Which system is for me?
If you wish to have a painted door system to tie in with existing windows, or for something a little different, then the aluminium door selections are likely to be the best choice. The choice of aluminium system will be likely determined by the size of the opening it is to operate in and the arrangement you require.
SF55 – the latest 55mm frame section (width of the frame of each door around the glass), with sealed bearing rollers top and bottom. The SF55 can only have up to 3 doors running in either direction per door set. Therefore a maximum of 6 possible doors per opening, with 3 in each direction. The maximum door leaf size is 1100mm.
SF70 – 70mm frame section, bottom running system, which gives the freedom of having fixed glazing to match as well innovative glazed gable solutions, partial opening and moving corner posts. A very versatile system, giving a whole host of opening options – too many to mention. So if the SF55 is not quite the ticket, the SF70 will be.
Aluminium systems can be painted any one of 1688 colours – so there should be one there for you!
If you own an older property of timber construction, or there is an architectural or planning requirement for timber doors, or you just want to have the natural elegance of wood, then we also have a beautiful set of doors for you.
SF65 – produced from solid wood, these doors are crafted to your exact requirements. The doors are available in a selection of timbers, but each one shares a similar laminate construction. This ensures that by reversing the grain of the timber throughout the structure of the door, the natural forces within the wood are neutralised stopping any movement or warping which you would otherwise get with a single piece of timber. These doors are finished in the factory with any of the Sikkens range of stains and treatments you may require, giving you market leading weather protection and style.
Track options
The type of track option available for all the doors can be narrowed quickly to 2 types – fully weathered or flush.
Fully weathered track configurations are as traditionally seen on almost all external door systems where a step down from the level of the inside floor level to the outside floor level occurs. This ensures that the outside surface is always lower than the inside surface, so ensuring water is always kept out.
A flush track may in some instance be possible to use, allowing the external and internal floor surfaces to be set at the same level. This gives a truly seamless transition between the inside and outside of your property once the door is opened. This is most commonly installed with a decked solution outside, since this ensures drainage on the outside, erasing the potential for water ingress. With careful design and planning this very elegant solution can be included into your property, but is dependant upon your particular situation.
These are the biggest decisions involved with door choice. To pin down the final detail, you will need to contact us in order that we can survey your property accurately or view your plans, or speak with your builder and run through the numerous other details and options available, such as sills, trickle vents, handle and opening arrangements etc. I hope this short guide has gone some way to helping you make a more informed selection.
Thermal conductivity – will my doors allow heat out?
Our range of doors exceed the highest standards set by Building Regulations in the UK and throughout Europe. To reduce heat loss, our systems have a “thermal break” in between the outside frame surface and the inside frame surface, so when you heat your room, the warmth conducted through the frame of the door is greatly reduced, which means you’re heating is far more efficient.
Glass – here you have a choice. There are many glazing options available, with variations such as the type of glass, be it toughened or laminated, the coating the glass has, which effects its ability to reflect the suns rays, and the colour, as well as the thickness etc.
To simplify things, we fit what we believe to be the best solution, that being Pilkington K toughened safety glass, at 4mm thickness, with a 20mm thermal break between the panes, the cavity of which is filled with Argon gas, and then sealed. The performance of this combination is excellent both in its ability to reflect the suns rays, and keep the heat transfer from inside your house to an absolute minimum.
We currently have the most efficient door system available with our SF55, having a 55mm aluminium frame width, with a 20mm thermal break – something no other company can offer. |
