Feeling Hot Hot Hot? Throw Open Those Bifolds!

The long awaited warm weather has finally arrived and those of us lucky enough to already have bi folding doors installed took about 9* seconds to push them wide open. Bliss!

Well, 9 seconds for a standard set of 3 doors; more doors might go over 10 seconds. In fact, other makes of doors could take longer to open but SunSeeker bi folding doors are definitely of the easy glide variety, as long as the floor guide is kept free of grit and debris.

SunSeeker bi folding doors have aluminium frames, thermally broken for good insulation and powder coated to look great in whatever RAL colour you choose. SunSeeker bifolding doors are well balanced so that opening and closing requires minimal strength and no unnecessary force is placed on the hinges. Our installation teams are experienced in measuring and installing our bifolds therefore they will fit perfectly and operate smoothly from day one.

Manufactured by us, in England, to fit your exact requirements. Our prices are competitive and our quality is excellent. Why go for cheaper and why pay more? Submit your no-obligation quotation request today - your doors could be installed before mid-summer!

*accurately timed prior to writing the blog

Extending your Living area with Glass Doors

The great British weather! It's rained for such a long time now that it's hard to remember a day when you'd want to install bi folding doors to "bring the outdoors indoors". There have been few occasions during April and May (so far) that doors to the garden or terrace have been opened for a short venture outside - we're guessing that anyone with folding-sliding doors hasn't fully retracted them lately!

But the optimists are looking forward to the summer - the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Wimbledon, the Olympics and much more. If it turns out to be a brilliantly warm summer, you need to make the best of it. Install bi folding or slide-and-pivot retractable doors so that your indoor-outdoor activities are seamless.

Quotes available now for SunSeeker retractable doors.

Frameless vs Frameless Double Glazed Conservatory Doors

Conservatories and extensions are subject to different planning regulations. Although they may look almost identical, an extension will need to conform to domestic dwelling insulation standards whereas a conservatory is considered to be an attached 'outbuilding' and should not form part of the living accommodation.

Doors between the original house and its extension are internal doors and our tempered glass frameless slide and pivot retractable doors are the perfect room divider for this situation.

Doors to a conservatory must comply with building regulations for patio doors and in this case, you would need to select double glazed retractable slide and pivot doors, as illustrated in the photograph.

Double glazing has better insulation and noise reduction qualities than single glazed partition doors. Of course, if you want to install double glazed doors in preference to tempered glass doors between rooms, there are no laws against it! In fact, you have the choice of double-glazed Frameless doors or UltraSlim aluminium frame slide and pivot doors. You can find details and request a comparable quotation from www.sunseekerdoors.co.uk

Multi-pivot Glass Doors are not "Arch" Enemies!!

Frameless Glass Doors can, indeed, foil an arch enemy!

Here is what a satisfied client recently told our marketing staff:
"I contacted Sunseeker Doors because we had an unusual arched doorway leading from our living room to our extension. We wanted to get the maximum light but also the ability to close off the doorway during cold weather as every time we opened our doors to the garden all the cold rushed in.
The 4 door glass curtain we had fitted does the job perfectly, providing a crisp clear curtain across the doorway which keeps the draughts out and also provides some soundproofing. The installation was performed quickly and tidily.
Thank you for providing a solution to our problem!"

And here's the link for Frameless Glass Interior Doors.

Frameless Glass Doors in Business Premises

We recently installed Frameless Glass Doors at the London business premises of our client. The open doors enable maximum access and there is maximum light flow whether the doors are open or closed.

Interested? To find out more, visit Frameless Glass Doors

Most Popular Frame Colours for Slimline Bi Folding Doors and UltraSlim Patio Doors

Advantages of patio doors with aluminium frames rather than pvc or wooden are:

• aluminium frames can be ultra-slim, therefore less obtrusive for viewing through closed doors 
• aluminium frames have narrower profiles for wider access space when doors are open 
• the UltraSlim patio door frames are not heavy, so it's easy to manouevre retractable doors 
• aluminium frames are available in a vast range of low maintenance colour finishes 

White is the most popular colour as it matches existing pvc windows, therefore we base our quotes using RAL 9010 "Pure White" although the frames are available in almost 200 bespoke 'RAL' colours for an additional payment. The most popular of these other colours for frames are:  cream, silver, various shades of greys and black:

RAL colours: slate grey, graphite grey, silver, cream, anthracite grey & black

So, unless you are opting for our Frameless Glass Doors, take a look at the choice of frame colours we offer. Our UltraSlim patio doors gallery shows installations with grey frames and one with green frames.  Our bi folding door installations, although mostly white, show some installations with grey and black frames.

Why not compare the cost of retractable glass doors from SunSeeker Doors? It's fast - and totally free.

Guide to Patio Door Types - part 4:

from  ezine articles / Bee Primrose

Concluding our comprehensive guide to patio door types.

• part 1: Styles.
• part 2: Frames.
• part 3: Glass.

part 4: 

Hardware, Rolling, Thresholds & Security 

French doors and bi folds need hinges that are strong enough to withstand the weight of the doors. Sliding doors (including bi folds) can be supported from the top or rest on the floor. Top hung systems tend to be easier to slide and will facilitate low thresholds. Thresholds can be raised or virtually flush, if the floor area is suitable. Raised is usually cheaper and may be more suitable to certain environments; other factors to consider are access by wheelchair users, young children and elderly, infirm or partially sighted people who may be liable to trip. Consideration should be given to how secure patio doors are. Not only the quality of the frames and glass but whether the doors can be unlocked from the outside. French doors are often purchased "off the shelf" and afford access from both sides whereas bifolding doors are often made to measure and can be supplied with locks on the inside only. Multiple door systems may have key-locks for each of the pairs of doors for extra security.

Access & Opening Widths 

To recap, French doors come in pairs and therefore the maximum access width is in the region of 2 metres. Sliding doors comprise two, three or four sashes within a frame, the larger systems opening to provide maximum access width of approximately 3 metres. Bi-folding and slide-and-pivot door systems are fully retractable, maximising the potential access width. The width-span of bifolds is governed by the stress of the hinged doors therefore a link of six doors is considered the maximum although, in theory, two of these could be installed to form a centrally opening retractable glass wall of twelve doors spanning 12m, provided the overbeam can be trusted (reputable companies will probably advise against this). Without hinges and cumbersome frames, slide-and-pivot doors are lighter and operate independently, therefore their installable width span is restricted only by the length of the over-beam to which the upper guide needs to be attached. The upper and lower guides must be consistently equidistant along the full width of the aperture for the doors to slide. This system has been tested to approximately 8 metres.

Delivery & Installation 

As previously stated, French doors can usually be purchased 'off the shelf' to standard sizes, as can smaller widths of sliding doors and pvc or timber bi folding door systems. If purchasing a system that is made to order, it is advisable to ensure that it is manufactured in the UK. Main benefits include adherence to British standards and delivery timescales (not only for the initial import but for subsequent parts or problem solving). When comparing prices, include: cost of buying the door system, delivery service, installation labour (if d-i-y, cost of appropriate tools and materials), making good and clearing the site. Price is not everything, though. Consider the time it takes for the installation to be completed - typically, an experienced team from the supplier will complete the job in a day so that home-owners can enjoy using their new patio doors as soon as possible.

Commercial Use 

Patio doors are generally installed in residential properties but are also popular in restaurants, canteens, reception areas, sports halls, swimming pools and communal areas. Where double-glazing isn't required, single-glazed frameless slide-and-pivot doors may be preferred - reception areas, enclosing a terrace or cloisters, shop fronts in shopping malls and conference area partitions. (Glass Curtains)

SunSeeker Doors is the only UK company to manufacture and install a choice of slide and pivot doors (including frameless glass doors), bi folding doors and French doors.

Article Source: Guide to Patio Door Types