Citi Homes Windows

Sliding doors

The wall that disappears

Aluminium sliding doors and sliding patio doors. We supply and install aluminium sliding doors for London homes. We work with many different systems: Cortizo COR Vision, Reynaers CP 130, Smart Architectural Aluminium, ALUK, Schüco, Origin, and Velfac. All are thermally broken, double or triple glazed, and PAS 24 security certified.

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What is a sliding door?

Sliding door

A sliding door is an external door where one or more glass panels move horizontally along a track to open. The panels do not swing outward or fold; they simply glide to one side and stack within the frame.

Most aluminium sliding patio doors use either an inline sliding system or a lift-and-slide mechanism. Inline means the panel runs directly on the track. Lift-and-slide means the panel lifts slightly off its seal before it moves, which makes heavier panels much easier to operate.

Sliding doors are most commonly fitted at the rear of the house, replacing an existing patio door, opening up a kitchen extension, or connecting a living room to a garden or terrace.

How sliding doors differ from other door types

Sliding doors vs bifold doors

A bifold door folds back in sections to give a wide open aperture in summer. A sliding door does not fold; it gives you a larger, uninterrupted pane of glass and a much cleaner view when the door is closed. Sliding doors need no swing clearance inside or outside. They suit tighter spaces and work well year-round, not just when the weather is good.

Sliding doors vs French doors

French doors open outward on hinges, like a pair of casement doors. They are a good choice for smaller openings. Sliding doors suit wider openings and give considerably more glass area for the same frame size.

 

Sliding doors vs patio doors (traditional)

A standard double-glazed patio door has a fixed panel and one sliding panel. A modern aluminium sliding patio door can have two, three, four, or six panels, all moving, with far slimmer frames, better thermal performance, and more glass overall.

Sliding doors vs pivot doors

A pivot door rotates on a central or offset pivot point and is typically used as a front door statement piece. Sliding doors are the practical rear door choice. Pivot doors suit wide openings at the front; sliding doors suit wide openings at the back.

Why aluminium sliding doors?

Aluminium is the most popular material for sliding doors in the UK right now. Here is why most London homeowners choose it.

  • Slim frames

    Aluminium holds large, heavy glass panels in a very narrow profile. The sightline on a Cortizo COR Vision is 20mm. That is less frame and more glass than any other material.

  • Low maintenance

    Powder-coat finishes do not peel, fade or need painting. They last decades without attention.

  • Thermal performance

    All modern aluminium sliding doors are thermally broken, meaning a polyamide strip separates the inner and outer aluminium sections. This prevents cold bridging and keeps frames warm inside.

  • Security

    Aluminium sliding doors are fitted with PAS 24 multipoint locking as standard. The same security standard used on composite front doors and aluminium entrance doors.

  • Bespoke sizing

    Aluminium sliding doors can be made to almost any size. Panels up to 3.5 metres high and 400kg per panel are achievable on premium systems.

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The brands we work with

Brand of windows - Velfac
Brand of windows - ORIGIN
Brand of windows - Schuco
Brand of windows - Reynaers
Brand of windows - Cortizo
Brand of windows - Rationel
ALUK logo
Smart architectural aluminium logo

Aluminium sliding door systems​

  • Cortizo COR Vision - slimline aluminium sliding doors

    Cortizo COR Vision - the slimmest sightline on the UK market at 20mm. Panels up to 3 metres high. PAS 24 certified. Dual colour available. Popular on London extensions where near-frameless glass is the brief.

  • Reynaers CP 130 - premium aluminium sliding patio doors

    Reynaers CP 130 - handles panels up to 300kg. Open corner option available — two panels meeting at 90 degrees with no post. U-value from 1.5 W/m²K. Secured by Design approved. One of the most specified premium sliding systems in the UK.

  • Smart Architectural Aluminium - Slide 2000

    Slide 2000 is the latest addition to Smart's popular series of elegant sliding doors. An evolution of the original Slide system, Slide 2000 features the series' signature slim profiles and minimal sight lines.

  • ALUK BSC94 - high-performance aluminium patio sliding doors

    ALUK BSC94 - premium quality lift and slide doors. Their key statistics are impossible to ignore. Thermal U-value of 1.5 W/m2K (triple glazing). Sheet weight up to 400 kg. Visibility of just 45 mm. The list goes on. As do the benefits, including multiple configurations and a wide range of colours.

  • Origin aluminium sliding doors - UK-made, 20-year guarantee

    Origin aluminium sliding doors - made in the UK. 150+ powder-coat colours. 20-year product guarantee. The OS-29 sliding door and Artisan range sit alongside Origin's well-known bifold doors and French doors. A consistent system if you want matching aluminium doors across the whole rear elevation.

  • Velfac sliding doors - composite timber and aluminium

    Velfac sliding doors - timber on the inside, aluminium on the outside. Built to Scandinavian standards. Velfac sliding doors give the warmth of natural wood indoors, while the aluminium exterior handles the British weather without maintenance. Works well alongside bespoke timber doors and bespoke timber windows elsewhere in a period or traditional property.

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Sliding door colours and configurations

Panels

Two, three, four, or six panels. Two or three panels suit most openings up to around 5 metres wide. Four or six panels suit wider rear elevations.

Any RAL or BS colour in gloss, matt, or textured powder-coat. Black, anthracite grey, white, and grey are the most popular in London right now. Dual-colour (different inside and out) is available on most systems.

Reynaers CP 130 and select Cortizo configurations allow two panels to meet at an external corner with no post between them.

Low-profile aluminium threshold as standard. Flush-fit available where the subfloor allows. Part M compliant thresholds fitted on new build and extension work.

Double glazing as standard. Triple glazing available. Acoustic glass for road-facing openings. Solar control glass for south or west-facing doors.

FAQ

A sliding door is an external door where glass panels move horizontally along a track to open. No swing. No fold. The panels glide to one side and stack within the frame.

Bifold doors fold back in sections and give a wider open aperture. Sliding doors give more glass when closed, need no swing clearance and suit spaces where a bifold's folding mechanism is not practical.

The Cortizo COR Vision has a 20mm interlock sightline - the slimmest currently available in the UK. The ALUK BSC94 runs from 45mm and the Reynaers CP 130 is comparable.

Inline sliding runs directly on the track. Lift-and-slide raises the panel slightly before it moves, reducing resistance and wear. It makes heavy panels feel light to operate.

Yes. All systems we install are PAS 24 certified with multipoint locking and Secured by Design compatible hardware.

Most two or three panel residential sliding doors take one day. Larger configurations or structural work may take two to three days.

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