Guide to sliding DOORS

Create that coveted indoor-outdoor link and complement your new extension or renovation with one of these stylish designs

Get that smooth and sleek indoor-outdoor link with the best new designs

the most romanticised part of any extension is the prospect of opening up your new space to the garden, letting the sunlight flood in and creating a seamless flow between indoors and out.

But how to get this? If minimal sightlines and a contemporary look are what you’re after, sliding doors could be the option for you.

Sliding doors, like their cousins, bi-fold doors, are great for creating an opening to allow pets, kids or guests to spill out onto the patio or decking from your open-plan kitchen or living space. While bi-fold doors fold back completely for a wider opening, the frames are more visible when closed than sliding doors; the latter have large, unobtrusive glass panels but only open part way – unless you employ a fancy pocketstyle contraption (which will cost more money). Ultimately, it comes down to what matters to you: a wider opening or an uninterrupted view.

Think sliding doors are for you? Here are some of our favourite designs to inspire you.

Going bespoke

How do you know if you need a bespoke design? For most people, the standard off-the-shelf offerings from sliding door companies will be perfect for their needs, but if you have a larger opening – more than around five metres – or want height exceeding around 2.4 metres, you may need to look at a bespoke option.

Choose your design

Most standard sliding doors operate on a sliding system design, where one panel slides behind the other to create a part-opening. However, if you want a full opening but don't like bi-folds, consider a pocket sliding system, where the panels slide into a recess in the wall. They're useful for corners, too.

Sliding patio doors, from £4,000 for UPVC and £6,700 for aluminium, both including VAT, installation and 10year warranty, SEH

Bespoke sliding systems, from around £1,000 per m2, IQ Glass

Left Pictured project includes two-pane and three-pane sliding doors. Installation of sliding doors starts at around £18,000 plus VAT, Schüco

XP Glide sliding doors, from £4,200, Express Bi-folding Doors

Above Triple sliding doors, price on application, Maxlight. Part of a project by Robert Rhodes Architecture & Interiors

Futura+ sliding door, price on application, Idealcombi

Above THEEDGE2.0 sliding door, from £2,200 (ex VAT) per m width incl. installation, Idsystems

Right OS-44 patio sliding doors, from £3,500 plus VAT, Origin