Door Industry Journal - Summer 2020

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk THE door industry journal summer 2020 97 Entrance & Bi-folding Doors To make them more sympathetic to a period design, the colour plays a big part. Slate grey, along with Farrow and Ball type colours would be deemed popular with planning and conservation departments. In very strict conversation projects, such as listed buildings, a total replica would be required. It would have to be made in timber and replicate the look of French doors, which would mean you would have to forego large expanses of glass. What finishes are popular? In terms of finishes, there are a huge variety of bespoke options to consider when planning windows for a new or existing build. Foil or paint finish, light or dark colours, wood grain flat smooth or texture and colour trends. The demand for plain white has declined rapidly over the past five years and the switch over to the contemporary greys and pastel colours has taken a strong foothold. Many systems now rank the most popular colour being Anthracite Grey which has more interesting undertones than a typical pure grey with flashes of blue and green depending on the light. There has also been a recent transition to more bespoke unusual shades, edging towards beige greys. These shades are favourable because they can be combined with a wide range of building materials, such as brick, render or cladding. We have also seen a rise in popularity with heritage green shades, particularly for countryside cottages or barn conversions. Can I buy off the shelf bifolding doors? Is this recommended? There are options available but this isn’t recommended for a number of reasons. Primarily, a period or countryside home is likely to present complex installation requirements and structural considerations such as uneven walls would be a huge technical challenge. The installation team are equally as important as the manufacturer of the product, as they will be highly skilled at fitting large, heavy window and door profiles. Furthermore, double glazing would be standard in off the shelf bifolds, whereas bespoke companies will offer triple glazing as standard along with a 5-10 year warranty. We regularly end up replacing cheaper bifolds after 1-2 years which customers have purchased that are not up to scratch. With bifolds in particular, going for an off the shelf or cheap product can end up very costly in the long run. Which solution is more thermally efficient? The thermal performance depends on the profile system of the bifold. The more glass area and the less frame – the more thermally efficient the product will be. A bifold with lots of uprights and frames will have a lower thermal performance, whereas a panoramic sliding door will have less framework and therefore will offer a higher level of thermal efficiency. For example, a good panoramic will have a maximum of four seals, whereas an equivalent bifold would have 16 or more which will greatly affect the airtightness. Do I need planning permission for bifold or panoramic doors? What about if my property is listed? If your property is listed or conservation conditions prevail, you would always be advised to check with your local planning department. If not, there is not usually any need to get planning permission, unless you decide to have building work done to accommodate the doors which would need to be in compliance with local building regulations. What do I need to know about fitting? Is it best to have this professionally done? Installation is key. A fitter who has only ever installed PVCu products would struggle to fit a high-end Afino-tec or aluminium product as the technical demands are completely different. It is always better to purchase from a company who offer installation as they will understand their product.