In this month’s Onsite with Ade series, Adrian Barraclough, Chairman of Quickslide puts a spring in your step with the latest from Quickslide
April showers notwithstanding, the eternally optimistic Brits are already steamed up about getting out into their gardens, firing up the mowers and barbeques and doing whatever they can to merge the inside of their homes, seamlessly with the outside. Whatever the realities of the weather, now is the time to tap into this extraordinarily British optimistic trait, with all the numbers pointing to a bumper sales year for garden doors.
Of course, the industry is always ready with a new tranche of sliding, bi-folding, sliding and folding, tilting and sliding and even traditional, hinged garden doors so there is something that you can offer to even the fussiest customers. Let’s have a look at a few of this season’s variations on the theme….
If you will forgive me for a bit of self-puff, we have Quick-Glide, a new super slim slide-and-stack door which is unique to Quickslide, for the moment at least. I am breaking the editorial rules to bring you this because it is a slim-sightline version of our very own folding/sliding door, that stacks like a bi-fold but with the panels operating independently along the track. Thus, the homeowner can configure the number of open panels to provide anything from a little fresh air to a full, unhindered opening. And now, with more glass to peer through when the doors are closed, which after all, will be most of the time.
To tap into the hottest trend in the market you also need to offer your customers sliders and hinged doors styled in the art deco ‘industrial chic’ style that is sweeping the UK currently. Also available in casement windows, as well as internal doors and room dividers, once again we look to our past to enjoy the very best in current, up-to-the-minute style, one that I believe will run and run. Top of the pile in my view are those offered by Heritage Alitherm, with internal products marketed under the Aluspace brand.
A word of advice however: Check with your fabricator as some configurations may not be suitable for certain applications, such as new builds, for example.
Bi-folds, bi-folds everywhere…
There has been a really strong start to 2024 for bi-folds. There is always something new for this ever-popular product and just as we all went on a diet in the New Year then so too did bi-folding doors! One of the very few issues with this style has been the thickness of the frames so the industry has been working hard to reduce the dimensions of the aluminium profiles to further minimise sight-lines and max out the see-through bits. And the latest offering is the slimmest ever achieved!
And it’s not just the homeowner that benefits: when installing these, you can now speed things up with the Quick Bead that allows the doors to be glazed on-site quickly and easily to improve handling and installation, plus door jambs that make squaring up quicker and simpler by offering 4mm +/- adjustment either side.
But bi-folds aren’t having it all their own way with the sliding ‘patio’ door remaining ever-popular. Ignore these at your peril because there are some superb improvements, again with the profiles as thin as they have ever been…
Punters are starting their home improvement shopping early this year so make sure you’ve done your homework and are ready for a Garden Door Bonanza!
For further information on Quickslide visit Window & Door Suppliers West Yorkshire | Sliding Sash Manufacturers (quickslide.co.uk).
