Frameless Glass Curtains of Chatham manufacture their own system of frameless slide and fold doors.  These doors have a minimal aluminium frame and maximum glass area.  Frameless slide and fold doors are designed to be suitable for internal or external use and available as a single or double glazed product.

The double glazed system is widely used in external applications where a modern slide and fold glass door is required. Just like a conventional aluminium bifold, frameless slide and fold doors are secure and weather resistant.

How do frameless slide and fold doors work?

Frameless slide and fold doors provide a secure, weather resistant and slimline option to bifolding doors.

Frameless slide and fold doors utilise an aluminium frame at the top and bottom. The system is designed to be slim and features no visible mullions. Within the outer frame sit the individual door panels. These independently slide and then hinge outwards, folding together just like a bifold.

Is a frameless slide and fold door only for new openings?

The outer frame depth of a frameless door ranges from 61mm to 70mm deep. With most original windows and doors designed around a 70-75mm frame, a frameless slide and fold door is suitable as a replacement for old windows and doors as well as new build applications.

Are frameless doors slimmer than other folding doors?

On a frameless door, the top frame is only 44mm deep and the bottom track 40mm deep. This is nearly half the depth and visible sight line of conventional aluminium bifolding doors.

The door rails are 55mm wide, again making them slimmer than most aluminium doors on the market.

The frameless doors feature no visible mullion when each door panel meets in the closed position.

How do frameless slide and fold doors stay secure?

On a frameless slide and fold door it is only possible to access the locking mechanism from the inside. Doors feature a secure, key operated handle that cannot be operated or accessed from the outside.

A simple unlocking of the key and a turn of the handle releases the master door ready for operation. Best of all, frameless slide and fold doors do not require the intermediate handles found on aluminium bifolds to keep the central panels secure.

When the frameless doors are locked, turning the handle pushes all the door panels together to provide security across the entire door set. At the same time, the doors have a weather proof seal.

Are frameless slide and fold doors energy efficient?

A quality glass door consists of a large amount of glass. Frameless slide and fold doors utilise a patented system with high specification glass units. Other bifolding doors are glazed with conventional glass units with warm edge plastic spacer bars. Frameless glass doors use a glass spacer bar on the vertical edges of the glass units.

All frameless glass doors with double glazed units are insulated products meeting or exceeding the requirements of current Building Regulations. The aluminium frames used in a frameless glass door are also thermally insulated.

Are frameless doors top or bottom hung?

The bottom hanging arrangement on bifolding doors has established itself as the most reliable weight-bearing method. Frameless glass doors slide on a purpose-designed wheel system with the majority of the door panel weight being at the bottom. This offers a safe operation as well as a smooth one. No additional reinforcement of the door profiles is needed.

How does each panel work on a frameless slide and fold door?

Each door panel has an aluminium section at the top and bottom. The doors are connected to the track using a flag and spacer profile that slides within the frame. The bottom track of a frameless door has a specially designed turning mechanism. This tells the user precisely where the doors stop sliding and are ready to fold open.

Can frameless doors be configured to suit each property?

Just like a bifolding door, frameless slide and fold doors can open in or out. They can slide to the left or the right. There is flexibility in having door panels stacking to one side or split to stack on both sides. The traffic door found on traditional aluminium bifolds is also possible.

The post Frameless Slide and Fold Doors. Your Questions Answered appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

As we improve our home with large glass windows and big folding the next obvious question is what curtains or blinds for bifolding doors are available?  We take a look at the options available for providing privacy and shade.

Blinds for bifolding doors – Some things to consider.

If you are in the market for bifolding doors you have a wide choice when it comes to blinds.

One of the best things about blinds for bifolding doors is that most types can fit on each door panel. This removes the need to raise the entire blind to only open the traffic door on a bifold as a good example. Most of the reputable blind suppliers recommend that a bifolding door looks much better with an individual blind on each door.

With a large glazed product such as a bifold, the blind will be far more visible and much bigger than window blinds in the home. Therefore choosing the right type and colour is important.

Origin Blinds for bifolding doors.

If you are looking for your bifolding doors and blinds to be provided by the same company, Origin bifolding doors with Origin blinds provide both doors and a choice of blinds. Origin is one of the best known names in the UK for bifolding doors and they also offer a complete range of manual and motorised blinds.

Integral blinds for bifolding doors.

Integral blinds are horizontal blinds fitted between the glass of a double or triple glazed unit. Integral blinds are very popular for bifolding doors, but are also a more permanent option as they are part of the glass rather than an individual blind.

Venetian Blinds for bifolding doors.

Venetian Blinds are the traditional version of the integral blind with horizontal slats, giving control, flexibility and a range of positions. The taller the door the more bulk you may find at the top when the blind is raised with all the slats bunched together. However, Venetian blinds remain one of the most popular choices for a bifolding door.

Roller Blinds for bifolding doors

Roller blinds are one of the simplest ways to accessorise a bifolding door with a simplistic design and method of operation. They also word really well with the contemporary lines of a modern aluminium bifold and are easy to install.

There is even a motorised roller blind that can have the mechanism invisibly located above the bifolds. With no visible mechanism in sight, as the blinds lower they appear to fall from inside the ceiling.

Roman Blinds for bifolding doors.

Roman blinds are a stylish option to cover bifolding doors but will obscure part of the door when fully opened and folded up. They may not be ideal for bifolding doors that open inwards. A Roman blind is great if there are other windows in the room and you want a matching appearance. When fitted to a bifold, Roman blinds still enable each panel to have its blind operated individually.

Glamour Blinds for bifolding doors.

Glamour blinds such as those by Origin comprise alternating layers of blind strips. Each moves independently helping reduce glare and controlling levels of light. they are very contemporary in appearance as well. Glamour blinds comprise a wheel mechanism that aligns the darker blind strips behind each other to let light in or on top of each other to provide privacy. You can even raise the entire blind and have the choice an included fascia or no fascia at all.

Vertical blinds for bifolding doors.

For large glass areas such as bifolding doors, Vertical blinds can work well. They provide a longer aesthetic making your doors appear taller and offer a broad range of adjustment as well.

Perfect Fit Blinds

Perfect Fit Blinds are heavily marketed as ideal for PVCu windows and doors. They need no screws or drilling and sit well within the existing frame and glass. They are a great way of fitting an integral blind to a PVCu bifold on each individual panel and are simple for the homeowner to install without specialist help.

Curtains for bifolding doors.

The curtain remains a good option for bifolding doors because they are easy to fit, can be changed as desired and still a key feature of the British home. What you may not know is that thick fabric curtains can also help keep your home warmer and more energy efficient as well, helping reduce the heat loss even more, even with the latest energy efficient bifolding door.

Other options?

We would love to hear about any ideas you might have about dressing bifolding doors.  The list above is probably not exhaustive, so an interior designer would be your best bet if you’re still looking for inspiration.

If you have seen something particularly striking, please tell us.

The post Curtains and Blinds for Bifolding Doors – The options appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

What is the better door for your home, bifolding or sliding doors? Many different aluminium brands offer a choice of both. Bifolding doors are attractive, but today’s sliding doors are also immensely desirable.

Aluminium sliding doors are thinner, better than old patio doors, more flexible and high-tech. Where previously, a bifold was a simple decision to make over a patio door, now sliding doors are serious competition.

How to choose between a sliding or a bifolding door.

Both folding and sliding doors have their advantages. However, there are also other considerations aside from the fact that one door folds and the other slides.

In this article, we explain these other important factors that might influence your choice between a sliding or a bifolding door. We have used the air suite of sliding and folding doors to compare the same brand.

Air are a premium quality range of doors, exclusively manufactured by Everglade Windows. The air 800 bifolding door, the air 500 inline and air 600 lift and slide doors are premium aluminium doors and the only doors to have a 25-year guarantee. They also come with upgrades other systems do not offer.

How Much Do Sliding and Bifolding doors cost?

With many bifolding and sliding doors either replacing old doors or part of a new extension, the price is a consideration. If cost is a factor in your buying decision, what is more expensive, a bifolding door or a sliding door?

5-Panel anthracite grey air folding doors to the inside of a new extension.

In very broad terms, bifolding doors cost more than sliding doors, although there are exceptions.

• Bifolding doors consist of more aluminium profiles than sliding doors.
• Bifolding doors have more components and hardware than sliding doors.
• Bifolding doors include more panels that require cutting, machining, fabrication and installation.

A sliding door can also cost more than a bifolding door. While sliding doors can be perceived as simpler than a bifolding door, these too require careful design, expert manufacturing and a very precise installation.

• Two 7-metre wide air sliding doors to the outside of the new extension.

  The larger glass panels on a sliding door may require specialist handling and equipment to lift them safely and position them in place.

• Specialist transport and handling of sliding doors may be necessary owing to their large sizes.
• Your installer will need to consider any special access requirements. Important if sliding doors are needed above ground floor level.
• Some sliding door systems require specialist installation.

Another reason for confusion around the price of a bifolding and sliding door is how they are configured. Many door systems will give you a standard or ‘special’ range of colours. Some will provide a broad or limited choice of hardware. Air bifolding and sliding doors offer even more options compared to standard bifolding and sliding door systems including:

• The choice of standard or luxury Purity door handles.
• Extensive colour choice including aircoat, a textured and far more durable paint finish.
• Marine grade powder coating as standard.

What offers the best method of opening, bifolding or sliding doors?

The appeal around bifolding doors is that a well-designed system such as the air door can create nearly a 90% clear opening with all the door panels folded open.

Sliding doors when fitted with an existing structural opening will give you more than 50% opening depending on their design. However, the air door provides benefits during the construction of a new extension. It is now possible to have sliding doors such as air designed with an extended head and track so they can disappear into the wall of a new extension. They can even be designed with a floating corner post, giving two sliding doors that meet in the corner when closed and fully open the extension on two sides when open.

The British weather means that bifolding and sliding doors will remain closed most of the year. The decision on the best door for the home will depend upon the views they provide when closed and the functionality when open.

What looks better, bifolding or sliding doors?

The visual appearance of bifolding or sliding doors may also be a consideration. In the closed position, a standard bifolding door will have more visible aluminium and more vertical mullions.

The bifolding door remains a most attractive and desirable door for your home. A sliding door today brings you all the advantages of a modern, highly engineered and superb alternative as well.

We have created an at-a-glance guide to help you see the fundamental differences between a sliding and a folding door.

The post What is best, bifolding or sliding doors? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Warmcore bifolding doors, designed and extruded by Synseal Extrusions is a highly insulated aluminium bifolding door with a PVCu thermal core. One of the newest types of folding doors to hit the market recently, Warmcore markets itself as not only a current generation bifolding door, but also one with excellent thermal performance.

Warmcore is a latest generation aluminium system with a thermal core giving excellent thermal performance.

Warmcore provides better U Values with a high specification double glazed unit than other systems offer with triple glazing. Warmcore bifolding doors also offer a choice of aesthetic giving installers a choice of square, chamfered or pencil round profiles. There is also a selection of thresholds.

What is also available is a version of Warmcore that is entirely different. It is called Alufold.

Warmcore bifolding by Aluhaus.

Aluhaus of Nottingham is a very experienced manufacturing company that has taken the standard Warmcore product and changed it. Called Alufold, it is a Warmcore system with a number of changes, re-engineering and product improvements.

There are fundamental differences between Aluhaus Warmcore bifolds and the standard Warmcore product. These differences are based on Aluhaus shifting away from the conventional manufacturing method of Warmcore (as good as that is) as well as a move to different hardware, colour and personalization options.

Why re-engineer an existing aluminium bifolding door system?

Many aluminium manufacturers in the UK offer bifolding doors that are a different version of the original aluminium system. Some choose to re-engineer it to make it different, or simply re-brand it. Examples include products by KAT UK, Vue-lite, Raum, Kloeber, Express Bifolding Doors, Duration Windows and others.

Re-engineering a product to change it or even to make it better is not a bad thing. And there are many good reasons to do so.

Aluminium manufacturers know their aluminium.

Aluminium manufacturers such as Aluhaus possess a lot of experience and knowledge. A manufacturer of aluminium bifolding doors often sees an opportunity to take an already good system and make it better. Some manufacturers will simply change the handles to give a different look to a standard product. Others will work with the systems company in modifying the existing extrusions to make a product unique to them.

Bringing out a new bifolding door is very expensive.

Another reason why manufacturers take an existing system and change it is cost. The investment made by aluminium systems companies like Synseal, in bringing a product to market is substantial. These costs are prohibitive for many aluminium fabricators. Systems companies have the tooling, dies, extrusion facilities and coating plants required. They also have access to testing and certification services. It is logical therefore for a fabricator to take an existing system and work with that systems company in creating a different product. This is easier, better and far cheaper than bringing out their own system.

Re-engineering a bifolding door creates sales opportunities.

For Synseal with Warmcore, it is an opportunity to strengthen a relationship with a manufacturer and sell more aluminium extrusions. For Aluhaus it creates a great opportunity to market a different and improved product, create sales opportunities for now and the future. This is evident by the growing number of installers that are now offering Aluhaus Warmcore bifolding doors.

How installers benefit from a re-engineered bifolding door system.

Taking a system and enhancing it also provides advantages for the product and for installers that sell it. Alufold offers a different sales proposition to the standard Warmcore product for several reasons.

• Many fabricators make Warmcore. Alufold is exclusive to one manufacturer. This is a benefit to installers.
• The features of Alufold doors cannot be found elsewhere, again making the product exclusive.
• Fabricators such as Aluhaus can provide territories for the installer. Installers can confidently sell Alufold in their local area and beyond.
• Being a Dealer for a brand is beneficial to installers compared to the mainstream aluminium systems.

Aluhaus has re-engineered the Warmcore system to create Alufold with many unique features and advantages.

Re-engineering an existing system does not imply the original product was poorly thought out or not good enough. It demonstrates the strength of the aluminium market, the know-how companies such as Aluhaus have to provide a bifolding door that is entirely different from the competition, offering great sales opportunities to installers.

Contact us if you would like more information about becoming an installer of Alufold Warmcore bifolding doors.

The post Warmcore bifolding doors re-engineered by Aluhaus appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Comar bifolding doors are part of the overall Comar 7Pi range of insulated and high-performance door sets.  In the range are sliding, folding, hinged and commercial doors.

Architects and building designers have for years worked with Comar products in their residential and commercial building projects. Fabricators and installers benefit from an easy to fabricate and install bifolding door system that is flexible, functional and reliable.  Comar is well known for the broad range of products and reliable service to the manufacturers and the construction sector.

Comar bifolding doors, key features.

Comar bifolding doors are British designed and made featuring some of the thinnest sight lines amongst folding doors.

Just like all the other Comar doors, the 7P.i bifolding door is ideal as a standalone product or integrated into curtain walling, ground floor framing or as part of a combination screen. Toplights and sidelights are also possible.

• Available from two to eight panels, opening in or out.
• A bottom hung system with no weight on the top rail of the product.
• Hidden roller mechanisms within the door stiles.
• Anti-finger trap facility.
• Compliant with Lifetime Homes Specifications.
• Up to 62mm glazing thickness possible.

Comar Bifolding door construction and assembly.

In line with other quality bifolding door systems, Comar bifolding doors feature a mechanical construction with a square cut frame and mitred door sashes. To the edge of the door sashes, a PVC clip-in profile is provided. This profile gives a tidy appearance to the door sash edge when the doors are stacked in the open position. At the same time, this PVCu profile provides intermediate weathering with a seal in three different areas.

The glazing of Comar bifolding doors is by the conventional dry-glazed method using quality EPDM glazing gaskets and internal glazing beads. Comar is amongst only a few bifolding door systems that can achieve glass thicknesses of up to 62mm. This makes Comar doors ideal for triple glazing, specialist acoustic or security glass, solar control glass and units with integral blinds.

Comar bifolding door key profiles.

The first noticeable feature about the Comar bifolding door is the broad range of sections that provide many different product applications and solutions.

Firstly is the adjustable frame jamb. Sections CS7004 and CS7005 are two part sections enabling adjust on site when needed. The opposite side of the bifolding doors has a thermally broken 35mm fixed frame jamb. The bifolding door sections at the cill comprise a rebated frame (also used at the head), a double-ramped cill and a single ramped section for use with subcells and to meet other site conditions. Also available is a flat section with no ramp detail to the edge of the profile.

For internal applications or where the thermal insulation is not a pre-requisite, Comar also provides a non-thermal cill and a single ramp cill track with the ramp reversed. Finally to meet the requirements of DDA, a very low ramped threshold with a large polyamide thermal break is also available. These seven different profiles for the base of the bifold enable most site conditions to be met in both commercial and residential settings.

Finally, for installers, a choice of 10 cill profiles are available ranging from 52mm stub cill right up to a 195mm thermally broken cill section.

The door sash profile is flat in appearance, with a 55mm sight line.

Comar bifolding door sizes and sight lines.

Comar is one of the slimmer bifolding doors available on the market thanks to the modern flat sections used and the extension choice of profiles. Profiles are 78mm front to back making them ideal for new build or refurbishment applications.

Head and cill.

At the top of the bifolds, a typical sight line of 108mm is achieved with the standard frame head and door panel top rail. This extends to 138mm when the optional CS947 frame head extension is used or 153mm with the deeper head extension.The same 108mm sight line carries through to the bottom of the bifolding doors when used with the rebated track section, C7003.

A deep bottom rail option.

A great feature found in Comar bifolding doors is the ‘kicker plate’ option. This is an additional 100mm section fixed to the sash profile, giving a deep bottom rail option. It is ideal for commercial applications or for where the client requires a thicker sight line at the bottom of the doors.

Jambs.

At the fixed door jamb, Comar bifolding doors feature a slim 100mm sight line. At the adjustable door jamb, the sight line is 106mm at the minimum tolerance and 110mm to 114mm at the maximum.

Both these dimensions position the Comar door as one of the thinner bifolding doors on the market. When a traffic door is used on the one side, sizes vary depending on whether the traffic door opens in or out and the overall configuration of the doors.

Comar offers both a fixed and floating corner post options.

Meeting Stiles.

When it comes to bifolding door sight lines at the meeting stiles, Comar is at the top of the well-known aluminium systems. Here is how the Comar door compares.

It is worth pointing out that the 120mm sight line on the Comar folding door will increase where two opening leaves meet.

Bifolding door midrail.

Comar bifolding doors are also available with several midrail options. The CS944 and CS945 midrail section. These offer a 150mm or 200mm midrail. Ideal for bifolding doors in bars, restaurants or other commercial applications as it can incorporate a letter plate.

There is a further option of the CS980 65mm, CS981 70mm, CS982 85mm and the CS983 105mm midrail for those projects wanting a standard midrail in bifolding doors.

Not everyone will desire a midrail in a folding door. However, Comar demonstrates their expertise in flexible bifolding doors with a choice of ancillary profiles that make their products adaptable in different projects and uses.

Comar bifolding door leaf sizes and weights.

For standard doors not exceeding 80kg, leaf sizes of 1100mm wide and 2400mm high are recommended. Should taller door leaves are required, these are possible subject to overall door sizes and other design considerations.

Comar bifolding doors weather performance and security.

Midrails, floating and fixed corner posts and many extra profiles make Comar bifolds, flexible and adaptable.

Performance testing on Comar bifolding doors is carried out to BS6375 standards and provides excellent levels of weather resistance and security testing.

• Security testing to PAS 24: 2012
• Air permeability. BS EN 1026: 2000 BS EN 12207: 2000 600 Pascals Class 3
• Watertightness. BS EN 1027: 2000 BS EN 12208: 2000 600 Pascals Class 9A
• Wind Resistance. BS EN 12211:2000 BS EN 12210:2000 1200Pa Class A2
• Exposure Category. BS 6375: Part 1:2009 1200Pa

What we think of the Comar 7P.i bifolding door.

There are many good bifolding doors on the market. Given the maturity of this sector and how systems companies and independent manufacturers have adapted their bifolding doors, all systems offer great bifolding door products.

We have carried out this review of the Comar bifolding door with close examination of their section drawings, fabrication and installation manuals. We like the Comar door for several reasons.

• The excellent choice of sections and ancillary profiles.
• The slim sight lines for those that want an option to a Schuco door.
• The contemporary aesthetic.
• The broad range of midrails, cills and other sections.
• The suitability of the Comar bifold for both residential and commercial projects.

Many installers will assume that Comar is a commercial systems company. It is certainly true that Comar is hugely active in the specification sector with a substantial portfolio of projects.

What you may not know is that Comar products are widely installed in dwellings as well as commercial buildings. Many flats, new build properties and refurbished building feature aluminium bifolding doors, entrance doors and windows by Comar.

You will not find Comar in your average double glazing showroom, however, Comar service a network of some of the most expert aluminium fabricators in the UK. These manufacturers use Comar for the service, ease of fabrication, popularity of the system in construction and the specification.

From a residential perspective, the Comar folding door can be considered for their slim sight lines if installers and homeowners are looking for a slimline and British alternative to Schuco and other slimline folding doors.

Finally, the flexibility of the Comar bifolding door and the technical expertise of Comar as a systems company enables most design briefs to be met for both residential property and commercial buildings.

Contact us if you would like more information about the Comar 7P.i Folding Sliding Door.

The post ATS reviews Comar bifolding doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

As more homeowners improve or develop their properties the situation can arise where a project needs  both bifolding and sliding doors. Aïr bifolding and sliding doors are frequently installed in such home renovations.

aïr bifolding and sliding doors.  A coherent suite of premium aluminium doors.

Modern home extensions frequently require both sliding and folding doors.

Many installers of bifolding and sliding doors do not use on one system even though all aluminium systems companies provide a portfolio of sliding and bifolding doors. It is common for installers to favour a particular brand of bifolding door and then look to offer an alternative system in sliding doors. Combine this with aluminium windows or a lantern roof and the homeowner can often have several different systems all from different manufacturers in their home.

What are aïr bifolding and sliding doors?

Everglade Windows created, designed and manufacture exclusively, the aïr suite of sliding doors and bifolding doors. Launched in 2013, the aïr suite of doors was one of the first premium door products on the market. Since then several manufacturers have adopted the business model of luxury bifolding and sliding doors with enhanced specifications.

What do homeowners need from a quality aluminium door?

The premium air sliding and folding door range comes with the best quality hardware and components.

In designing a new suite of folding and sliding doors for residential installations, Everglade Windows looked at the products available in the market and the key features found in aluminium doors. Customer requirements were also examined and then improved.  These include:

• Colour availability and quality of the paint finish.
• Sightlines and overall appearance.
• The quality of the door components.
• Weather performance and security.
• Overall engineering and manufacturing.
• Product guarantee.
• Product availability.

In all these vital features of bifolding and sliding doors, the aïr product has been re-engineered and improved over and above the standard specifications of other aluminium doors on the market.

For a door to be genuinely exclusive, it has to come from one manufacturing source. Finally, how the product is available to homeowners has been addressed via a quality dealer network. Many aïr bifolding door retailers are not only long-established and very expert home improvement companies but also premier manufacturers of aluminium windows and some of the most trusted names in commercial installations throughout the UK.

For homeowners looking to add both sliding and bifolding doors in the home, the aïr range of doors offers doors from one manufacturer, consistent specifications and performance as well as the longest product warranty amongst bifolding and sliding doors in the UK.

Contact us if you would like further information on where to buy the aïr range of sliding and folding doors.

The post Installing aïr bifolding and sliding doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Excellent security has always been an essential feature of air bifolding and sliding doors. Security is now even better thanks to the Ultion lock cylinder, provided as standard with the full range of bifolding, inline and lift and slide doors.

Are bifolding doors secure?

The premium air sliding and folding door range comes with the best Ultion cylinders as standard.

Many people assume that because a door has a multi-point lock, this is sufficient to deter intruders. Multi-point locks do perform a very useful function in securing the lead door along several points. The many locking points also prevent the door from being forced open.

What many people will not realise is that the cylinder plays a critical role in keeping the door secure. Once the door is locked via a key in the cylinder, a secure cylinder provides the right protection to ensure it is not bypassed and exposing the multi-point locking system.

What are Ultion cylinders?

Ultion cylinders are provided by Brisant and have addressed one of the flaws with cheaper cylinders provided with many doors. That is the attempted drilling, snapping, bumping and picking that exposes the cylinder to would-be intruders. The other weak flaw is that cheaper cylinders are easy to bypass when the key is in the door.

The Ultion door cylinder is now provided in many high quality doors such as air. Ultion door cylinders are made differently to conventional door cylinders. They use a stronger construction, in-built security features and ultimate protection from the well-known design flaws of cheaper products.

Air sliding and folding doors with enhanced security.

While many bifolding doors are secure, few are fitted as standard with the Ultion cylinder – widely regarded as the best there is. The Ultion door cylinder has full approval from leading locksmiths as well as the Police. It also meets all the latest standards for security.

Should anyone attempt a break-in through a set of air sliding or folding doors, the Ultion cylinder has a facility of going into ‘lockdown’ mode, resisting drilling, picking and snapping.

The quality multi-point locking system in conjunction with the Ultion cylinder ensures air doors are one of the most secure on the market.

The ethos of air sliding and folding doors is superior engineering, high performance and the highest quality components. The Ultion cylinder now as standard with air doors gives an extra boost to the already impressive security.

£1000 is offered by the Ultion manufacturers in the even of a break in.

Features of Ultion Locks

• Ultion Locks are approved by locksmiths, designed and tested with the Master Locksmith Association.
• Ultion locks are police approved meeting the police security initiative, Secured by Design.
• Ultion locks are approved by British Standards holding a maximum star rating and a Kitemark.

Air bifolding and sliding doors are sold through a quality dealer Network and manufactured exclusively by Everglade Windows. If you would like to know more about air doors, contact us.

The post High security air doors with Ultion Cylinder as standard appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Aluhaus of Nottingham manufactures Alufold bifolding doors, a re-engineered version of Warmcore.  In this article, we take a look at the differences between a standard Warmcore door and the Alufold door, marketed as one of the better bifolding doors currently available.

The Warmcore system offers a different design approach to other bifolding doors. At the heart of WarmCore is the concept of ‘warm aluminium’ brought about by a thermal core that is unlike the polyamide cores found on other bifolding doors.

Warmcore bifolding doors are available through a network of aluminium fabricators all over the UK.

How we review Warmcore and Alufold bifolding doors.

Aluhaus has re-engineered the Warmcore system to create Alufold with many unique features and advantages.

Both products use the standard Warmcore extrusions produced by Synseal Extrusions. Warmcore is available with four different profile choices.

Aluhaus take the standard Warmcore extrusions and apply different manufacturing methods and various alternative components. The technical and cosmetic changes found on Alufold are also unique amongst other aluminium bifolds, not just the Warmcore system.

Unlike the standard Warmcore product, Aluhaus only offer one profile choice, not four.

In creating this comparison between Alufold and the standard Warmcore bifolding door, we have focused on the hardware, manufacturing and technical enhancements of the two products.

Alufold Bifolding Doors Key Feature.

Aside from the technical, hardware and other features of Alufold, one of the major differences is how it is supplied. Manufacturers such as Origin, Everglade with their air sliding and folding doors, Sunfold, Sunflex and others, market their doors as only made by one company.

Aluhaus also offers the same to their installer customers. Alufold dealers can sell their doors as a bifolding door made by one company and not by many different fabricators.

For balance, it is right to mention that many different manufacturers all over the country provide a vast number of fabricated bifolding doors in the same system. This is how the supply chain for fabricated aluminium works and has done so for decades. Nonetheless, the positive message to homeowners that they know precisely who has made their bifolding doors cannot be ignored. It is a sales message that has been of immense benefit to installers and fabricators that make their own brand of doors and nobody else.

Are Warmcore and Alufold that different?

Yes. We like Warmcore bifolding doors and have always thought them a great product since we reviewed them when they first came to market. Synseal also launched their Warmcore sliding door at the FiT Show in May 2017 and this too looks well designed and executed.

While Alufold uses the same Warmcore suite of extrusions, the company does provide a Warmcore bifolding door with many different features. This does not imply that the Synseal Warmcore is in any way inferior, merely different. It is evident Aluhaus has looked at what key features consumers wanted from a bifold and incorporated them into their version of Warmcore.

From the hardware options to the exact RAL colour matching, unique partnership arrangements with some key component suppliers and even having a 1250mm wide door leaf all make Alufold markedly different from (the already good) Warmcore door.

If you have any questions about Alufold or Warmcore or require further information, please contact us.

The post Comparing Warmcore and Alufold bifolding doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Dutemann is one of the UK’s premier manufacturers of bifolding doors, sliding doors and aluminium front doors. Within their range is an advanced range of aluminium doors based on successful aluminium systems, enhanced by the company as premium doors for the home. Their latest product, introduced at the 2017 FiT Show is the Dutemann FD85 bifolding door.

What is the Dutemann FD85 bifolding door?

The Dutemann FD85 bifolding door is a collaboration between Dutemann and Alumil, one of the biggest Greek aluminium systems companies with a host of innovative products throughout Europe and the world.

In creating the FD85, we understand Dutemann wanted to bring out a door that brings innovation and a latest generation bifold. With the bifolding door market now mature and established, anyone wanting to put out a new bifolding door has to make it different. Having seen the Dutemann door, we think they have achieved it. It is a very good looking door, slim, with the manufacturing quality Dutemann is well-known for and comes with high quality door furniture and components.

Features of the Dutemann FD85 Bifolding Door

Security, slim sight lines, low U Values, wide door panels and a new locking system are the main features of Dutemann’s new bifolding door.

Dutemann says, their new bifolding door promises 1.5Wm2 U-Values based on a standard specification double glazed unit. For customers interested in a thermally efficient bifold door, it is worthy of consideration. The door profiles are aluminium with a polyamide thermal break as well as additional insulation within the thermal break.

Very slim sight lines are another feature with the Dutemann FD85 bifolding door having a 105mm sight line where the door panels meet in the closed position.  This does make the FD85 one of the thinnest bifolding doors on the market outside of the specialist systems or frameless slide and fold doors.

The FD85’s thin door mullions are beaten by only by the 94mm sight line of the new Smart Systems Visofold 6000. Solarlux SL80 doors offer 104mm, Schuco and Comar bifolding doors at 120mm and air bifolding doors at 122mm.

The Quadbolt ™ locking system is exclusive to the Dutemann FD85 bifolding door with four-way shoot bolts.  Finally, for those wanting matching single or French doors to match their bifolds, it is possible with the FD85.

Bifolding doors with door leaves at 1.35m

The Dutemann FD85 features very attractive and contemporary handles.

Recent years has seen installers look to push the boundaries of bifolding doors. Alongside the push towards thinner door mullions, wider door panels are the other innovation.

Several door systems can comfortably achieve 1200mm bifolding door leaves. The excellent Alufold Warmcore Bifolding door goes up to 1250mm. Dutemann has delivered door panels of 1350mm.

There are positives and negatives to wide door leaves. The consideration for homeowners is how much space wide door panels take when folded back. The more door leaves, the bigger the stack and possible loss of space. If the bifolding door opens inwards or out onto a smaller patio, this can take up valuable room.

However, the one big advantage of wider door panels on a door like the FD85 is a three panel door design where many other systems would need four doors. Dutemann says that openings up to 4050mm are now possible with only three panels. We would assume this would make for a cheaper bifolding door as the fewer door leaves, the cheaper the bifold. The other obvious advantage is less visible mullions, bigger glass areas, better view and more light. This we think is a great feature of the FD85.

How to buy the Dutemann FD85 Bifolding Door.

Dutemann is a highly experienced trade manufacturer, and their new bifolding door is available through their network of installer partners all over the UK. The Dutemann Glide-S is the quality sliding door offering from the company and they also offer very good aluminium front doors based on the Schuco system. If you would like further information on the Dutemann FD85 bifolding door and where to see it, contact us.  The Dutemann FD85 bifolding door is available now.

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Schuco, Origin and Reynaers bifolding doors are three premium brands for homeowners looking for a better than the average bifolding door.

Origin and Schuco Doors are frequently compared. The Reynaers CF68 and CF77 bifolding doors are two high quality doors from a global brand with an excellent reputation and strong customer perception. So which is best?

Overview of Origin, Schuco & Reynaers Bifolding Doors

Schuco, Origin and Reynaers Bifolding door sight lines.

How a bifolding door looks is important to a buyer. The handles, hardware, overall aesthetic and visible sight lines are the main features to be looked at.

The Schuco door is by far the thinnest. With bifolding doors closed most of the year, multiple door panels can appear bulky with PVCu systems. Aluminium bifolds offer much-improved aesthetics compared to PVCu. The Schuco, Origin and Reynaers bifolding doors are no exception.

Schuco and Reynaers offer the flatline appearance to their doors. Origin goes for a chamfered softer aesthetic. Whether a flatline or profiled door looks better is purely down to personal choice.

Schuco, Origin and Reynaers colour choices.

With all three systems made of thermally insulated aluminium, colour choice is extensive. However, this is where the similarities end.

Origin is relatively unique in the marketplace in making their own doors and offering the biggest range of colours from stock. Including woodgrain and dual colours, Origin gives you a choice of 11 different colours meaning the doors can be fabricated faster from stock coloured aluminium material. From stock means no waiting for material to be painted.

Schuco and Reynaers also provide stock colours. However, their doors are made by many different manufacturers. Some of these manufacturers may choose to offer their own range of colours instead of the standard. Some may even outsource the powder coating of their material. Therefore the choice of standard stock colours may vary from one Schuco or Reynaers supplier to another. If you are comparing prices from several different Schuco or Reynaers suppliers, do not assume you can buy the same colour.

Installers of Schuco and Reynaers doors do not all buy from the same manufacturer. Origin installers do. For stock standard colours on bifolding doors, Origin is the most consistent in the colours available.

Outside of stock colours, Schuco, Origin and Reynaers all offer the entire range of colours for those wanting something outside of what is in stock, but lead times will be longer.

Schuco and Reynaers can provide anodised finishes as well. Origin offers woodgrain colours that the others do not.

Schuco, Origin and Reynaers handle and hardware choices.

A Schuco bifolding door will give you contemporary Schuco hardware available in white, black, silver or satin steel.

Origin doors come in a choice of standard handles in white, black or colour matched. There is also the HAFI handle upgrades that are beautiful high quality handles that we recommend on an Origin door.

Reynaers offer the most luxurious range of door furniture with the exclusive Purity range of handles that are contemporary, visually appealing and come in some outstanding and distinctive colours.

Only Origin doors give you the option of Q-Lon gaskets (the others using the more standardised EPDM black rubber) that can be colour matched to the bifolding doors.

Schuco, Origin and Reynaers frame and door choices.

The Origin door is only available as one variant with no frame or door options. Schuco and Reynaers come in two models offering thinner sight lines and improved thermal insulation for those environments that demand it.

Origin and Schuco give you the least amount of threshold options with a standard or low version. Reynaers provide a standard threshold, a low threshold, a double weather sealed model and a high-performance threshold.

Which is best? Schuco, Origin or Reynaers bifolding doors?

For doors with the transparency of where they are made, extensive colour choice and a peace of mind 20-year warranty, Origin can be considered.  Origin is also the strongest contender where doors are required as quickly as possible and at the best lead times.

Schuco doors are excellent and come with the kudos of a German brand and the associated engineering and design that comes with it. They are the slimmest of the three as well.

Reynaers as a systems company produces fine bifolding doors, designed by one of the worlds best-known aluminium door and window systems companies.  The overall Reynaers product range is extensive and meets pretty much every design and visual requirement in their windows, doors, screens and specialist products.  The choice of door has to depend on the product that aesthetically and technically meets your requirements.  Importantly the provider of all three doors has to be right for you as well.  We hope we have given some scope for thought by providing some information about all three brands together, so you can compare.  If we were to summarise Reynaers windows and doors, they’re very contemporary.

There are, of course, other brands to compare Schuco, Origin and Reynaers doors with. Air bifolding doors can justifiably be compared with Origin for also offering a long, 25-year warranty and the benefit of just one manufacturer. Air doors also share visual and technical similarities with Reynaers doors and come with the Purity luxury handle offering, advanced colour choices and very good design. Our main bifolding door page lists many different bifolding door brands as well.

If you would like more information about the bifolding doors mentioned, contact us. We can help you with where to view them and where to buy.

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The aluminium bifolding door offers a host of benefits in the home.  With more bifolding door systems available than ever before, if you are a homeowner looking for a quality bifolding door there is a huge amount of choice. One area you may be considering is the appearance and aesthetics.  So who makes the slimmest bifolding doors?

Who makes the slimmest bifolding doors?

One of the promoted features of the bifolding door is the ‘door sight line’. The door sight line is the visible aluminium you see on a closed set of bifolding doors, where the door panels meet. This is also referred to as the door mullion.  Here is our table illustrating the sight line of virtually every aluminium bifolding door system you can buy in the UK today.

See how they compare in order of slimness at the door mullion and the sight line dimension you can expect to see.

Our table of over forty bifolding door systems uses data taken from the system company websites or their technical and fabrication manuals.  The above sight lines indicate the typical dimension where two intermediate panels meet.  Dimensions with some systems increase when a folding panel meets the traffic door if one is specified.  We excluded frameless and slide and fold doors operating on an individual moving and folding panel basis as well. Also excluded are systems that do not meet current Building Regulations.

The System 48 bifolding door by Fineline Aluminium.

For balance, we must mention one bifolding door, not on the list that takes the top spot as the thinnest bifolding door.  That door is the System 48 Bifolding Door by Fineline Aluminium of Weston Super Mare. The System 48 Bifolding door looks impressive offering a remarkable 48mm sight line and beating the Smart Systems Visofold 6000 by quite a margin.

We did not include Fineline’s System 48 because it is a structurally glazed bifolding door, made around the glass. The aluminium sections are not, strictly speaking, door sash sections either and it uses different hardware for the slide and fold operation.  The locking systems are located on the rails rather than the door stiles as well.  This is because, with such narrow sections, most lock cases cannot fit in such thin sections.  While very much a bifolding door worthy of consideration, we felt the System 48 bifold as being far too different in its design to be included in our table of ‘conventional’ bifolds, that largely share a similar construction. But it is a fantastic looking bifolding door with impressive thin proportions.

If you are wondering why some well-known big retail brands are missing, this is because many use the above systems or variations of them. This includes well known retail companies such as:

• Express Bifolding Doors
• Bifold Direct
• Everest Home Improvements
• Anglian Home Improvements
• Kloeber
• Duration Windows

Is the slimmer bifolding door better?

AluK, Smart Systems and Origin are three bifolding door brands in the UK with excellent sales, given the size of the systems companies by turnover and the volume of bifolding doors supplied. This is despite their doors not being the slimmest on the market.

Ultimately a buyer and a manufacturer of bifolding doors takes many different factors into account and not just the bifolding door sight line.  However, with the bifolding door market established and with more than 30 systems available, customers have never had more choice.

Recent new ultra slim bifolding door products include the air 800, the Dutemann FD85, the Exlabesa Xlafold and the Smart Systems Visofold 6000.  The Comar bifolding door is also as thin as the better known Schuco door.  All these products have been designed with a narrow bifolding door sight line as an ultra slim door is perceived as being more desirable.

What to consider when buying bifolding doors.

The sight line is just one consideration when buying a bifolding door.  Here is what else is more important.

• The overall product aesthetic and how it looks as a complete door not just in one area.
• The more door panels the less intrusive the mullion can appear.
• The quality of the hardware, locks and bifolding door handles.
• The colour, handle, configurations available and other personalisation options.
• The security and weather performance of the product.
• The U-Values provided if energy efficiency is important.
• The guarantee available with the product.
• Your confidence in dealing with the company providing you the doors.

If you would like more information about the system mentioned or have any questions about bifolding doors, contact us.

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Ask bifolding door professionals who are three of the most familiar names in bifolding doors and three names likely to be mentioned are Origin, Schuco and Reynaers. Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding doors are also frequently compared with each other.

The companies behind Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding doors.

For most homeowners embarking on the substantial investment in renovating their home and buying new doors, some information about the company is important in their buying decision, Origin, Schuco and Reynaers are all successful businesses with an excellent track record and stable trading history.

Schuco and Reynaers are the longest established systems companies with Reynaers serving the global market for over fifty years. Schuco was set up in 1951. Origin is the newest of the three but was set up in 2002 wanting to fix the many headaches associated with buying bifolding doors nearly 15 years ago. And they have certainly succeeded with their industry leading guarantee, unbeatable lead times and excellent brand quality perception.

Unlike Schuco and Reynaers, Origin caters strictly for the residential market offering bifolding doors, aluminium windows, residential doors, garage doors and blinds. Shortly to be released by Origin will be a minimalist sliding door that we have already previewed. Schuco and Reynaers are the more innovative businesses with a vast portfolio of commercial and residential installations. Architects frequently specify Schuco and Reynears.

Schuco and Reynears. Widely available, sometimes rebranded.

The bifolding door sector in the UK can be confusing for homeowners when it comes to who makes their doors and what is the actual system. Reynaers and Schuco, like other aluminium systems companies, provide their products in the following way.

• The systems companies ship their aluminium bars and accessories to their network of manufacturers.
• These manufacturers service the trade and retail sector.
• A local installer of Schuco and Reynaers can buy the doors from any of these manufacturers.
• Builders can also buy Schuco and Reynaers doors from these manufacturers or trade counters.

What you may find with Schuco and Reynaers products is that both installers and manufacturers can rebrand their doors under an entirely different name. Mostly it remains a Schuco or Reynaers door.

The reasons why a bifolding door manufacturer chooses to rebrand two already successful brand names are based on how they wish to run their business, to avoid competition with others offering the same product and acquire a competitive advantage. Some manufacturers may even choose to take a Reynaers or Schuco product and re-engineer it. Examples of re-engineered bifold doors include modified profile dimensions, an alternative range of handles or even investing heavily in a unique extrusion that nobody else can access. So why would Schuco or Reynaers allow this?

• Schuco and Reynaers do not make their products. Their manufacturers do.
• Systems companies are in the business of selling aluminium extrusions.
• Schuco and Reynaers rarely offer exclusivity. The more manufacturers, the more sales.
• Successful rebrands of their products also mean more sales.
• Systems companies have the resources to extrude variations of their products to meet the specifications needs of their manufacturing customers.
• There is no risk to buying a rebranded bifolding door. Rebranded or re-engineered systems are a partnership resulting in doors sometimes better than the standard product.

Schuco and Reynears do sterling work in setting up and training their manufacturers to make their products. However, the reality is that these fabricators also make more than one brand of door and window. Express Bifolding doors, KAT, Kloeber, Raum, Vuelite are just some examples of expert aluminium fabricators or brands that use either Schuco or Reynaers systems.

Origin bifolding doors. One manufacturer. One brand.

Origin, on the other hand, is one of a few systems companies that exclusively make their doors and nobody else. Origin making their own doors means a retail-facing website and 20-year warranty. Origin can do what Schuco and Reynaers cannot in having control over their manufacturing and their unbeatable lead times. Schuco and Reynaers do not influence the operations of their approved manufacturers or lead times. Their manufacturers also make other brands of windows and doors.

Origin is focused on making their doors and windows, sold directly to their network of approved installers. This can bring perceived benefits to those choosing between an Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding door.

• Homeowners know exactly who makes their doors.
• The support offered by Origin to their retailers is first class.
• Origin actively engages with the homeowner. Systems companies will usually refer you to who made the doors.
• Origin installers are transparent where their doors come from. Suppliers of other systems may not share this information.
• Origin rarely offers exclusivity. Their products are widely available.

How to buy Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding doors.

Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding doors are widely available in the UK from reputable installers and manufacturers. We have examined and listed the individual features of these great bifolding door brands to help you make an informed decision.

Contact us if you would like more information about Origin, Schuco or Reynears doors, where to buy and where you can view them.

The post Who makes Origin, Schuco and Reynaers bifolding doors? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Sunflex bifolding doors are premium quality doors, made in Germany and supplied in the UK. In our review of Sunflex bifolding doors, we take a look at their key features and specifications and explain what you can expect if you are thinking about a Sunflex Bifolding Door for your home.

How we Research our Sunflex Bifolding Door Review

To review a product we take a look at the specifications in detail, including the technical drawings and manuals.  We are then able to give an insight into the various features and specifications of a product.

We base our reviews on information provided either on the Sunflex website along with other literature and brochures.

About Sunflex Bifolding Doors.

A UK network approved installers supply Sunflex bifolding doors. Sunflex follows a similar business model to companies like Origin in that they also make their bifolding doors and supply them to installers.

A quality bifolding door is only as good as its manufacturing and, importantly, its installation.  Any issues that may be encountered with a product are primarily due to how it is fitted.  Sunflex ensures that their authorised distributors are suitably trained at their Norwich training centre.

Sunflex also offers technical support where required.  Together with their installer partners, Sunflex can ensure the quality of their doors is consistent and give their products a long lifespan.  In our review of Sunflex bifolding doors, we examine these quality aspects of the product.

The Sunflex Bifolding door product range.

Sunflex provides no less than six bifolding door versions comprising Aluminium bifolds, timber doors and hybrid doors being a combination of aluminium outside and timber inside.  There is also an internal version of their folding doors.  The Sunflex bifolding door range comprises:

• Aluminium SF55 and SF75
• Timber SF75h
• Hybrid/Timber Clad Aluminium SF55c and SF75c
• Internal bifolding door SF45

Sunflex Aluminium Bifolding Doors SF55 and SF75

In our review of Sunflex bifolding doors, we concentrate on the full aluminium versions, SF55 and SF75.  Here’s how they compare:

The SF55 offers very similar features to the SF75 model but without the enhanced thermal performance or weather resistance.  Both still provide great U-Values in line with other folding door brands. The Sunflex SF75 like the Schuco ASS80 over the ASS70 is an enhanced model. That said, Sunflex doors perform considerably better (as low as 0.9W/m²K) than Schuco, Origin and Sunfold systems with the appropriate glass.

We have not included the internal SF45 as we are concentrating on the Sunflex doors suitable for external applications.  We have to give credit to Sunflex and other companies like Schuco, Sunfold and others that take the trouble to offer an internal bifold door in their range.  A regular bifold while perfectly suitable for interior applications can be surplus to requirements when the thermal breaks, enhanced security and weather performance is not required. You pay for these extras on a door that can be much simpler when fitted inside the home.

Threshold options on Sunflex Aluminium bifolding doors.

The threshold on a bifolding door is a critical consideration in a home improvement project and especially where level floors are required.  Sunflex bifolds achieve a flusher threshold than other brands such as Origin, AluK, Schuco and Smart Systems.

Both SF55 and SF75 Sunflex doors offer a flexible threshold and cill arrangement that can be set on a cill, without a cill, for opening inward or outward doors as well as a ramp type threshold on the SF55 model. The ramp-type threshold is only 13mm high and is suggested for doors that are not exposed.  It does not have the weathering capabilities of the rebated threshold.

Handle options on Sunflex Bifolding Doors.

One of the essential features of any bifolding door is the quality, and visual appeal of the main door handles, the intermediate door handles and door pulls.  Origin, as a direct competitor to Sunflex, offers the Hafi handles that are gorgeous to use and look at.  Schuco offers their own unique range of door furniture, and Reynaers provides the Purity range that we think is the best of any bifold door furniture range.  However, the handle offering on the Sunflex doors is just as appealing.

With a Sunflex bifold, you have handles which are finished in-line with the door frame.  Inline door handles help retain a uniform appearance and avoids the 90-degree return of the handle going into the glass line.  This is very similar to the handle you get on a lift and slide patio door.

But for those that do want a more tradition latch-type handle with a lever, it is available.  The slave door handles are available as a flat or a cranked style.

Other features in our review of Sunflex bifolding doors.

A Sunflex folding door may cost you a little more than other favourite brands such as Origin and Schuco. However, there are actually quite a few features of a Sunflex door that we say make it arguably more appealing.

Sunflex Bifolds are super slim.

One of the standout features of the Sunflex bifold is its 115mm sight line.  This comfortably places the product within the top 10 thinnest bifolding doors available in the UK.  It beats Origin doors comfortably for thin lines and is even thinner than the Schuco door.  Most of the recent bifolding doors to hit the market in recent years have used the Schuco ASS70 FD as the benchmark for sightlines and the Origin door for quality. If you want a bifold that is thin, take a look at Sunflex.

Sunflex bifolds are great to look at.

Sunflex bifolding doors offer square line profiles and do not bother with a chamfered appearance found in Aluk, Smarts, Origin, SAPA and other folding doors.  And we agree.  Not only do the 115mm mullion sight lines work better with a square profile, the doors even look good in the open position.

The visible hardware on any bifold is not the most attractive; Sunflex use highly modern carriage wheels, door hinges and handles that seem to work very well with the square and thin nature of this door.  We have seen this door many times and can tell you it is a very good looking door indeed.

Sunflex bifolds have the expected ‘German Engineering’.

The handles feel super positive in use, the sliding action of the doors is smooth and light, and you get a lovely positive engagement on the door catches that hold the doors in the open position.  Where other brands stick to plain magnets, Sunflex has clearly looked at the small details of their doors to provide visible and hidden engineering that is typical of a high quality door.

You get tolerance in the doors to take into account thermal expansion on South facing elevations.  There is a choice of static or moveable corner posts that offer 135 degrees as well as the expected 90 degrees.

Sunflex doors will appeal to those looking to create a more ambitious extension being one of the few doors on the market that can be fitted within a faceted or curved structural opening.  You also get the choice of midrails as well as glazing bars to create a steel look bifold. The shoot bolts in a Sunflex intermediate door are available with four locking points – other brands only offer two.

Sunflex bifolding doors offer more than just RAL colours.

While it is technically possible to offer anyone’s bifolding door in special colours outside of the RAL colour chart, many don’t do it because of the extended lead times and overall hassle factor for many installers.

As well as the full range of RAL colours, a Sunflex bifold gives you Silver Anodised, brushed steel, textured aluminium and woodgrain effect aluminium.  Colour matched handles are also available as is a marine grade powder coated finish.

Another thing Sunflex has done is joined the growing trend for ‘pre-anodising’ as an alternative to the previous chemical cleaning and pre-treatment of aluminium extrusions prior to colouring for coastal locations. We can tell you that the pre-anodising method offers better preparation of the aluminium as well as superior adhesion of the polyester powder to the extrusion. It is very much the current way of powder coating aluminium extrusions and has shown excellent results for corrosion protection in the longer term.

More features found in Sunflex Bifolds.

You may be interested in these other great features found in Sunflex doors, many of which you may not find on other brands.

• Unique part-vent position allowing the doors to be partially opened for ventilation when the doors are locked shut.
• Option for integrated tilt and turn window within the bifold door panel
• Industry leading weather testing (air permeability, water tightness and wind load)
• BSI Kitemark™ (the only German made bifold doors that carry this prestigious quality award)
• Building Regulations approved document Q PAS 24 accredited
• Secured by Design awarded.
• Larger panel sizes of up to 1.2m wide and up to 3.5m high.

Our review of Sunflex Bifolding Doors. Should you buy it?

The aesthetics, the engineering, the slim sight lines, the colour options and the capability for curves and facets are great reasons to consider Sunflex SF55 and SF75 bifolding doors.  Sunflex like Origin and Sunfold, to name just two, are amongst a rare group of systems companies that make their doors.

If you are considering the other two or other premium brands, it is worth comparing them with Sunflex. You will arguably find Sunflex and Sunfold a closer comparison for features and sightlines.  You won’t get the super fast lead times or 20-year warranty that makes an Origin door a best-seller or the Schuco so popular, but we’d suggest you also consider it with them.   It’s thinner, has bigger size capabilities, has an entirely different aesthetic.

The ability to lock in the partially open position and the possibility of having a tilt and turn window in a door panel are also appealing.

Contact us if you would like more information or have any questions or comments on our review of Sunflex bifolding doors. We’d especially like to hear from you if you already have Sunflex doors in your home and what you think of them.

Main Image courtesy of www.sunflex.co.uk.

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When it comes to bifolding doors, there are very few bifolding door brands that are manufactured by the company behind them.  Three well-known brands that do are Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex bifolding doors.

We are comparing Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex bifolding doors to help you decide which is best and what you need to know if you are considering these doors for your home.

Comparing Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex Bifolding Doors.

Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex bifolding doors are marketed for their premium quality.  When it comes to quality perception these three bifolding door brands enjoy an enviable reputation. Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex along with Schuco are arguably the four bifolds on the market that are likely to be known by homeowners researching the purchase of new bifolding doors.

With over forty bifolding door brands or systems widely available in the UK, for these three companies to have successfully marketed themselves directly to the end-user buyer (so they ask for the product by name)  is an impressive achievement.  But which is the better bifolding door?

Origin Bifolding Doors.

Origin has transformed the bifolding door market through their consumer-direct marketing, unbeatable lead times and customer service.  As well as their market-leading bifolding door product, Origin also provides flush casement aluminium windows and a minimalist aluminium inline sliding door with a thin 20mm interlock.  Origin doors are made in the UK.

Sunfold Systems.

Sunfold Systems was established in 1989 and is credited with being the first company to bring bifolding doors into the UK.  Sunfold is very much regarded as the prestige bifolding door and differs from Origin and Sunflex in dealing directly with the end user, managing the project from start to finish. Sunfold offers a complete home improvement range of products including lantern roofs, interior doors, commercial sliding and folding doors balustrades and canopies.  Sunfold Systems are made in Germany.

Sunflex UK

Like Origin, Sunflex UK offers their premium range of folding doors through a network of Dealers.  Sunfold is perceived as the high-end home improvement company, offering not just bifolding doors, but sliding doors and slide and turn doors.  Sunflex UK will also create roofs, Wintergarden constructions and frameless doors. Sunflex doors are made in Germany.

Is the directly made bifolding door the better door?

The marketing message of companies like Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex is that you know exactly who makes their doors.  Some homeowners will base their buying decision on the fact that the company behind the brand makes their doors.

The reality is that there are bigger aluminium systems companies such as AluK, Smart Systems, Schuco, SAPA Building Systems, Senior Architectural and Reynaers Systems. All these and more operate successfully using the approved manufacturer route to market rather than the direct supply method, and it remains the preferred route for many.  Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex just do it differently.

Can a premium product like the Schuco ASS70 bifolding door have the same level of quality when so many different factories make the door?  The reality is that no two doors will be identical in quality, but this is not an issue for any of the major aluminium systems companies.  All these substantial aluminium businesses invest huge sums and resources to ensure their network of fabricators are trained, updated and monitored. But what they can’t control is what happens further down the supply route.

Fabricators ensure that they make their doors by the technical manuals and training they have received from their systems companies.  To do otherwise would result in problems throughout the entire supply chain.  Problems with any properly-made and installed bifolding door remain rare, whatever factory it has come from.

However, there are advantages to buying a bifolding door system from a company that also makes it.

• Greater control over who can supply their doors.
• Longer or manufacturer-direct guarantees.
• The overall perception of a better made, higher quality door.
• Better lead times.
• More accountability
• Customer confidence in dealing direct.
• A unique selling proposition for many.

In the case of Origin, they invest substantially in training their dealers and giving them all the marketing support, installer training and one-on-one service.  This is of huge benefit to both Origin dealers and the homeowner. One only needs to visit an Origin showroom to see how well the company supports its quality dealer network.

Your at-a-glance guide to Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex doors.

Origin has for a long time demonstrated itself as being the innovator for service.  No other company offers the impressive lead time, bifolding door colour options and the range of dealers nationwide.  On this basis,  the Sunfold and Sunflex door can be perceived as more exclusive owing to their more limited availability.

Sunfold and Sunflex offer a broader range of bifolding door products catering for not just the standard installation but also the bespoke doors and one-off designs. Their doors are designed with the architect in mind with faceted and curved doors available.  With Sunfold and Sunflex, you get much slimmer doors, a bigger choice of thresholds and the choice of ‘true’ internal bifolding doors available as slimmer and non-thermally broken.

The other advantage of Sunfold and Sunflex is their much bigger home improvement offering allowing customers to have a one-stop shop with windows, internal doors, lantern roofs, glazed extensions and hybrid windows and doors all available.

Top Five Features of Origin Bifolding Doors

• The Best Lead Times anywhere.
• Woodgrain Aluminium Bifolds Available
• 20 Year Warranty
• Widely Available in the UK
• Made in the UK

Top Five Features of Sunfold Bifolding Doors

• One of the thinnest bifolds on the market with 100mm door sight lines.
• Three different threshold options.
• Curved or faceted bifolding doors are possible.
• Sunfold unique high security locks.
• Full home improvement range available.

Top Five Features of Sunflex Bifolding Doors.

• 3500mm door heights are possible.
• Matching slimline window suite available.
• Impressive inline door handles.
• Mitred outer frame
• Can incorporate an opening window in a bifold door.

Choosing between Origin, Sunflex and Sunfold bifolding doors.

The Origin bifolding door is the door to choose if you are looking for doors quickly thanks to the unbeatable and enviable lead times provided by Origin.  With many renovation projects having structural openings ready to receive new doors, closing the aperture fast enables the rest of the project to proceed and get completed. The 20-year warranty, colour matched gaskets, woodgrain door options and most areas of the UK now have an Origin dealer are all great reasons to choose Origin doors. Origin doors are also cheaper to buy.

On a technical level, Sunfold and Sunflex doors can be considered for being substantially slimmer than Origin, having the greater range of threshold options, the availability of different bifolding door versions, and the creation of curved or faceted doors.  For anyone wanting to keep an entire project within one company, both offer a bigger range of home improvement products as well.

The fact that Sunfold and Sunflex doors are made outside the UK affects their lead times, but anyone wanting these fine doors will be happy to wait.  Despite being made in Germany, we have never heard of issues with service work or spare parts where they may be required.  Both companies offer excellent customer service in the UK.

What you are getting with all of these products are high quality bifolding doors with an excellent business behind them.  What you need to decide is how the individual features of these doors can benefit you and your home improvement project.

It is also worth pointing out that while these three companies make their doors, contractually you are dealing with Origin and Sunflex dealers as independent businesses and not directly with the manufacturers.  The usual buyer beware considerations apply. With Sunflex bifolds you are dealing directly.

If you would like further information about these bifolding doors or where to buy them, please contact us.

The post Comparing Origin, Sunfold and Sunflex Bifolding Doors appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

In 2016, Liniar revealed their new aluminium bifolding door. In this Alumina bifolding door review we take a look at the features of this quite different aluminium bifold.  Alumina is now widely adopted by the door industry.  Liniar, one of the best known PVCu systems companies in the UK is behind the Alumina bifolding door.

When we saw the product, we liked the new visual concept Liniar created with Alumina that we will explain in this review. Here’s what we can tell you about Alumina bi folding doors and whether you should consider it.

Alumina bifolding door review.  What is Alumina?

The Alumina bifold is an all aluminium bifolding door with a polyamide thermal break. It has all the strength, quality and craftsmanship associated with a well-designed bifolding door. Alumina folding doors have the pedigree that is behind Liniar’s range of PVCu windows, doors and home improvement products.

With Alumina, Liniar sought to shift from the similarities found in many aluminium bifolds. The first shift from traditional aluminium bifolds is the sculptured line of the product. The second is the warm to the touch exterior, thanks to another new feature by Alumina – a foiled aluminium bifolding door.  Door aesthetics are subjective, however, the Alumina is a very good looking bifold.

Is a coloured foil beneficial on an aluminium bifold?

Powder coating remains the most common method of colouring aluminium, but foils have other advantages. For years, foiling has been used to create some stunning finishes on quality PVCu.  Some of the most expensive and luxurious PVCu windows and timber-look PVCu windows are foiled. The advantages are a better appearance and longer life of the window surface.

When foiling a product such as Alumina, the foil improves aluminium as well.

• Foiling aluminium creates a warm-feel bifold’.
• A foiled aluminium bifold feels different to the touch.
• Foiled aluminium enables a woodgrain finish.
• Foiled aluminium bifolds like Alumina are not subject to very long lead times.
• You can even have plain colour foils with aluminium, just like PVCu .
• Foiled versions of Alumina are supplied with a matching PVCu bead – making them easier to install and further enhancing thermal efficiency.

Therefore, with a product like Alumina that is the only foiled aluminium bifolding door on the market colour choice as well as texture is available, not to mention a very appealing wood effect bifolding door.

If a homeowner desires wood effect outside and a plain colour inside, the lead times with other aluminium systems are very excessive.  The few systems companies supplying bar length profile to their manufacturers can quote up to six weeks or more just to deliver the material.  This can push a delivery date for other aluminium bifolds up to 10 weeks or more.  So a foiled Alumina does offer an advantage to those customers wanting a dual colour bifold without the wait.

Finally, you should get a bigger choice of woodgrain with a foiled product than a sublimated versions.  If you have not seen a foiled aluminium bifolding door before, it is worth checking out. Contact us and we can put you in touch with some showrooms where you can view Alumina bifold doors.

Alumina bifolds match with PVCu windows.

Despite the popularity of aluminium compared to five or even ten years ago, PVCu remains the dominant replacement window in the UK. For value, energy efficiency, ease of installation and simplicity, PVCu is best for many. Homeowners who replaced their old windows with new PVCu in recent years are perfectly happy with their purchase, expecting their new windows to last a long time – as indeed they should.

Following the installation of new pvcu windows, it is also likely that a homeowner may consider the building a new extension to incorporate bifolding doors, or to replace their old sliding doors with a new bifold.  There are some homeowners who love their new aluminium bifold so much they want to replace their PVCu windows with aluminium.  The reality is the cost can often be prohibitive. Alumina does the reverse in matching a new door to their existing PVCu windows.

Alumina is different again in that while it is entirely fit for purpose as a stand-alone bifold, it is also a great product for matching the sculptured appearance of Liniar and colour of other PVCu windows. It is also a great addition to the many thousands of homeowners that have Liniar PVCu windows in their homes.

•  PVCu products with an aluminium bifold.,
• The exact same colour process throughout the home.
• The same sculptured appearance to match PVCu windows.
• There are even matching colour silicones and window trims.

The complete home solution will be appealing to many homeowners as well as being a selling proposition to installers. Liniar with Alumina, has become the first door and window systems company to offer a full suite of fully matching products for any home.  And by full suite we mean:

• Conservatory and Lantern Roof
• Casement Windows
• Sliding Doors
• Front Doors
• Flush sash timber-look windows
• Single doors and French doors.
• Residential and composite doors
• Soffits, fascia boards and trims
• PVCu Decking and fencing

Comparing Alumina with Origin and Smart Systems.

It makes sense in this Alumina bifolding door review to compare the door with two other bifold door brands.  We chose Origin and Smart Systems’ Visofold 1000.  There are other doors to compare Alumina with such as AluK, Schuco or Reynaers but chose Origin and Visofold because these also come in a wood effect finish, although not foiled.  Sunflex bifolding doors also come in woodgrain but are more expensive than these brands. For foiled bifolding doors, Liniar foil all their own extrusions, where many use external suppliers.

Alumina offers better thermal efficiency than many of the other bifolds on the market when glazed with standard specification thermally efficient units. Typically these achieve 1.6-1.8Wm2K.

How good is the Alumina bifolding door?

The great thing about the current and mature bifolding door market, the calibre of aluminium designers and the broad range of product standards and certification is that there is no ‘bad’ bifolding door on the market. As long as a fabricator makes any bifolding door as the systems company intends and it is correctly installed by a competent installer, they’re good products. This makes the job of reviewing a product harder when all products today are secure, safe, weather resistant and reliable. So what we do is look at the features that made a door stand out.

But where bifolding doors will differ is in their engineering, their components, the range of colours and specifications.  Homeowners doing their research around bifolding doors will see many repetitive messages around security, U-Values, weather performance and quality. This is true of many quality bifolds and Alumina is no different. It is secure, weather resistant, well designed and comes from a company with immense knowledge in the design of windows and doors.

The specifications of Alumina against other leading brands of aluminium folding doors there is no reason not to consider this door with them. In fact, Alumina offers some features the others do not. With seven stocked foil colours for both sides of the door, six colours for the outside face only on dual colour, colour options are certainly a great feature of Alumina bifolds.  Liniar also foil their own profies as well.

Hardware and Security features of Alumina bifolding doors.

Alumina offers discreet hinges, great security features and even folding keys to prevent damage to the frame when doors are opened with the key still in the lock. Study the hinges of the Alumina bifold carefully and you will notice the intermediate door handles are integrated with the hinges.  This gives an uncluttered look to the door and a neater appearance.

Alumina comes with the choice of white, black gold and chrome rollers, the latter looking very eye-catching with matching hinges and handles.  Handle colours are the same as the roller colours but also include a dark chrome option.

With Alumina the locking hardware is what you would expect from a highly-engineered product.  You get bi-directional locking points, shoot bolts that engage into the head and track and anti-lift feature.  There are anti-bump cylinders available as well as optional anti-snap as well.

The locking system from Alumina has won a Queens Award for Enterprise in 2017.  Called ModLok™, this patented locking system provides both a lock and a thermal insert. ModLok™ has a high strength polymer lock body, meaning the lock is also a thermal break.  No other aluminium bifold features this locking system.

We must also mention that Alumina is tested to the stringent PAS24 and carries Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation as well. You have to be very careful with claims over SBD and whether the license for the product exists as a number of doors don’t have the accreditation or hold the license.  Alumina bifolds are also Part Q of the Building Regulations Compliant.

Some reasons to consider Alumina bifolding doors.

• The Alumina bifold does have some significant features over other aluminium bifolds.
• A foiled bifold door with a warm touch finish.
• A matching suite of single or French Doors.
• Weather rated low threshold
• Great looking door hardware in a choice of colours and finishes.

Some systems such as Schuco bifolds, Reynaers or Sunflex are designed to be flat in appearance. The best selling bifolds such as Smart Systems Visofold, AluK and Origin are softer in aesthetic. Ultimately it is the customer that chooses the door they like. There is no reason not to consider Alumina alongside these other brands.

Alumina does go further with more handle options, more door configurations, more hinges and roller options than other systems. What you also get with an Alumina bifold are more threshold options and a weather rated low threshold too.

Finally, with the option of foils, you get a greater choice of colour and texture than other doors on the market offering just RAL colours.  If you’ve not seen the foiled finish, it is worth looking at.  Alumina will appeal to those homeowners happy to choose a quality Liniar PVCu window but understand the benefits of an aluminium bifold.  Visually Alumina is very different, as well as being everything you expect from a quality, engineered aluminium bifold with a bit more thrown in.

The post The Alumina Bifolding Door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

With the recent move to their new premises in Chepstow, AluK is a dominant and strong brand in the UK market. One of their latest products is the AluK Luminia F82 Bifolding Door. We take a look at it.

What is the AluK Luminia F82 Bifolding Door?

AluK’s new Luminia F82 bifolding door follows the recent trend for slimmer, better looking and more feature-packed bifolding doors. The folding door market is very mature now, and until recently bifolding doors did not have much in the way of competition. By that, we mean homeowners desired a bifolding door and didn’t consider that today’s generation of sliding doors could offer a better product in the home as well. There are also far more bifolding doors available to homeowners, with at least forty names to choose from.

What AluK has done with their new bifold is concentrated on aesthetics, better-looking hardware and a focused effort to make this door appeal to those wanting a more premium product. We expect to see AluK busy working on increasing awareness of their products in the consumer market. Origin does this the best, closely followed by Reynaers.

Where to buy the new AluK bifolding door.

AluK’s mainstream products, loved by builders and the broader trade market you will see promoted under the Optio brand name. There have been significant improvements to some of their systems, and some have stayed the same. The Luminia F82 bifold door falls under is premium product offering. As well as Luminia, you will see the Infinium range of products intended for the high-end market. Both Luminia and Infinium will be available via select AluK partners.

A partner or dealer network is a good thing when the brand is strong – again Origin being a great example. Where systems companies like Aluk could struggle is streamlining the dealer network to benefit the consumer.

The buying process for a door like an Origin product is simple and the brand message to the homeowner is clear. You go to an Origin dealer with prominent Origin branding in their showroom. They then buy the fabricated door from Origin. Origin is big on marketing, big on helping their dealers with their showrooms, big on training.

The AluK method of supply is different as AluK provides bar length and accessories to a nationwide network of fabricators. Even if these fabricators are specially selected (and AluK do have some very experienced manufacturers in their network), the homeowner arguably doesn’t have the clarity of who makes their door like they do with Origin, Sunflex, Sunfold, Air doors and others.

Features of the AluK Luminia F82 bifolding door.

The stand out feature of the new Luminia F82 bifold is how it looks. AluK has followed the trend of bringing out a slimline bifolding door with door mullion sight lines of just 122mm. Their existing BSF70 is 140mm. For those comparing bifolding door sight lines, this new bifold is up there with the Schuco ASS70 FD, the air 800LS, Reynaers CF77 and Senior’s Alifold doors. AluK has gone one better with the Luminia bifolding offering consistent sight lines around the door. Both frame and cill sightlines are of 97mm. It is a great feature, and it looks very nice indeed.

With the Luminia F82 bifold, you also get:

• A more attractive slimline appearance than other doors.
• Distinctive hardware, many unique to the product.
• Great specifications.
• Fewer aluminium components.
• Low U-Values at just 1.3WmK depending on the glass specification.

AluK’s new bifold also has reliable, compact and slim stainless steel rollers giving a smooth feel as it slides and folds along its track. You get a choice of hardware and the flush pop out T-Handle, instantly identifying a door as an AluK, has been slimmed down, redesigned and looks very seamless in a slave door.

As with any well-designed bifold you can expect certain features as standard such as traffic doors, opening in or our, anti-finger trap gaskets and a low threshold option.

How good is the Aluk F82 bifold?

Any well-made and correctly installed door is going to be reliable. AluK does have much experience in designing doors and windows. This door is designed to be easy to make and easy to fit.

It is clear from seeing the door that the components are quite sophisticated. The shoot bolt mechanisms, hug the corner of the door leaf snugly. The hinges and rollers are attractive in themselves. AluK has designed this door well. In the square profiled version, the Luminia F82 is a handsome bifold door.

Aesthetics are essential to homeowners, and in many cases over and above security, weather tests and performance. Customers read the same messages across everyone’s doors today, so they expect them to be secure, have low U-Values and not leak. It is how they look that is important.

With the contemporary hardware, the flush nature of the handles, the pretty traffic door handle and greater symmetry than other doors, we think homeowners will like it. It is all about bifolding door aesthetics in today’s market. That said, it is also about the marketing and brand perception when Origin still has a mostly unchanged door for over ten years.

Options available with AluK’s Luminia F82 Bifold Door.

As well as the to be expected, excellent choice of colour and double or triple glazing, AluK’s new bifold offers the following options to homeowners.

• Single and French doors using the same profiles.
• The choice of square or chamfered frames and glazing beads.
• Up to 44mm glazing thickness easily accommodating integral blinds and triple glass.
• The option of internal or external glazing (good for commercial installations).
• Anodised aluminium finishes. Available in a range of opening configurations
• Door leaves up to 2500mm high but can go up to 3000mm subject to approval.
• 1200mm door widths.
• The option of a high insulation version of the product using thermal inserts.

What we think of the AluK Lumina F82 folding door.

We saw this door at the 2017 FiT Show, and it looked impressive. It is down to AluK to market the door to the end user, so they ask for it by name and encourage their huge fabricator base to make it. AluK designs some excellent systems but also has a ‘builders favourite’ perception to overcome.

Go to any bifolding door showroom with a range of doors on display and other brands are perceived and sold as more premium. Installers like the existing AluK Optio BSF70 bifold. It is reliable, widely available and well priced. However, many up-sell against it offering other brand names considered more premium. The Lumina F82 should help retain the customer to the AluK brand.

The reality is as well, that many installers buy-in and fit AluK windows and residential doors but offer an alternative brand of bifold. Hopefully, the new Luminia F82 is attractive enough to retain the customer to the AluK brand when looking for a complete installation of windows and bifolding doors.

AluK GB Ltd now operates from a new 350,000ft2 South Wales headquarters that is hugely impressive, demonstrating its strong position in the UK market. There has been a multi-million-pound investment in new premises, new production lines, a powder coating plant, R&D Facility and even a training academy. All this comes with a new product strategy for the trade and residential market, of which the Luminia F82 bifold plays a big part. See the product; it is a good bifolding door.

Image courtesy of resources.aluk.co.uk.

The post The AluK Luminia F82 Bifolding Door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

There is now a full range of Doors and Windows made by Origin Frames available to suit just about any type of home.  Starting with the Bifolding Door, Origin have expanded their range to include Windows, Entrance Doors and now Sliding Doors.  So the “Origin Home” is now a real possibility.

In this article we explain the four main benefits associated with choosing one supplier for the full range of home fenestration products.

Other door and window brands are not sub-standard or inferior products. However, Origin doors and windows offer some real benefits, especially when installed together.

Why consider installing Origin Doors and Windows throughout the home?

Origin is not unique in offering a complete suite of doors and windows for the home. Other top brands such as Schuco or Reynaers also provide highly-engineered aluminium doors and windows.

Where Origin differs is that their dealers (who are not tied exclusively to Origin in any way) want to sell the entire Origin Home range. A whole suite of products for the home like Origin’s is different from windows and doors available from other reputable home improvement firms. The reality is that most in the home improvement sector choose to offer one brand of bifolding doors, aluminium windows from another brand, patio doors from another name again and then a different brand of front doors.

For many homeowners, who designs, makes and provides their new windows and doors is important. They want to know the source of their windows and many would prefer the peace of mind of one brand to deal with. Origin products for the home include:

• Bifolding Doors
• Sliding Doors
• Aluminium Windows
• Aluminium Front Doors
• French Doors and Single Doors for the back of the home.
• Gable Windows
• Garage Doors
• Door and Window Blinds.

The combined range of Origin Home products gives homeowners four reasons to consider installing Origin Windows and Doors throughout the home.

Reason 1: The Guarantee.

Origin windows and doors come with a longer product guarantee than virtually any other aluminium window and door on the market. Origin products are designed to be reliable and meticulously well-made. So because Origin themselves only makes Origin products, homeowners benefit from a manufacturer-direct guarantee, not just one that is insurance backed or direct from the installer.

If you are wondering how Origin as a systems company can offer a 20 year warranty when many other brands only come with ten, it is because of the direct supply route of one manufacturer. Other premium brands are made by many different factories and other systems companies do not guarantee their products in this way.

Reason 2: Installers you can trust.

Visit any Origin showroom and what you will see is consistency. Origin installers are:

• Established, professional window companies.
• Businesses with fine showrooms
• Local businesses with a successful trading history and good location reputation.
• Businesses with a lot of door and window knowledge.

The other thing you will find with many Origin dealers is a choice of products from other brands. Product choice is an excellent indicator that your Origin dealer has expertise; not just with Origin products but others as well such as lantern roofs, skylights and orangeries.

Reason 3: Lead Times.

Origin is the most reliable aluminium door and window provider in the UK today. No other business offers the lead times in bifolding doors, entrance doors and aluminium windows. Origin calls it ‘Your Lead Time, Not Ours’.

Why does how quickly your dealer gets their doors important to you as a homeowner? The reason is better project management if you’re building a new extension and less stress for you. Origin can provide windows and doors in 24-48 hours meaning your project has none of the well-known delays in obtaining other doors and windows. Most other door and window providers will typically need from 7-21 days to make and deliver windows and doors. Origin understands who buys their doors and strives to make delivery of their products as fast and reliable as possible.

Origin is credited with a service that helps homeowners complete their projects easier, quicker and smoother.

Reason 4: Product Consistency.

Dealing with one brand and one manufacturing company brings all the benefits of product consistency together. Homeowners considering installing Origin doors and windows throughout enjoy several advantages over other brands.

• All Origin aluminium is extruded in one factory.
• One brand means consistent colour throughout the home because the supplier is the same.
• You benefit from matching bifolds, entrance doors and French Doors.
• All Origin products are made under one roof.

The Origin Home Range of aluminium windows and doors offers the high security, excellent weather performance and product quality found in many premium brands of windows and doors, with the added benefits of peace of mind and reliability that comes from one consistent name in the home.

Contact us to find out more about the Origin Home range of aluminium windows and doors.

The post Installing Origin Doors and Windows throughout the home appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

If you are researching Origin bifold door suppliers, you will come across many different home improvement companies all over the UK selling Origin bifolding doors and windows. In this article, we give some insight into how Origin bifold door suppliers work with Origin and how both homeowners and Origin dealers benefit.

How do Origin bifold door suppliers work?

Some Origin bifold door suppliers are set up to only sell Origin products.  Others choose Origin alongside their other aluminium and PVCu home improvement products. Whether you are looking to buy an Origin bifold door, entrance door or window from an exclusive Origin supplier or one that sells other products, there are many reasons why home improvement companies of all types, want to sell Origin doors and windows.

Origin is one of the best known brands of windows and doors.

Many aluminium systems companies leave the selling of their brand to their manufacturers. Others choose not to market their brand to the homeowner at all, choosing instead to concentrate on the architectural specification and commercial market that they consider more lucrative.

Origin from the outset has successfully marketed their products directly to the homeowner. Origin has a slick, focused marketing strategy that has been largely responsible for their tremendous success as a company and why so many homeowners are now aware of their products even before they start their journey to buy new bifolding doors or windows. Origin is arguably now the best-known brand of aluminium windows and doors in the UK today.

Origin bifold door suppliers benefit from working with Origin.

In the key areas of supply, lead times, marketing and product support, Origin dealers get a service that few other systems companies can match.

Visit any Origin showroom and the presentation of Origin products through physical doors and windows, marketing material, accessories and personalisation of an Origin door or window is hard to beat. When you walk into an Origin showroom the branding is prominent.  The support Origin gives to their dealers enhances the homeowner experience from start to finish.

Look at any other good aluminium system such as Schuco, AluK, Smart Systems, SAPA and more and you will not find anywhere near the branding to support these products or the companies that sell them. Origin, their products, their marketing and their dealer network create a professional, quality brand from start to finish.

Origin is also transparent in allowing homeowners to visit their own Warrington and High Wycombe showrooms, with a substantial range of windows and doors installed in real-world environments, demonstrating today’s homeowner tastes and lifestyles and architectural trends for which Origin products are perfectly suited.

The new Origin High Wycombe showroom in particular, features the entire Origin Home range, including bifolding, residential and garage doors and windows. Also being showcased is the soon-to-be-launched Origin Inline Slider.

Origin products are transparent in where they come from.

The home improvement industry for doors and windows is vast with many different manufacturers and suppliers.  Many home improvement companies that do not manufacture, such as a typical Origin dealer, will frequently not divulge where they buy their doors and windows from. Some will of course, but the majority choose not to tell the homeowner who makes their windows and doors.

The reasons for this are many, but often it is to avoid you knowing what product you are buying and seeking to deal directly with the manufacturer, in an effort to save money by dealing direct. As we explain later, the Origin manufacturing facility, their processes and how you get your Origin doors are arguably one of the best in the window and door industry.  In buying Origin doors and windows you will find a lot more transparency as to who makes your windows and doors, compared to many other systems.

The Origin route to supplying their dealers is also far more transparent. And, unlike other systems companies, there is a clear willingness to communicate directly with the consumer on behalf of and to support Origin bifold door suppliers.

Understanding how Origin doors are supplied to homeowners.

The processes Origin has in place throughout their operation are designed to give homeowners and their dealers the best in service and customer experience.

• Origin windows and doors are renowned for the high quality of manufacturing with some of the best paint finishes, components and assembly methods available.
• Origin has the best lead times in the door and window industry for the fast manufacturing of their doors and windows.
• Origin lead times are based on an understanding that many home improvement projects today involve the building of new extensions, often needing a speedy installation of windows and doors.
• Origin doors and windows are provided fully protected to prevent damage on construction sites.

Even where Origin does not use their own suppliers, any external suppliers are renowned for their quality and reputation.  Examples include external powder coaters for non-standard colours, door hardware, bifolding door blinds and glass in their new Inline sliding doors.

Origin bifold door suppliers all work within the slick Origin framework meaning that from the initial enquiry to the homeowner having their doors fitted in their homes, Origin has played a part, even though the customer contract is with the dealer and not with Origin directly. The Origin method of working, how they move their products to their dealers benefits both the Origin dealer and the homeowner.  The Origin dealer benefits from a service designed to provide quality bifolding doors fast, without delays and with consistent quality.

The homeowner benefits from knowing just what is behind their new Origin doors and why they come with a 20-year warranty. Buyers of Origin doors and windows have the peace of mind that their installers are trained, approved and reputable as well.

Origin supports its Dealers through ongoing training, support, product development and the fastest delivery times. Training and quality products, coupled with a marketing programme designed to ensure their doors are in high demand and desirable ensures both dealers and homeowners benefit from Origin bifolding doors and windows.

Our main image features Origin windows, doors and bifolding doors, made by Origin, supplied and fitted by UK Windows Surrey.

The post Origin bifold door suppliers and how they work. appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Origin, the UK’s biggest bifolding door company now has an e-shop.  Meaning that consumers can configure and buy bifolding doors online. We take a look at what this means for consumers as well as the trade.

You can now buy Origin bifold doors online and have them installed.

Using an online store to work out what Origin bifold doors cost.

First of all, it is worth looking at how customers wanting to work out what Origin bifold doors cost, get from Origin’s new e-shop. The new e-shop is easy to use, providing the homeowner with the information they need to order a bifolding door online.

Origin’s e-shop enables you to choose what bifolding door configurations come with each of the standard aperture sizes.  It is not possible with the online store to put specific survey dimensions, for example, 2694 x 2107mm. You then choose the colour, the door opening direction, the handle upgrade and whether you want double or triple glazing.

Further down the buying process, you get to choose a survey and installation service as well as a faster delivery to site.  The speedier delivery option does away with 14 days cooling off period.

Origin’s online store also helps the buyer with a downloadable survey guide. You also get a detailed specification on the purchased door and complete terms and conditions.

Is buying directly from Origin cheaper than buying from an Origin Dealer?

No. Our research indicates that you can probably buy Origin doors cheaper from some of their dealers than you can directly from Origin.

Here is how a very standard Origin bifold door compares on price, including VAT, supplied and fitted. We examine a Grey 2700x2100mm 3-Panel open out bifold door, including a cill, trickle vent, Hafi handle upgrade and 28mm double glazed units.

What to get the best out of your home improvement project?  There is more to a successful project than how much Origin bifold doors cost.

Consequently, Origin is not out to undercut their dealers and lose them business. Similarly, a homeowner gets a significantly enhanced experience dealing with a dealer than they do online.  They also get a better Origin bifolding door. Here is how buying Origin bifold doors online vs buying from a dealer compares.

Benefits of buying from an Origin Dealer

	Origin e-shop	Origin Dealer
Sizes	Restricted sizes only	Made-to-measure
Colours	White and One Grey Colour Only	Full range of Origin colour Pallette
Delivery	Between 14-28 Days	Origin dealers enjoy faster delivery
Handles	Just two handle options	Full Range of Origin handles and colours
Colour coded hardware	Not available	Available
Colour coded gaskets	Not available	Available
Glass	Standard Glass	Choice of glass upgrades and options
Integral blinds	Not available	Available
Guarantee	One year	20 years
Other Origin Products	Not available	Available including non-Origin products
Guidance and Advice	Standard advice	Personal service

Why is Origin selling directly to the consumer with a nationwide network of dealers?

It is very likely some Origin dealers are unhappy about Origin selling online directly because they think they will lose sales. There is no doubt some customers will buy from Origin.  Similarly, Origin setting up an e-shop helps their dealers.  Here is how.

Origin as a growing business, online sales is clearly part of their future growth strategy.

Origin is certainly reacting to the dominance of online purchases and wanting to be a part of this market.  There are many websites selling windows, composite doors, soffits and fascias already.  Origin selling online is supporting their many dealers well aware of bifolding doors available to buy online.  Setting up an e-shop is expensive and complicated for any small-medium Origin dealer.  Origin has absorbed this significant cost.

We understand Gold Origin Dealers carry out the survey and installation.  As a result, Origin provides their dealers with a sale. Even if this sale is just a survey and installation, it remains a sale they would arguably never have secured without Origin.

The customer pays £870.00 for survey and installation added to the Origin bifolding doors cost.  Therefore the Origin dealer has substantially improved margins as they would never charge this much themselves.

Above all we know many Origin dealers benefit from selling this strong brand of bifolding doors as well as the industry leading marketing, training and support Origin excels at.  Many dealers continue to credit Origin for their support and contributing to the growth of their business.

Origin doors can be sold directly to commercial installers to enhance shopfronts and commercial doors.

Advantages to homeowners buying online from Origin.

For homeowners with a set size and basic bifold door requirements, Origin’s online store has advantages.

• Ideal for homeowners to interact with Origin and would not usually look to go to a showroom.
• An instant price on how much Origin bifold doors cost without going to a dealer. Good if at the early stages of costing a project.
• A facility to buy a standard bi-fold door where no site complexities or special requirements exist.
• Good for customers wanting a bifolding door without the bells and whistles.
• Good for those customers wanting to buy directly from the manufacturer.

Therefore homeowners have more choice where to buy Origin bifolding doors.

Advantages to Origin and Origin Dealers

Origin and their dealers will benefit if Origin’s e-shop is a success.

• The Origin e-shop implies a Manufacturer Retail Price which is not necessarily a negative. Transparency is a positive.
• Origin gets to capture potential customers.
• Most bifold door projects are more complicated than ‘standard’. Origin dealers benefit from an Origin enquiry they may not usually get.
• Origin installers enjoy higher margins on survey and installation.
• We do not see a negative impact on sales.
• Potential for other Origin dealers to develop online sales.

Contact us if you would like more information about Origin bifolding doors.

The post How much do Origin Bifold Doors Cost? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

The Smart Systems Visofold 1000 bifold door is arguably one of the best selling, established bifolding doors in the UK.  Smart Systems is the biggest aluminium systems company, based in Yatton, Bristol.  Smarts’ Visofold 1000 door is widely sold to builders, via trade counters and direct to the public.

While one of the older bifolding doors on the market, it remains a great seller and an ideal bifold door solution for many.  Here we review the product and provide some comparisons with other brands.

Why we are reviewing the Smart Systems Visofold 1000 bifold door.

First of all, the market share of the Visofold 1000 is substantial. It, therefore, makes sense to include this best-selling door with our many reviews of other systems on the market. Smart Systems designs, extrudes and even paints the Visofold, which forms part of a bigger suite of bifolding doors from Smart Systems. The current Visofold bifolding door range from Smart Systems comprises:

• Best for residential applications is the Visofold 1000
• A square profile bifold door for retail outlets or commercial buildings is the Visofold 2000
• Visofold 3000 offers rounded profiles for residential, commercial and retail use.
• The heavy-duty bifold door from Smarts is the Visofold 4000.
• Visofold 6000 – the latest and newest slimline bifolding door.

Most installers choose the Visofold 1000 rather than the others.  The newest product is the Visofold 6000, one of the slimmest bifolding doors you can buy. 

From the many thousands of consumer enquiries coming into this website every year, few ask about Smart Systems products.  Given the dominance of Smart Systems in the marketplace, we would expect more people to ask questions about their products.  Consequently, Aluk is another of the best-selling systems few ask us about.

It seems like  Smart Systems do not actively target the end user like other systems companies. They leave their (substantial) trade fabricator base to do the selling for them.  Some systems companies see their growth pattern in getting their brand to the end user.  Others like Smarts want to sell metal to fabricators, and this they do in substantial quantities. Therefore this could explain why we get constantly asked about consumer-focused brands like Origin, Schuco, Reynaers, Sunflex, Air or Centor.

How good is the Smart Systems Visofold Bifolding Door?

The Visofold 1000 bifold door has cemented its place in the market as the staple bifold.  There is nothing wrong whatsoever with this door. Some perceive it (like Aluk’s Optio BSF70) as the ‘builders favourite’. The Visofold 1000 is widely available everywhere including trade counters, most retail installers, trade suppliers and online. It is also available at unbelievably low prices for the trade to buy.  Consequently, Smarts doors are for sale well below what other brands sell for on an unglazed fabricated basis.

What we also know about Smarts’ leading bifold door is how installers choose to sell it.  For many, it is their ‘basic’ bifolding door, perfect for those who want a quality door at a good price. The entry-level bifold.

The Visofold many installers use to upsell other brands with a higher quality perception. Similarly, for many, it remains their only bifold door offering, and they do very well with it.

Features and Benefits of the Visofold 1000.

For us, there are a few stand-out features of the Visofold 1000. They are:

• Its trade and retail prices are generally very good.  It is widely available.
• You get a woodgrain option.
• Choice of profiles including a deep bottom rail option and transoms.
• You even get the excellent Smarts Sensations and Alchemy range of colours.
• Colour matched hardware thanks to their own paint plant.
• Fixed or removable corner post option, cheaper than Schuco, Reynaers or Origin.

What the Visofold 1000 provides installers is a very flexible bifold.  For example, you can have a single hinged door, with a midrail that even has the option of fitting a letter plate in it.  There are other features such as optionally hidden door restrictor stays. These are intended to hold open traffic doors or single/double doors.

We have to mention the wood effect and individual colours available though Smarts’ Sensations and Alchemy range.  These provide textured and other shades which give a different dimension to this product.

Finally, the Visofold meets industry standards for powder coating, quality of extrusions, weather performance and security.

Smart Systems Visofold 1000 bifold door compared to other brands.

If you are thinking about buying the Visofold 1000, then we suggest three other brands to compare with it. The first one is the Aluk Optio BSF 70 purely on the basis of it also being a huge seller alongside the Visofold. Aluk’s BSF70 is as widely available as the Visofold and equally popular with the trade.

The second is Liniar’s Alumina bifold door. We suggest you check out the many good features of Alumina such as woodgrain foil colours, the superb Modlock and the aesthetics and overall finish of the product.

Finally Senior AliFold.  Senior Architectural Systems design some great doors and window but little known residentially.  We think the Senior AliFold door gives you a contemporary door also with good design and aesthetics.

Be aware of businesses rebranding the Visofold 1000 for homeowners – by and large, it is the same door as you will find anywhere.

Summary. Should you buy the Visofold 1000 bifold door?

Above all, the Visofold 1000 bifold door is an affordable, reliable, tried-and-tested bifolding door.  As a result, Visofold is easy to buy, easy to fit and it works.  Probably why so many builders love it.

In contrast, if you want a bifolding door with more premium brand perception, top quality door furniture and more engineering behind the product, there are other options available.

If you are a consumer, we suggest comparing the obvious Aluk alternative.  We recommend hunting down bifolding doors such as Liniar’s Alumina Bifold Door or the Senior Systems Alifold range.  Both Alumina bifold doors and Senior Alifold are newer, come with latest technology hardware and other features.  We think they’re much better-looking doors too.  You may even find very well priced Reynaers folding doors at similar prices to the Visofold.   Another product from independent manufacturer Aluhaus is their Alufold Bifolding Door.  Alufold is based on the Warmcore System. It’s welded, has premium door furniture found on Origin and Schuco doors, colour matched seals and gaskets even a mitred outer frame.

Contact us for more information or where to buy the Visofold 1000 and other bifolding door products.

The post The Visofold 1000 bifold door review appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.