Victoria Brocklesby , COO and Co-Founder at Origin , the UK ’ s leading manufacturer of aluminium doors and windows , speaks to us about sliding doors and looks at how they measure up from a safety perspective .

Over the last year , I have seen a noticeable change in consumer behaviour with more buyers than ever leaning towards sliding doors . This is not to say the traditional bi-fold has had its last hurrah , because it is still highly sought after , but demand for a sliding door is surging fast .

Much of this can be put down to homeowners wanting to maximise glass and increase the level of natural light coming into the home wherever possible . In fact , innovation has become so good that some sliders on the market offer sightlines as thin as just 20mm .

With the ever-decreasing sightlines and increasing amount of glass on show , there is a perception amongst many that the safety and security of the sliding door plays second fiddle to aesthetics in order to incorporate these technical innovations . This is simply not the case . As far as we are concerned , a price can ’ t be put on safety , and it is something we as a business take very seriously .

Safe and sound

When we talk safety , there are two angles to discuss . Firstly , the sliding doors must be safe to operate , especially given the amount of time homeowners will want them open . Secondly , they need to be designed so that intruders remain outside at all times .

From a safe use perspective , our sliding doors are manufactured to have a concealed track

that reduces the chance of fingers and toes getting accidentally caught in the opening process . In addition , because our door opens on just one track , the mechanics are efficient , but most importantly very simple , which reduces unnecessary security points and actions , making the doors safer to open and close .

When it comes to security of the home , it is not an area that can be skimped on . Sliding doors must come with top of the line , high quality locking and security systems installed . As an example of this , we offer an ultra-secure multi-point locking system , that has a minimum of six points of locking . This makes it incredibly secure . On top of this , there ’ s only a handle on the inside , so there ’ s no lock that could be picked outside .

Additionally , on one of our systems ( OS-20 ), it comes as a

bonded system with the glass integrated upon delivery . The premium low-e toughened glass used within this is an incredibly dependable double glazing unit . Constructed of two toughened sheets - 6mm on both the inward and outward facing panes with an 18mm spacer - it makes it tough to break , and as an added bonus , thermally efficient .

What else to consider

The safety and security of the sliding doors themselves is vital , but other factors should also play an important role before a final decision is made . For example , what materials are the doors made from ?

In my experience , aluminium is innately strong and physically secure . It is also resilient to flexing , expanding or contracting . uPVC and wood are not as naturally

strong and have thicker sightlines , making them a less obvious choice . They also have a tendency to flex and warp in differing weather conditions .

In summary

Being part of the decision making process for any home is a tough job . There are so many elements that need to be finely balanced in order to produce the perfect atmosphere and setting for the homeowner . Certainly when it comes to sliding doors , the process is no different , having the right knowledge and doors available to you puts you in good stead when speaking to customers about their home .

For more information about Origin ’ s Sliding Door range , please visit https :// originglobal . com / doors / sliding-doors