What’s the Difference between a Lift and Slide Door and a Regular Sliding Door?
European Windows and Doors Guide: Part 2
Sliding doors are a common feature in many American homes. They are a great way to let in a lot of natural light (whether opened or closed) and, at the same time, creating a large opening to the outside when weather permits.
While sliding doors are a proven design, a lot of European windows and door manufacturers started to build lift and slide doors instead, citing various design advantages and the ease of use. So what are the differences between a ‘sliding door’ and a European ‘lift and slide door’?
Lift, then slide
Lift and slide door mechanisms enable easy operation of oversized vents as shown on this 4 panel setup.
A regular sliding door uses a static rail fixed at the bottom of the outer frame. The door is supported by small rollers under the vent which move along the bottom rail. To maintain sufficient water and air tightness, sliding doors have very little clearance between the rail and the vent, creating significant friction and rubbing of the seals, even on brand new doors. Over time, as debris and corrosion reduce the clearance even further and the bearings on the rollers wear out, sliding doors become harder and harder to open, especially on larger elements. You have probably noticed it yourself on older slider doors.
European lift and slide doors avoid the issues of regular sliding doors by utilizing a mechanism that lifts up the door before sliding. It can be used with nearly limitless sliding door designs, from conventional two panel setups, to multi-panel, corner-less configurations spanning the width of a house or building.
As you turn the handle down, the vent is lifted by a pulley system. The vent is fully released from its seals and has more clearance from the bottom rail. The door can now slide at the push of a finger. Move the handle back in the original position and the rail is lowered, sitting the vent back down on the bottom of the frame for maximum air and water tightness. In the closed position, the rail is completely protected from debris and corrosion.
This innovation translates into three main advantages:
Ease of use
As already mentioned, the lift-and-then-slide design allows the user to open even over-sized vents with the push of a finger.
In addition to the added vent clearances when lifted and the protection of the rail from dust and debris, European lift and slide doors also use high-performance bearings in the rollers add to their smooth operation. With these capabilities, customers who might have avoided larger sliding doors due to the weight of the vent, may once again consider larger vent sizes with the lift-and-slide mechanism.
The substantial and easy-to-use handle of a lift and slide door is also an improvement over many locking mechanisms used on slider doors. The simple turning motion not only unlocks the door, but it also raises the door at the same time. There is no additional finger-operated locking mechanism needed, and it will not get jammed over time like many slider locking mechanisms do.
Better water and air tightness, reduced wear and tear
The special mechanism of lift and slide doors reduce wear and tear and improve water tightness and forced entry resistance.
Since regular sliding doors cannot disengage their seals when the doors are opened and closed, sliding door designs attempt to balance the need for air/water tight seals with the need to minimize the friction of those seals while operating the door. Ultimately, sliding doors do not achieve either of these requirements well. In fact, sliding doors quickly become difficult to operate and their water/air tightness quickly deteriorates with each use.
The design of lift and slide doors, however, allow minimal operating friction without sacrificing high performance water and air tightness. This is because the vent of a lift and slide door is raised before opening, allowing the seals to disengage and avoid any exposure to friction during operation. Additionally, more and thicker seals can be used, since they don’t add to the effort of opening the vent. Therefore, lift and slide doors offer much better air and water tightness compared to regular slider doors, while providing increased longevity due to seals that aren’t exposed to wear and tear from friction.
Improved forced entry resistance
When a lift and slide door is shut and the handle is moved into the closed position, not only are the locking mechanisms engaged, but the full weight of the vent is set down onto the frame. Intruders would not only need to create enough leverage to break the multi point locking mechanism, but also move the weight of the vent. Considering that vents on larger lift and slide doors are easily 200 to 400 pounds, it adds a significant amount of security. In addition, even if the vent is left slightly open for ventilation, it can not be just pushed open as long as the handle can’t be moved from the outside.
Interested in learning more about European lift and slide doors? Get in contact with Bauwerk!
About Bauwerk Building Solutions
Bauwerk is a multinational business that connects US clients to an extensive network of European manufacturers of windows, doors, curtain wall systems, and more. We specialize in innovative and refined building products of the highest quality. Our offices are located in Charlotte, NC and Berlin, Germany.