New Regulations for Double-Glazed Doors and Windows: CE Marking.

We’ve all seen the CE mark on various products over the years, e.g. toys and drinking glasses. From 1st July 2013, the CE mark applies to construction products, including glazed external doors and windows.

The performance standard differentiates between replacement doors and doors for new buildings including extensions. New-build doors must achieve an overall rating of 2 watts per square whereas replacement doors have to achieve a U-value of 1.8 overall.

Manufacturers of glazed external doors will be required to draw up a Declaration of Performance (DoP) that accepts responsibility to ensure that the door or window conforms to the declared performance. A DoP must list all the ‘Essential Requirements’ which includes the U-value and conformance to relevant Building Regulations.

The DoP must also contain other information, including the intended use or uses for the windows or doors, e.g. whether for pedestrian use, external, domestic or commercial locations. EU manufacturers must add a CE mark to all glazed doors and windows and imports must have a DoP - the Trading Standards Authority is charged with ensuring conformity with the new directive.

All double-glazed SunSeeker Doors have been tested for compliance and have all achieved the required 1.8 U-value necessary for replacement doors, giving home-owners a choice of chic Frameless or UltraSlim slide-and-turn doors or Slimline aluminium bi folds in place of old patio doors. All our double-glazed units are Kite-marked, too.

SunSeeker Slimline Bi folding Doors have been rated at 2, which also makes them the ideal choice for new extensions and new homes.

Optional Extras with UltraSlim Doors

If you love glass but sometimes need privacy - or if you love the sun but occasionally it's too bright, we can supply UltraSlim doors with integral horizontal blinds, encapsulated within the double glazing cavity.

The blinds are worked by a magnetic 'pull' that attaches to the top of the doors, keeping the mechanism safe from over-zealous tugging - and the blinds NEVER NEED DUSTING!

Here is another UltraSlim door installation with 'wow' power - the horizontal bar detail was added to complement the style of the home. We think it looks stunning!

Fit the original and best slide-pivot doors: SunSeeker UltraSlim. Use our quote request form.

UltraSlim Doors for 10% more than Bi Folds

Our Slimline Bi Folding Door frames, at around 71mm (2¾") and with narrow profiles, has always been a market leader of contemporary doors but UltraSlim Door frames are 19mm (about ¾") at each side of each double glazed door, available in over 100 colour choices: white, black, silver, green, blue, sepia, grey and more.


Shown here is an 8-door UltraSlim Doors installation in a new extension, which has a viewing width in excess of 6.2m (approx 20ft) of glass interrupted by less than 27cm (under 11") of vertical frame. When all the doors are opened, there will be in excess of 6m of continuous access space between the house and patio, just like bifolds.

Unlike Bi Folding doors, UltraSlim door frames do not have hinges fitted, enabling us to reduce the frame width. The door on the right of the image will open just like a regular pivot door. Other doors are then able to slide along the guides to be positioned as required. To open more than one door, slide the nearest door towards the first (open) door and it will then pivot open in the same way. Repeat for as many doors as you require to open. You can have a pivot door at each end, if preferred.

Launched a couple of years ago, UltraSlim has rapidly become our best selling door and now we are able to offer this innovative product, made to measure and fully installed, for only 10% more than the price of our bifolds (compare door prices here).

Sightline Extra Large Glass Doors

Recently, Sightline Doors was launched to bring Extra Large Glass sliding doors to householders and owners of commercial premises who require large leaf glass doors. Each glass door has a maximum dimension of 3m x 6m, for extra wide or extra tall entrances.

There are two extra wide doors on this building. Either door may be opened with ease, creating ample room for people to pass through, several at a time! With the doors closed, there is a very slim sight-line as the side frames have only a 14mm width.

By contrast, the longer side of the glass  has been used to create height for the doors on this building - compare the height of the glass doors with the doors in the office wall inside.

Sightline extra large glass doors are available from SunSeeker Doors. We also install Slimline bifolds and UltraSlim glass doors.

Sliding Folding Doors - Uppingham

"Good Morning, You have previously supplied us personally with some doors which we were extremely pleased with, we are main contractors on the above job and have recommended your company to our client..."

Many Thanks
Kevin Bray
Custom Joinery Services
Tel - 01780 482050

Our thanks to this customer for the photograph as well as the testimonial and recommendation.

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.

SunSeeker opens its Doors to Trade supply. Launch of new website www.SunSeekerTradeBifolds.co.uk

Press Release: 14 January 2011
Luton, Bedfordshire: SunSeeker Doors, renowned for its Bi Folding Doors System since 2003, has today launched a new service to supply made-to-measure bi folds direct to builders who want to install the doors to their own customers.

SunSeeker Doors had previously resisted requests to provide door sets only, in case poor installation by third parties might damage the reputation that SunSeeker has spent years building. However, the bi folding doors have been engineered to a point where installation is straightforward and the British-made aluminium folding-sliding door sets have proven to be robust.

Having remained buoyant throughout the recession with its keen pricing and value-for-money quality, the company has recently reviewed its strategy for going forward. Manufacturing can handle additional capacity, resulting in the launch of SunSeeker Trade Bifolds.

Additionally, a brand new innovative Frame-less 'glass curtain' door system was introduced in 2009, enabling a clearly uninterrupted view between rooms or a conservatory. This was followed, a year ago, by the launch of a double-glazed version marketed simply as Frameless Glass Doors, developed and manufactured in the U.K..

Frameless Glass Doors look similar to bi folding doors but with more glass and less of everything else, making them a far more attractive addition to the home. Building regulations for thermal insulation properties mean that the double glazing is sealed by a narrow but visible gasket. Comparing the view through Frameless Glass Doors with the view through SunSeeker aluminium framed bifolds and typical pvc frames, the area of interrupted view at the side edge of each door is 19mm, 60mm and typically 100mm, respectively.

More information about SunSeeker Doors products can be found on www.sunseekerdoors.co.uk. For trade-only supply, please visit www.sunseekertradebifolds.co.uk.

Working with Design and Build Architects

At SunSeeker Doors, we have often worked with architects and builders to install bifolding doors in new or extended homes but since the launch of of our fairly unique Frameless double-glazed doors, there has been a greater interest from the design and build sector.

In the UK, if clients want to make the most of a spectacular view from their homes, the considerations are:

• best uninterrupted view,
• best view through the glass,
• building regulations compliance.

The best uninterrupted view is to have nothing between yourself and the view, not even glass. This can be achieved by installing retractable doors and opening them fully, such as slimline bifolding doors, glass curtains or double-glazed frameless glass doors. SunSeeker Doors manufactures and installs all these types of doors.

The best view through the glass can be achieved with fixed frameless glass panels, sliding frameless glass patio doors or retractable glass curtains made from single-glazed tempered glass but none of these would meet building regulations approval if installed between the main house and the outside. Double-glazing is necessary to reduce heat loss from homes, therefore a narrow opaque edge is unavoidable around each glass panel. With this in mind, the best available options for the best view through glass doors are double-glazed frameless glass doors or sliding patio doors.

Traditional sliding patio doors that run left and right along tracks do not retract to improve the view or access area. Sunseeker Doors' frameless glass doors have been developed to slide then pivot ninety degrees to stack neatly at the side of the opening for maximum access, light source and viewing aperture.

Design-and-Build Frameless Glass Doors Installation

SunSeeker Doors has experienced teams to perform a site survey and who can install our doors - frameless or bifolds - with minimum fuss in minimum time, leaving a tidy site within a few hours.

Architects benefit from fast but professional service, customers are pleased to be free of workmen and their debris and have working doors the same day.

We have the flexibility to work with architects, developers and building professionals to meet deadlines and other requirements. Read more about us on our web site, email or call 01582 492 730 to discuss including our quality, innovative doors in your plans.