Sliding Door Designs to Transform Your Space
August 4, 2025
News
Sliding doors have become increasingly popular in UK homes, offering a balance of functionality and style. These versatile doors create a great connection between indoor and outdoor spaces while flooding your home with natural light.
If you’re considering sliding doors for your property, understanding the different design options can help you make the right choice for your needs.
Materials
When it comes to sliding door materials, there are three main options available on the market: timber, uPVC, and aluminium. Each has its own set of characteristics that make it suitable for different requirements and preferences.
Timber Sliding Doors
Timber sliding doors have a long history in home design and give a warm, natural aesthetic that many homeowners appreciate. The beauty of wood is undeniable, with options like oak, pine, and walnut creating a classic look that complements traditional homes particularly well.
Wood products do have certain limitations, however. They require regular maintenance to prevent warping and rotting. Timber doors can swell in wet conditions or shrink in dry periods without proper care, potentially leading to operational issues. The naturally occurring grain in wood can also change over time, and product damage may occur without regular treatments, leading to consequential costs in the long run.
UPVC Sliding Doors
UPVC has become a popular choice in home improvement due to its affordability and low maintenance requirements. These doors offer good thermal performance and come in various colours, including wood-effect finishes.
While uPVC doors are available at great prices and require little maintenance, they have some drawbacks. The frames tend to be bulkier than other materials, reducing the glass area and limiting natural light. They also have a shorter lifespan than aluminium alternatives and can be prone to discolouration and warping over time, particularly in areas with high sun exposure.
Aluminium Sliding Doors
Aluminium has emerged as the premier material for sliding doors, offering exceptional strength, durability, and design flexibility. The inherent strength of aluminium allows for slimmer frames and larger glass panels, maximising views and natural light in your living space.
Modern aluminium sliding doors feature thermal breaks – a barrier within the frame that significantly improves thermal performance by reducing heat transfer. This technology means today’s aluminium doors offer excellent energy efficiency, often on par with uPVC.
Aluminium frames can support larger glass panels than other materials, allowing for impressive sliding glass door designs that create dramatic larger openings. The material is also incredibly durable, with a potential lifespan of up to 45 years, making it a smart long-term investment.
At North East Bifolds, we exclusively offer aluminium sliding doors because we believe they provide the ideal solution for homeowners seeking quality, longevity, and striking aesthetics.
Style Options for Your Home
Sliding door designs should complement your home’s architectural style while meeting your practical needs. Here are some considerations for choosing the right style:
Interlock Sizes and Sightlines
The interlock is where two door panels meet, and it plays a significant role in the overall appearance of your sliding doors. At North East Bifolds, our Visoglide Plus sliding doors offer four interlock options:
- 20mm interlocks for the slimmest, most contemporary look
- 35mm interlocks balancing slim sightlines with strength
- 74mm interlocks offering added stability for larger installations
- 90mm interlocks providing maximum strength for extensive systems
Slimmer interlocks create a more minimal, modern aesthetic with greater glass area, while wider interlocks offer additional strength and security and are generally necessary for larger installations.
Colour Choices
The colour of your sliding doors can dramatically impact their appearance and how they complement your home. Contemporary properties often benefit from monochrome shades like anthracite grey, which has become fashionable in the last few years.
For more traditional homes, classic colours like white or black can provide a timeless look that won’t date.
Our aluminium sliding doors are available in the full range of RAL colours, allowing for virtually limitless customisation to match or contrast with your existing windows, doors, or overall colour scheme.
Size Options
The size of your sliding doors affects their appearance and how they function in your space. At North East Bifolds, our Visoglide Plus sliding door system can be customised to fit openings from as small as 1.2m up to an impressive 9m wide, with heights reaching 2.5m.
For modest spaces like patios or smaller garden access points, compact sliding doors around 1.2m to 2.5m wide provide an ideal solution. These smaller systems still provide smooth operation and sleek design while working perfectly in limited spaces.
For larger openings connecting to outdoor space, our sliding doors can span much greater widths, creating dramatic glass walls that transform your living space. These wider installations, ranging from 9m wide to 2.5m high, are perfect for open-plan extensions or modern homes where maximising the connection to the garden is a priority. The large glass panels in these wider systems flood your interior with natural light and create stunning, uninterrupted views.
Our Visoglide Plus Sliding Doors
At North East Bifolds, we offer the high-quality Visoglide Plus sliding door system that combines sleek design with outstanding performance. These doors can be customised to fit openings from 1.2m to 9m wide and up to 2.5m in height, making them suitable for everything from standard patio doors to impressive glass walls.
Security is paramount in our design, which is why all our sliding door systems are fitted with the EROS 3 Star Cylinder lock, a high-security locking system that has achieved the prestigious Sold Secure Diamond 2024 certification.
Why Choose North East Bifolds?
As a family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience, we take pride in providing high-quality aluminium glazing solutions across the North East. We understand that new doors are a significant investment, which is why we offer:
- Expert advice on the best options for your specific needs
- Professional installation by our experienced team
- One year of aftercare completely free of charge
Transform Your Home Today
Sliding door designs have evolved significantly in recent years, with modern aluminium systems offering the perfect combination of style, functionality, and thermal performance. Whether you’re looking to replace existing patio doors or create a new glass wall on an extension, the right sliding doors can transform how you use and enjoy your home.
We’d love to invite you to see and use our sliding doors in person at our showroom. We are open Monday-Friday, and you can find us at North East Bifolds Ltd, Ind Estate, North Crescent, Bifold House, Cold Hesledon, Seaham, SR7 8RD.
To arrange a free, no obligation quote, please get in touch on 0191 581 3987, at sales@northeastbifolds.co.uk, or by using our online quote form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between sliding doors and bifold doors?
Sliding doors open by gliding horizontally, with panels sliding behind one another. This means they always partially obstruct the opening. Bifold doors fold back concertina-style, offering a wider clear opening when fully open.
Do you offer coloured sliding doors?
Yes, we offer our aluminium sliding doors in the full range of RAL colours, including popular options like anthracite grey, black, and white.
How secure are your sliding doors?
Our sliding doors come fitted with the EROS 3 Star Cylinder lock, which has achieved Sold Secure Diamond 2024 certification. This advanced locking system offers comprehensive protection against break-in methods, providing excellent security for your home.