Glazed doors: the options
Creating light-filled living spaces, framing views and establishing streamlined connections between inside and out – glazed doors are high up on the wish list for many homeowners. Rebecca Foster guides us through the design options
With natural light high on the list of most self builders’ priorities, Rebecca Foster breaks down the various styles
Sliding systems
For a sleek, minimal aesthetic, sliders tend to be the go-to choice as the span of glass is uninterrupted by the vertical mullions you’d get with bifolds. “If you’re after slim frames to maximise the amount of glass, you’d typically go down this design route,” says Edward Stobart, head of projects at Idsystems. “With narrower frames, it’s possible to fit larger sealed units, maximising the glazed area and breaking down the boundaries between inside and out.”
The panels sit on a fixed floor track and glide back to sit one in front of the other, creating an opening of around 60% of the full aperture. As the glazed leafs sit parallel to one another when the doors are open, you won’t need to leave space for them to stack, as you would with bifold panels that sit perpendicular to the track. This makes sliders a smart choice for homes that are limited on space. Aluminium is a popular frame material, as it is lightweight yet strong, which means it can support large spans of glass without the need for chunky surrounds.
But as with any design, there are some considerations to bear in mind. “Remember to factor in solar gain and overheating when specifying large glazed doors,” says Brian Skov from Idealcombi. “Lots of glass will look great, but if you don’t make sure you have the proper shading your home can get very hot in summer months.”
When researching glazed doors, it’s worth visiting the showrooms of potential suppliers so you can try the units out for yourself. “Don’t overlook how easy it will be to operate the doors,” says Idsystems’ Edward. “Sliders with incredibly narrow frames at the base tend to have smaller running gear wheels, which can make the panels of the doors feel heavier to operate.” Plus, if you’re simply looking for a convenient back door to nip in and out of the garden, multi-panel sliders may not be the best fit.
The cost of your sliding system will depend largely on whether you go down the off-the-shelf route, or have a bespoke design made up. “There’s a huge variance in the price and quality of sliding doors,” says Matt Higgs, director and co-owner of Kloeber. “At the lower end expect to pay £500 per m2, and at the higher end, £1,200 per m2.”
If your goal is to create an unbroken transition between the house and garden, bifolds could provide the ideal solution. This type of glazed entrance comprises a series of panels that concertina back to sit one in front of the other, perpendicular to the floor track. While this does mean you’ll need to allow some space (either inside or out) to accommodate the panels when the doors are open, you’ll achieve a broad opening that spans up to 90% of the full aperture.
Depending on how you want to use the doors, various configurations are available. For example, a centreparting design with an even number of panels and a French-style opening in the middle could create an eyecatching focal point and entrance. Or an odd number of panels with a single access door at one end could be handy for when you need to pop in and out of the house without having to open up the entire run.
Remember – as this type of setup generally comprises more panels than sliding arrangements, views of the outdoors tend to be more obscured by vertical mullions. Therefore, if your key objective is for the glazed entrance to frame a glorious view, sliders might work better.
The main glazed door frame options are timber, PVCU and aluminium, with budget, thermal performance and maintenance all likely to play a part in your final decision. While timber offers superior thermal qualities compared to other materials, more upkeep will be required. PVCU is cost-effective and won’t require too much looking after. It can also be finished to mimic other materials – but it won’t offer the same service life as timber or metal. Finally, aluminium is your best bet for a sleek, contemporary aesthetic. It is, however, at the higher end in terms of price.
Pivot doors
For openings where the space is too large for a set of traditional hinged doors but perhaps too small for bifolds or sliders, a pivot design provides an innovative solution. Rather than being affixed directly to the adjoining frame, the hinges are found at the top and bottom of the glazed leaf, positioned roughly 200mm from the edge.
Plus, this option is perfect for making a contemporary design statement. “You can achieve large openings with a pivot door – up to 3m width in total,” says Tony Culmer from Maxlight. Bespoke pivot doors from Maxlight are priced from £5,000 per unit, depending on the size, design and glass specification you go for.
From pivots to bifolds, most tailor-made glazed doors require a lead time of around eight to 12 weeks – so be sure to factor this into your overall build schedule.
“Always consider the type of glass you’d like and what properties it has,” says Matt from Kloeber. “Do you want to make the most of solar gain and heat up the room during the day, or would you rather the glazing kept the residual solar heat and UV light out? A good supplier should be able to talk you through all the options and offer what’s right for your situation.”
With bifolds, you get what you pay for. “I’d advise that the absolute minimum budget for an off-the-shelf setup would be £600 per m2, which could save you up to 20% on a bespoke system,” adds Matt. With any product, if you opt for a made to measure solution, it makes sense to choose a design, supply and installation service. That way, if there’s anything wrong with the glazing when it’s delivered, the fault lies with the company and not you.