Coming in a whole host of design styles, sliding doors are a fantastic way to take full advantage of natural light, beautiful views while saving space, in one fell swoop. As the name suggests, sliding doors slide. While adding a modern touch to both residential and commercial properties, there’s evidence that they’ve been around since as early as the 1st century, with them found on the remains of roman buildings in Italy’s Pompeii. That’s 2,000 years of usage and existence, so they must be doing something right.
Of course, today’s sliding doors come in a range of materials, styles and finishes designed to meet the needs of the modern world. From energy efficiency to fire safety, they work to improve both the aesthetics and function of the home. So now that we’ve got the history lesson out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the different types of sliding doors and their benefits.
Sliding Doors vs. Folding Doors
Similar in style and design, it’s easy to mistake sliding doors for folding ones or vice versa. While similar in appearance, the main difference between the two door types is the ways in which they open and close. Sliding doors typically slide along a frame, while folding doors will open inwards or outwards to varying degrees before folding back on themselves. The type you choose will depend on the space you have available and your personal preferences.
Some examples of folding doors include:
- Bi-folding doors
- Concertina doors
- Accordion doors
- Room divider doors
Types of Sliding doors include:
- Patio doors
- Cavity doors
- Bypass doors
- Stacker doors
Sliding Door Materials
While style and design are two important factors in choosing the best types of sliding door for your property, the materials they are made from should play a role too. From energy efficiency to safety and security, materials will determine how durable your doors are, as well as how long they will last. Lastly, choosing a finish that compliments your current home design is easy with a variety of colours, hardware and sealants available.
Timber Sliding Doors
Timber is the perfect choice for property owners who appreciate a more natural look and feel. Unlike plastic doors, wood can be extremely sustainable, especially when using certified sustainable timber. The Natura range of timber sliding doors is not only made using certified sustainable wood, but also comes with many benefits ranging from energy efficiency to durability.
Aluminium Sliding Doors
Aluminium sliding doors are typically more lightweight than their wooden counterparts, making them a great choice for top-hung options. Providing fantastic bushfire protection and customisable style for the modern home, Wideline’s Horizon Range is classic, versatile and durable. Better still, aluminium is easily colour-matched and finished to compliment your property perfectly.
Sliding Door Colour Choices
From pearl white to paperbark and wallaby to western red, Wideline windows and doors come in a whole host of colour choices. Whether you prefer something more natural or something that follows the latest design trends, it’s as easy as choosing your favourite and waiting for them to be installed. The ability to customise your hardware takes your customization one step further, letting you truly match your new doors to your current style.
Types of Sliding Doors
Pocket, patio, bypass, stacker; the list goes on but they all do the same thing – slide. But what are the main differences between them? And which ones are going to be best for your needs? Here are some of the main types of sliding doors manufactured and sold by Wideline Windows & Doors.
Stacker Doors
Stacker doors can create up to 11m of uninterrupted transition between indoors and outdoors. Sliding in front and behind of each other, they are the perfect choice for properties looking to maximise floor space and views. At Wideline Windows & Doors, the Paragon, Ascend, Natura and Horizon ranges let you design viewing walls that are energy efficient, stylish and made to impress.
Cavity Sliders
Cavity sliding doors are sliding doors that can disappear out of sight by sliding into the wall. Designed to seamlessly connect outdoors and in, they provide a stylish and smart solution for boosting light and space within the home. Depending on your needs, stacking cavity slider doors can be as small as 1 panel each side, up to 5 per side up to 8m in length.
Top Hung vs. Bottom Hung
The most commonly used type of mechanism for sliding doors is the top hung system. Utilising sliding hangers in a concealed frame at the top of the door, the hangers bear the weight of the door making it easy to slide. A track runs parallel at the bottom of the door with rollers that prevent the door from swinging or deviating from its set track. A bottom rolling gear door will be used when the property is not strong enough to have an upper load bearing track installed or when the doors are too heavy. In these situations, the door will have rollers at its base that run along a track with guides at the top to keep it on course. However, more force is needed to move a bottom hung sliding door than a top one.
Sliding Door Benefits
Not only are sliding doors aesthetically pleasing, but they also come with their own set of unique benefits. Here are some of the main benefits of sliding doors for the home or commercial property.
- Sliding doors can boost the energy efficiency of the home, helping keep homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
- Sliding doors can boost security of a property, especially when professionally installed with appropriate locks.
- If natural light is what you’re looking for, sliding doors are the perfect choice. This helps save energy costs by reducing the need for indoor lighting during the day.
- As they glide along a track, sliding doors help maximise the amount of available floor space within the home.
- Timber sliding doors are considered as being eco-friendly thanks to being made from a renewable source.
- The ability to seamlessly transition from indoors to outdoors makes sliding doors ideal for enjoying beautiful views.
The Best Place to Buy Sliding Doors
Finding the perfect types of sliding doors for your residential or commercial properties doesn’t have to be challenging. With more than 50 years of experience in the windows and doors industry, you can rest assured that you’ll find exactly what you want at Wideline Windows & Doors.
To see Wideline’s front doors on display, visit a showroom near you or explore the range online.
