At aluhome, our name says it all. We specialise in contemporary and traditionally styled windows and doors made of aluminium. While we offer windows and doors in other materials, in this article we explain why aluminium is best for patio doors.
Door specialists mostly use aluminium for patio doors
When it comes to large patio doors like bifolding doors or large span sliding doors, there’s no better material. Not only is aluminium slimmer, but it’s more robust. Other materials need bulk to achieve strength and rigidity in the same way as aluminium.
Furthermore, aluminium proves itself time and again as the more reliable material. But don’t just take our word for it. As you do your research buying new doors for your home, you’ll see all professional window companies offering aluminium as the main material.
While today’s PVCu and timber products are of excellent quality, they simply don’t perform as reliably as an aluminium door. On the one hand, you want your doors to work reliably every day of the year. On the other hand, we want you to have the best doors for your home without consistent call-backs for adjustment!
Here are some other reasons why aluminium best for patio doors.
Slimmer sightlines
Aluminium is slimmer in sightlines than PVCu, timber or hybrid materials. You get less visible bulk at the door mullions and thinner frames around the door opening. Aluminium is best for the vernacular style homes or Lincolnshire, barn conversion, modern or traditional houses around Cambridgeshire and our surrounding counties.
Sliding door mullions start at just 20mm with our ultra-slim sliding doors compared to around 65mm for most PVCu and timber patio doors.
In the same way, bifolding doors in aluminium come substantially slimmer. Sightlines at the door mullion on these multiple panel doors start at around 105mm compared to 150mm or more with a PVCu or wood bifold.
Therefore, for reduced sightlines, larger glass sizes and better views it has to be aluminium. Aluminium also results in a more attractive door set overall. Best of all, these slim sightlines also come with our range of aluminium windows and front doors, not just patio doors.
Bigger doors sizes
One of the best features of aluminium is its capability for larger door sizes. Most PVCu single or French doors reach their limit at 850mm to 900mm wide. Aluminium single or French doors in contrast go up to 1.35m wide with our advanced systems. Or course, the same applies for the heights. You won’t often find a PVCu door above 2.1m high. Aluminium doors go up to 2.7m and even 3m high with some products.
Therefore where most PVCu doors require side or top panels to fill an aperture, aluminium does not. As a result you get larger doors, more glass, less visible profile. Of course, you’ll also get a larger clear opening to enjoy your patio or garden.
Once again the bigger size capability of aluminium gives you more modern windows and front doors too.
Greater design flexibility
Take a look at any home improvement publication or website with those Grand Designs style extensions and how often do you see PVCu?
Aluminium offers the best in design flexibility. For example angled or curved walls, doors, sliding into a wall pocket. Even an open corner or large apex window. Aluminium is without question the most flexible material in getting the look and design you want.
Better door hardware
The slim strong nature of aluminium also gives you better looking doors.
You get a greater choice of door handles, often not requiring the large lock backplates of PVCu and timber doors. As a result they’re more modern and architectural in styling.
With aluminium you also get smaller, less obtrusive hinges and intermediate handles. Door rollers, guides and components are smaller. Frames and tracks are slimmer and neater.
Overall, aluminium doors look neater with more discreet essential door hardware, that won’t spoil the contemporary look you want. We can even provide front doors with no visible hinges at all, thanks to aluminium.
Less thermal expansion
Every material expands and contracts through changes in temperature. Aluminium contracts two and a half times less than PVCu.
Therefore for doors on sunny elevations, aluminium substantially reduces the risk of sticking and juddering doors in hot weather.
aluhome. Luxury aluminium windows and doors for your dream home.
When you buy an aluminium window or door from aluhome, you’re getting one of our top British or European brands. Every one of our products comes with latest technology design, engineering and components. Importantly they all come with the best in security, weather performance and energy efficiency.
Contact us today to discuss your requirements and visit our showroom to view our extensive range of home improvement products for your home.
