Everything You Need to Know About Metal-framed Doors
Aluminium or steel? Multi-paned or ‘frameless’? Sliding, hinged or bifold? Metal offers a wealth of possibilities
Metal-framed doors are pretty versatile: they can channel the industrial chic of the 1920s, offer a barely there minimalist statement, or open out in bifold form to bridge inside and out. Our experts consider when, where and why a metal-framed door might be a better fit than timber or uPVC.
Professional advice from: Federica Vasetti of DHV Architects; Dominic McKenzie of Dominic McKenzie Architects; Karenna Wilford of Karenna Wilford Architects
Professional advice from: Federica Vasetti of DHV Architects; Dominic McKenzie of Dominic McKenzie Architects; Karenna Wilford of Karenna Wilford Architects
What advantages do metal doors have over wood or uPVC ones?
The frames on metal doors can be thinner. “This allows you to have less obstruction to the sightlines and a greater area of glazing,” Karenna says. “The working mechanisms are usually smooth and easier to operate than [those on] heavier wooden frames,” she adds.
A metal-framed door can often be larger than a uPVC or wood one. “So with bifolds, for instance, you would need fewer doors,” she says.
Another advantage of metal is that it needs minimal maintenance. “Metal doors are normally powder-coated in a factory, so there’s less work carried out on site,” Karenna says. “Wooden doors, on the other hand, generally need to be repainted, resealed or revarnished frequently.”
The cost of wooden and metal doors will depend on the specification. “However, generally, entry-level prices are comparable,” Federica says. “uPVC doors are considerably cheaper (approximately half the cost of metal or wooden ones), but have downsides, including chunky frames, restricted opening sizes and the fact that they can’t be used in conservation areas.”
The frames on metal doors can be thinner. “This allows you to have less obstruction to the sightlines and a greater area of glazing,” Karenna says. “The working mechanisms are usually smooth and easier to operate than [those on] heavier wooden frames,” she adds.
A metal-framed door can often be larger than a uPVC or wood one. “So with bifolds, for instance, you would need fewer doors,” she says.
Another advantage of metal is that it needs minimal maintenance. “Metal doors are normally powder-coated in a factory, so there’s less work carried out on site,” Karenna says. “Wooden doors, on the other hand, generally need to be repainted, resealed or revarnished frequently.”
The cost of wooden and metal doors will depend on the specification. “However, generally, entry-level prices are comparable,” Federica says. “uPVC doors are considerably cheaper (approximately half the cost of metal or wooden ones), but have downsides, including chunky frames, restricted opening sizes and the fact that they can’t be used in conservation areas.”
Some high-end metal-framed doors are prohibitively expensive. Are there more reasonably priced versions out there?
There are many different systems and it’s always wise to shop around, say our experts. “Top-of-the-range aluminium doors have slender, minimal frames and highly efficient, triple-glazed units,” Federica says. “As a rule, the slimmer the frame, the higher the cost. There used to be only a handful of suppliers offering these, but now several companies have started to produce slim-framed doors, so it’s worth looking out for them.”
“Some sliding doors are classified as frameless,” Karenna explains. “These have the base and soffit frames recessed into the floor and ceiling structure, so the glass appears to float in the space.”
Budget will normally determine which manufacturer to go with, she adds. “Ask your builder whether they would recommend a particular manufacturer and whether they can obtain any discounts with a company they frequently order from,” she says.
There are many different systems and it’s always wise to shop around, say our experts. “Top-of-the-range aluminium doors have slender, minimal frames and highly efficient, triple-glazed units,” Federica says. “As a rule, the slimmer the frame, the higher the cost. There used to be only a handful of suppliers offering these, but now several companies have started to produce slim-framed doors, so it’s worth looking out for them.”
“Some sliding doors are classified as frameless,” Karenna explains. “These have the base and soffit frames recessed into the floor and ceiling structure, so the glass appears to float in the space.”
Budget will normally determine which manufacturer to go with, she adds. “Ask your builder whether they would recommend a particular manufacturer and whether they can obtain any discounts with a company they frequently order from,” she says.
What colours and finishes are available?
Colour choice is usually versatile in aluminium or steel. “Most manufacturers offer a standard range of colours that are easily available, as well as any RAL colour if you’re prepared to allow for a longer production time,” Karenna says. “Darker colours, such as grey and black, have been the most popular with our clients for some years.”
There’s also often the option of a textured finish alongside the standard smooth surface.
Colour choice is usually versatile in aluminium or steel. “Most manufacturers offer a standard range of colours that are easily available, as well as any RAL colour if you’re prepared to allow for a longer production time,” Karenna says. “Darker colours, such as grey and black, have been the most popular with our clients for some years.”
There’s also often the option of a textured finish alongside the standard smooth surface.
What sizes and opening types are possible?
Metal doors can be hinged, sliding or sliding-folding (bifold). “Bifold doors can be opened up completely, whereas with sliding doors, there will be a fixed panel,” Federica explains. “Hinged and bifold doors are usually limited to 1.2m in width, whereas sliding doors can measure up to 3m. On a 6m structural opening this equates to five bifold doors or just two sliding ones.”
Dominic has a word of caution concerning bifold systems. “Because the leaves all need to act like doors, they tend to have wider frames,” he says. This doesn’t matter so much when the doors are open, “but those wider frames will be visible when the doors are closed, which is most of the time in the UK,” he says.
“With bifolds, we always recommend having a dominant door that will be hinged and act as your main door when you don’t want to open all of them,” Karenna says.
Limiting factors tend to be the size and weight of the doors, which need to be able to move properly and not feel too heavy. “Doors are typically limited to 3m or so high, though one of our projects features 5m-high steel-framed doors,” Karenna says.
The widest metal sliding doors Karenna has designed were each 2.5m across, with a total of 10m glazing for a large, open-plan kitchen-diner.
Metal doors can be hinged, sliding or sliding-folding (bifold). “Bifold doors can be opened up completely, whereas with sliding doors, there will be a fixed panel,” Federica explains. “Hinged and bifold doors are usually limited to 1.2m in width, whereas sliding doors can measure up to 3m. On a 6m structural opening this equates to five bifold doors or just two sliding ones.”
Dominic has a word of caution concerning bifold systems. “Because the leaves all need to act like doors, they tend to have wider frames,” he says. This doesn’t matter so much when the doors are open, “but those wider frames will be visible when the doors are closed, which is most of the time in the UK,” he says.
“With bifolds, we always recommend having a dominant door that will be hinged and act as your main door when you don’t want to open all of them,” Karenna says.
Limiting factors tend to be the size and weight of the doors, which need to be able to move properly and not feel too heavy. “Doors are typically limited to 3m or so high, though one of our projects features 5m-high steel-framed doors,” Karenna says.
The widest metal sliding doors Karenna has designed were each 2.5m across, with a total of 10m glazing for a large, open-plan kitchen-diner.
What options are there in terms of glazing?
Double-glazed units usually contain an additional gas in the cavity (such as argon) to improve thermal performance.
“Depending on the project’s requirements, doors can feature special glazing to help retain the heat or reduce solar gain and control glare,” Federica says. “Glazing units can also contain integral blinds for shading and privacy, and these could be manually or electrically operated.”
Options for types of glazing and the division of glazing are the same as for timber or uPVC doors, Karenna says. Most of her clients opt for double glazing, as the difference in U-values between double and triple glazing isn’t big, yet triple glazing is usually twice as expensive.
“The other disadvantage of triple glazing is that the additional weight can make the doors harder to operate and cause more wear and tear on the fixtures and fittings. Hinges on a heavier door are more likely to slump over a period of time and may need frequent readjustment and replacement sooner than on a double-glazed door.”
There’s a huge range of glazing options, Dominic says. “You can have frosted, sandblasted or textured glass. Frosted can work well, though it can change the appearance of the glass when compared to adjacent clear glazing – it looks more whitish.
“We used ribbed glass recently for a music industry project,” he says, “which worked well on a brief requiring privacy in an internal meeting room.”
Double-glazed units usually contain an additional gas in the cavity (such as argon) to improve thermal performance.
“Depending on the project’s requirements, doors can feature special glazing to help retain the heat or reduce solar gain and control glare,” Federica says. “Glazing units can also contain integral blinds for shading and privacy, and these could be manually or electrically operated.”
Options for types of glazing and the division of glazing are the same as for timber or uPVC doors, Karenna says. Most of her clients opt for double glazing, as the difference in U-values between double and triple glazing isn’t big, yet triple glazing is usually twice as expensive.
“The other disadvantage of triple glazing is that the additional weight can make the doors harder to operate and cause more wear and tear on the fixtures and fittings. Hinges on a heavier door are more likely to slump over a period of time and may need frequent readjustment and replacement sooner than on a double-glazed door.”
There’s a huge range of glazing options, Dominic says. “You can have frosted, sandblasted or textured glass. Frosted can work well, though it can change the appearance of the glass when compared to adjacent clear glazing – it looks more whitish.
“We used ribbed glass recently for a music industry project,” he says, “which worked well on a brief requiring privacy in an internal meeting room.”
How can I use metal-framed doors creatively in my home?
Use the glazing internally to subdivide a house, Dominic suggests. “Do some research if you’re intending to use the glazing adjacent to protected stairs, though, as it’s not always easy to find steel-framed glazing that can be given fire protection.”
“Bearing in mind that fixed glazing is always cheaper than openable glazing, it’s worth exploring different door arrangements,” Federica suggests. “Several of our projects feature a combination of fixed glazing – to provide daylight and views – and openable doors – for access and ventilation.
“A few years ago, we designed a side-return extension with large, uninterrupted fixed glazing looking out to the garden,” she says. “As well as providing a considerable cost saving, the fixed glazing became the defining feature of the project.”
Use metal doors for internal glazing as well as external, Karenna says. “Having a metal glazed pocket door, where the door disappears into a recess in the wall, can be a very subtle room divider when it’s needed, as well as looking attractive when the door’s closed.
“If the doors are bifold, we always carefully consider which direction they’ll open and where they’ll be stacked once fully opened, as this will affect the use of the adjacent internal or external space,” she adds.
Everything you need to know about pocket doors.
Use the glazing internally to subdivide a house, Dominic suggests. “Do some research if you’re intending to use the glazing adjacent to protected stairs, though, as it’s not always easy to find steel-framed glazing that can be given fire protection.”
“Bearing in mind that fixed glazing is always cheaper than openable glazing, it’s worth exploring different door arrangements,” Federica suggests. “Several of our projects feature a combination of fixed glazing – to provide daylight and views – and openable doors – for access and ventilation.
“A few years ago, we designed a side-return extension with large, uninterrupted fixed glazing looking out to the garden,” she says. “As well as providing a considerable cost saving, the fixed glazing became the defining feature of the project.”
Use metal doors for internal glazing as well as external, Karenna says. “Having a metal glazed pocket door, where the door disappears into a recess in the wall, can be a very subtle room divider when it’s needed, as well as looking attractive when the door’s closed.
“If the doors are bifold, we always carefully consider which direction they’ll open and where they’ll be stacked once fully opened, as this will affect the use of the adjacent internal or external space,” she adds.
Everything you need to know about pocket doors.
Are there any issues around sourcing, fitting, cleaning and maintenance?
It’s always good practice to visit a showroom where the type of doors you want are installed, say our experts. Open and close them and be sure they will operate in the way you expect.
“We have older clients who want a smooth and effortless sliding door, rather than a heavy one that’s hard to get moving,” Karenna says.
“Consider your location,” she continues. “If you’re in a very windy area, we’d never recommend bifold doors, as it’s difficult to make them completely airtight due to the number of panes and the mechanisms. The last thing you want is constant whistling when there are high winds.”
In terms of maintenance, Karenna recommends vacuuming and cleaning out any tracks for sliding or bifold doors, as well as following the manufacturer’s specific instructions for any other maintenance of moving parts.
It’s always good practice to visit a showroom where the type of doors you want are installed, say our experts. Open and close them and be sure they will operate in the way you expect.
“We have older clients who want a smooth and effortless sliding door, rather than a heavy one that’s hard to get moving,” Karenna says.
“Consider your location,” she continues. “If you’re in a very windy area, we’d never recommend bifold doors, as it’s difficult to make them completely airtight due to the number of panes and the mechanisms. The last thing you want is constant whistling when there are high winds.”
In terms of maintenance, Karenna recommends vacuuming and cleaning out any tracks for sliding or bifold doors, as well as following the manufacturer’s specific instructions for any other maintenance of moving parts.
Are there any implications around Building Regulations?
Building Regulations require all new and refurbished buildings to achieve minimum standards of energy efficiency (measured as a rate of heat transfer, or U-value). “Doors need to have an overall U-value of 1.8 at least,” Federica says. “High-performance, triple-glazed doors can achieve a U-value of 0.7 [the lower the U-value, the better the insulation].”
It’s worth noting, she says, that the glazing always has a lower U-value than the frame. “It means large, plain doors are always more efficient than smaller units with lots of glazing bars,” Federica says.
“All manufacturers have to adhere to current regulations in terms of cold bridging,” Karenna says. “This prevents the external cold temperature from being transmitted to the internal face of the frame and causing condensation and a chill near the doors. If a metal-glazed door is used internally and needs to be classified as fire-resistant, you’ll need to specify specialist glazing, which will be expensive.”
“If you want to use larger amounts of glazing, you need to be able to justify its use in terms of Building Regulations Part L,” Dominic says. “This concerns the thermal efficiency of the building. There are different ways to calculate the amount of glazing you can use, including doing a SAP or Standard Assessment Procedure calculation for the overall property. This allows you to have more glazing as long as it’s offset against higher-than-regulation insulation levels elsewhere – say in the walls and roof.”
Building Regulations require all new and refurbished buildings to achieve minimum standards of energy efficiency (measured as a rate of heat transfer, or U-value). “Doors need to have an overall U-value of 1.8 at least,” Federica says. “High-performance, triple-glazed doors can achieve a U-value of 0.7 [the lower the U-value, the better the insulation].”
It’s worth noting, she says, that the glazing always has a lower U-value than the frame. “It means large, plain doors are always more efficient than smaller units with lots of glazing bars,” Federica says.
“All manufacturers have to adhere to current regulations in terms of cold bridging,” Karenna says. “This prevents the external cold temperature from being transmitted to the internal face of the frame and causing condensation and a chill near the doors. If a metal-glazed door is used internally and needs to be classified as fire-resistant, you’ll need to specify specialist glazing, which will be expensive.”
“If you want to use larger amounts of glazing, you need to be able to justify its use in terms of Building Regulations Part L,” Dominic says. “This concerns the thermal efficiency of the building. There are different ways to calculate the amount of glazing you can use, including doing a SAP or Standard Assessment Procedure calculation for the overall property. This allows you to have more glazing as long as it’s offset against higher-than-regulation insulation levels elsewhere – say in the walls and roof.”
What’s your one top tip for anyone considering metal-framed doors for a project?
“Think about how the doors will relate to other ones within your project,” says Karenna says. “If you have solid wood internal doors, then you may prefer to follow this through to the external doors. If your project has a more traditional appearance, this may be another reason to opt for wood rather than metal. We tend to have clients who want a more modern and light feel to their glazing, and metal is the perfect option for that.
“Decide on the look you want, spend time researching various manufacturers, test the doors yourself and work with your budget,” she concludes.
“Consider what your choice of glazing adds to the building in terms of style and historical meaning,” Dominic advises. “Consider the colour of the glazing. Should it match other doors and windows in the property or be a different colour to identify the area as more contemporary? Think about accessories, such as the style and finish for handles.”
Put some thought into the location, aspect and requirements of your doors, Federica suggests. “On a north-facing elevation, bifold doors will rarely be opened fully, so it might be better to choose sliding versions instead. Some Crittall-style doors, meanwhile, have limited opening sizes and might not be suitable if your priority is a strong connection between indoors and out.”
Ultimately, she says, the doors should suit the project rather than the project the doors.
To see more from any of the designers whose photos are featured in this article, click on the image, then on Learn More if you’re in the app, and follow the links to the professional’s profile.
Tell us…
What have you learned from installing metal-framed doors? What kind of design did you choose and why? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
“Think about how the doors will relate to other ones within your project,” says Karenna says. “If you have solid wood internal doors, then you may prefer to follow this through to the external doors. If your project has a more traditional appearance, this may be another reason to opt for wood rather than metal. We tend to have clients who want a more modern and light feel to their glazing, and metal is the perfect option for that.
“Decide on the look you want, spend time researching various manufacturers, test the doors yourself and work with your budget,” she concludes.
“Consider what your choice of glazing adds to the building in terms of style and historical meaning,” Dominic advises. “Consider the colour of the glazing. Should it match other doors and windows in the property or be a different colour to identify the area as more contemporary? Think about accessories, such as the style and finish for handles.”
Put some thought into the location, aspect and requirements of your doors, Federica suggests. “On a north-facing elevation, bifold doors will rarely be opened fully, so it might be better to choose sliding versions instead. Some Crittall-style doors, meanwhile, have limited opening sizes and might not be suitable if your priority is a strong connection between indoors and out.”
Ultimately, she says, the doors should suit the project rather than the project the doors.
To see more from any of the designers whose photos are featured in this article, click on the image, then on Learn More if you’re in the app, and follow the links to the professional’s profile.
Tell us…
What have you learned from installing metal-framed doors? What kind of design did you choose and why? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
Metal glazed doors are made from aluminium or steel, and understanding the difference will help you make the right choice for your project.
“The majority of metal doors are built from aluminium extrusions, which are powder-coated for durability,” Federica Vasetti explains. “Aluminium doors are usually ‘thermally broken’, which means a layer of insulating material separates the inner from the outer frame to make them energy-efficient.”
“Steel doors are more robust, but they can sometimes have slight cold bridges, so the cold outside transfers to the interior,” Dominic McKenzie says.
Steel doors tend to have slimmer profiles, are heavier and more expensive, and “are used in listed buildings rather than new-builds”, according to Federica.
The fact that aluminium doors are lighter means they’re suitable for a wider range of projects. “It’s easier for people to open aluminium doors, whether they’re hinged, sliding or bifold,” Karenna Wilford says.
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