Aluminium bifold and sliding doors: more glass, less frame
Slim, strong frames that carry big panes without looking heavy — the natural choice for bifolds, sliders and wide openings onto a garden.
- Thermally broken frames with narrow sightlines
- Bifold, sliding patio and single door configurations
- Powder-coated finishes that never need repainting
East Grinstead showroom · covering Sussex, Surrey and Kent
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On every product we supply and install
Family run since 2007
Our own fitters — never subcontracted out
Why aluminium
Strength is the whole point
Aluminium is structurally stronger than uPVC or timber, so the frame can be much thinner and still carry a large, heavy pane.
That difference shows up as daylight. In the same opening you get a noticeably bigger area of glass, which is why aluminium dominates on extensions, garden rooms and anywhere with a view worth framing.
It also holds a crisp, square edge that suits modern architecture, and it will span widths that other materials struggle with.
- Slim sightlines and large panes
- Powder-coated finish that won’t need repainting
- Matching windows, doors and bifolds in one finish
- Multi-point locking and anti-lift blocks as standard
Compare
Bifold or sliding patio?
The two do different jobs. Which one suits comes down to the opening and how you'll actually use it.
| Feature | Bifold doors | Sliding patio doors |
|---|---|---|
| How they open | Panels concertina back and stack against the wall | Panels slide past each other on a track |
| Opening you get | Almost the entire span, clear | Roughly half the span at a time |
| When closed | A frame between each panel | Fewer, larger panes and a cleaner view |
| Space needed | Stacked panels need somewhere to sit | Nothing projects at all |
| Everyday use | Specify a traffic door so one leaf opens alone | One panel slides — no setting up |
| Best for | Throwing a wide opening completely open | Keeping an uninterrupted view |
Both are made to measure and both need the structure above the opening checking first. We’ll go through it at survey.
Benefits
What aluminium gives you
Bigger panes
More glass and less frame in the same opening, so more daylight gets in.
Thermally broken
An insulating bar through the frame stops the metal carrying cold into the room.
Strong and stable
Rigid enough to carry heavy sealed units across wide spans without sagging.
Powder-coated
Baked-on colour rather than paint, in anthracite, black, grey and heritage shades.
Secure hardware
Multi-point locking with anti-lift blocks on sliding and folding leaves.
Recyclable
Aluminium is endlessly recyclable at the end of its life.
Worth knowing
The threshold and the beam
Two details decide whether a big opening works properly, and both get settled before anything is ordered.
A flush threshold gives you a level run from floor to patio, which looks and feels right — but the outside levels and drainage have to be designed for it, or water finds its way in.
Above the opening there’s usually a new structural beam to carry the wall. That’s building work with building regulations attached. We do that side too, so it’s one team rather than three.
Materials
Not sure aluminium is the one?
Each material has its place. Here’s what the others are better at.
Composite Doors
A solid timber core wrapped in a tough moulded skin. The strongest, warmest and most popular choice for a front door.
Explore composite doors
uPVC Doors
The practical choice for back doors, French doors and utility entrances — warm, secure and virtually maintenance free.
Explore uPVC doors
Wooden Doors
Real timber for period properties and conservation areas, engineered and factory-finished so it stands up to the weather.
Explore wooden doors
Aluminium Doors
Slim, strong frames for bifolds, sliding patio doors and large openings where you want more glass and less frame.
Explore aluminium doorsBuying online? Our shop is on its way
Aluminium doors are always made to measure, so they won’t suit an off-the-shelf basket. Send us your opening sizes and we’ll price it up properly.
Questions
Aluminium door questions
Can’t see what you need? Call 01342 410079 and we’ll answer it properly.
Bifold or sliding — which should I choose?
Isn’t aluminium cold?
How wide can the opening be?
Which way should bifolds fold?
Do I need building work as well?
Where we work
Aluminium bifold and sliding doors in East Grinstead and across Sussex, Surrey and Kent
We’re based on Station Road in East Grinstead, where West Sussex meets Surrey and Kent, and our own team works throughout all three counties.
Towns we cover include
- East Grinstead
- Crawley
- Horley
- Haywards Heath
- Burgess Hill
- Horsham
- Crowborough
- Tunbridge Wells
- Tonbridge
- Sevenoaks
- Redhill
- Reigate
- Caterham
…and the villages in between. If you’re in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, the answer is almost certainly yes.
Free quotations
Get a price for aluminium doors
Book a free survey and we’ll check the opening, the structure and the threshold before we quote.