What Makes Aluminium Glazing Luxury? 7 Details Worth Paying For
Two sets of aluminium doors can look alike in a brochure and feel completely different once they're fitted. In a luxury glazing project, the difference is in the details: how much frame you see, how big the glass can go, how the doors meet the floor, and how carefully everything is surveyed and fitted. Here our team explains the seven details we look at first when clients ask for premium aluminium windows and doors.
1. Slim sightlines
The sightline is the width of frame you see where two panels meet. The slimmer it is, the more a set of doors reads as one sheet of glass. The Origin OS-29+ sliding door has a 29mm sightline, and the OB-36+ is Origin's slimmest bi-fold at 36mm. If you'd rather have a bolder, more architectural frame, the OS-77 has a 77mm sightline.
For the slimmest frames of all, our Luxury Aluminium range goes further. The MFP16 Carbon sliding door has a 16mm sightline, the thinnest currently available, and the MFP18 has a nearly invisible 18mm aluminium frame.
2. Large panels
Fewer, bigger panels mean fewer frames across the view. Origin's sliding doors take panels up to 2.2m wide and 2.52m tall, in sets of up to six panels. For windows, a fixed picture window in the OW-80 system can be up to 7m², so a single pane can frame a wide view with no bars. If you want to go bigger and taller, our MFP18 sliding door takes panels up to 18m², and the MFP20 Classic takes glass up to 3000mm wide and high, so the glass can run from floor to ceiling.
3. Flush details
Luxury is often about what you don't see. The OW-80 Premium window has sashes that sit flush with the frame inside and out, for a clean, timber-like look. On Origin sliding doors, the track can be recessed into the floor so the inside and outside floors line up, depending on the floor build-up and drainage, which we check at survey. Our guide to bifold door thresholds explains the options for bi-folds. The MFP18 can also have a hidden, integrated track set into the floor, so your tiles or stone run right up to the runner, and concealed pocket doors that slide away into the wall.
4. Colour and finish
Origin windows and bi-fold doors come in over 150 RAL colours, with textured and dual-colour finishes, so the outside can suit your brickwork or render while the inside matches your kitchen. The finish is powder-coated, so it won't need repainting.
5. Thermal performance
Slim frames no longer mean a cold room. In England, Building Regulations require replacement windows and glazed doors to reach a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better (or an equivalent energy rating), and the lower the number, the less heat escapes. The OS-29+ and OB-36+ reach as low as 0.78 W/m²K, and the OW-80 as low as 0.8 W/m²K with its Aerogel upgrade. Our guide to tilt and turn window energy efficiency explains how U-values work.
6. Security
Large glass doors should be as secure as your front door. Look for PAS 24, the standard that tests doors and windows against forced entry, and Secured by Design, the police-backed security scheme. The OS-29+, OS-77 and OB-36+ are tested to PAS 24, and the OB-72 bi-fold and the OW-70 and OW-80 windows have both PAS 24 and Secured by Design.
7. Survey, manufacture and fitting
Even the best system only performs as well as it's fitted. Every Aliluxe project starts with a free design visit and a full measure, followed by a pre-installation survey before anything is made. Origin makes each frame to measure in the UK, and our own team fits it. You get a FENSA certificate where applicable, our 10-year insurance-backed guarantee and Origin's guarantee of up to 20 years.
Origin systems at a glance
Here's how the main Origin systems we fit compare. U-values are the best each system can reach with the right glass.
System | Type | Sightline | U-value (as low as) | Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OS-29+ | Sliding door | 29mm | 0.78 W/m²K | PAS 24 |
OS-77 | Sliding door | 77mm | 1.3 W/m²K | PAS 24 |
OB-36+ | Bi-fold door | 36mm | 0.78 W/m²K | PAS 24 |
OB-72 | Bi-fold door | 72mm | 1.1 W/m²K | PAS 24 and Secured by Design |
OW-70 | Window | 65mm | 1.2 W/m²K | PAS 24 and Secured by Design |
OW-80 | Window | 91mm | 0.8 W/m²K (with Aerogel) | PAS 24 and Secured by Design |
A quick checklist for premium glazing
Ask for the sightline in millimetres, not just "slim".
Check the maximum panel size against the opening you have in mind.
Ask whether a flush threshold is possible with your floor build-up.
Choose your colour inside and out, and see a sample.
Compare U-values for the whole window or door, not just the glass.
Check for PAS 24 and, if it matters to you, Secured by Design.
Ask who will survey and fit the doors.
Frequently asked questions
Is aluminium worth the extra cost over uPVC?
For large openings, usually. Aluminium is stronger, so frames can be slimmer and panels bigger, and the colour range is much wider. Our uPVC vs aluminium comparison sets out the pros and cons of each.
What is the slimmest aluminium door you fit?
The MFP16 Carbon sliding door, with a 16mm sightline, the thinnest currently available. In the Origin range, the OS-29+ sliding door has a 29mm sightline and the OB-36+ is the slimmest bi-fold at 36mm.
Can my frames be a different colour inside and out?
Yes. Origin windows and bi-fold doors are available in dual colour, so you can choose one colour for the outside and another for the inside.
Plan your project with us
If you're planning an extension, a new build or a full glazing upgrade, we'll visit your home, talk through the options and give you a clear, itemised quote. Call 020 4581 8351, email sales@aliluxe.co.uk or book a free design consultation. You can also see recent work on our projects page, or browse the full Luxury Aluminium range.
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