Sliding Doors

Not so long ago sliding doors were considered suitable only for internal use on wardrobes, closets or pantries. But the increasing popularity of custom built door and window units has led to the acceptance of these doors as appropriate for just about any door in any building.

The most obvious advantage is that of space. Traditional hinged doors need a lot of space. They have an arc shaped trajectory which has to be kept clear for opening and closing, and when open they use up a disproportionate area. All that is changed when you switch to using a sliding door.

Style is another important factor. There’s something about sliding a door back to let a visitor into your house that’s impressive. Perhaps it conveys the subliminal message that he is being ushered into another kind of world, where things are done differently, and life is on a higher level.

Getting more down to earth, other practical benefits include security, with most sliding door systems having multiple locking points and advanced lever locking systems, and safety.

Would These Doors Fit In With My Decor And Colour Scheme?

Most people don’t realise how versatile these doors are. Apart from the frames, which should be of aluminium for durability and strength, you can have almost any material you like for the main body. Most, however, opt for glass, especially for outside doors, so it’s easy to see what is outside, and the interior is well lit with natural light.

And whether they’re inside or outside doors, they can be left open when it’s to your advantage, allowing unhindered passage to and fro and giving an enhanced feeling of openness and freedom of movement.

Exterior doors don’t have to be at the main entrance. If you have, for example, a window in your living room that gives a decent view of your garden or the open countryside, then why not replace the whole wall, or a section of it, with a glass sliding door? Even the largest such doors can be double glazed if required, so as to make the outdoors come indoors but without the cold or wet conditions that may feature outside from time to time.

How Long Will These Doors Last?

Think in terms of decades. At Streamline Windows in Brisbane we fit all our doors with adjustable, long-lasting heavy duty double rollers that glide smoothly on extruded aluminium tracks that have no unfinished or exposed edges. Quality and style are intertwined to produce a pleasing and practical improvement to any building – domestic or commercial – that will last a lifetime.

In office premises and conference centres large areas can be partitioned with sliding ones used as room dividers, resulting in the long term economical use of all parts of the premises, providing temporary privacy when required and cutting down on energy consumption and wear and tear.

Would my house be as secure as with traditional hinged doors?

Security has always been a major consideration in the design and fitting of our sliding types. Apart from our locking systems already mentioned, all three models in our range have built-in security screen tracks, have heavy gauge wall sections for added strength, and have been vigorously tested for resistance to wind and water. Dust is taken care of by rounded interlocks, making each unit almost maintenance-free.

Sliding doors are at least as good as traditional doors in every way, and they’re here to stay.