacturing capabilities and stock holding we’re able to offer a range of bi-fold and sliding door products, plus all the doors and windows required to make any house a home. We have manufactured and installed hundreds of thousands of patio doors and have thousands of customers enjoying our products in their homes every day. Our experience and expertise is why we’re seen as the UK’s leading specialist manufacturer and installer of aluminium glazing products and that’s why we’re able to offer our customers the very best advice and the best tailored solutions for their project.
REAL HOMES. STUNNING RESULTS
Discover How Our PATIO Doors Transform Homes Across the UK
Since 2007 we’ve contributed to some of the most wonderful homes in the UK. Take a look through our online case studies to see various examples of how our twin and triple track sliding doors have been installed to create some truly stunning spaces. We have also handpicked some projects below to hopefully give you some ideas and home inspiration.
